Exigency was the theme of the day. The morning rituals, the ride to YC Design’s Temple of Resurrection, shooting and penning down the experience, it all had a sense of urgency to it. And the protagonist — a custom Yamaha RX Scrambler — did nothing to change that, either. What it changed, though, was my perception about custom motorcycles.
In a country that sees over 16 million new two-wheelers every year, there’s no escaping the fact that there are thousands or even millions of people out there with a motorcycle that looks exactly like yours. Yet, something as small as a religious symbol, a fur seat or an unwanted announcement stickered on the rear mudguard is all it takes to distinguish your bike from others. So, when Yogi Chhabria said that he lost count of how many RXs he had turned into scramblers, I was dumbfounded. And you’ll be, too, when you search for ‘RX 135 Scrambler’ on YouTube. Every short and long format video that you see on the first page is a bike that was built by YC Design. But I had to see it first-hand, too, right?
YC’s take: ‘We have done close to 40 scramblers based on the RX, two of which have gone to the United States and Australia.’
And that led a sleep-and-caffeine deprived me to Yogi’s workshop in the wee hours to see what the hype has been about. Just like bats roosting in a cave, I was welcomed by the sight of a dozen RX fuel tanks hanging on the ceiling. Soon enough, a grey-and-black RX 135 scrambler was rolled out, and one kick was all it took to start up. The oil-infused smoke and the high pitched raspy symphony hit as hard as a morning coffee, or so I thought.
We had just a few minutes before nature adjusted the brightness control, so without even properly looking at the bike, I hopped on and rode off to the shoot location. It didn’t take long for me to realise that the bike was maybe too petite for my frame, but I didn’t care. With the exception of a short sprint on a friend’s home-built RX 100 cafe racer, I had no prior experience riding an RX 100 or RX 135, and this presented a perfect opportunity to get acquainted with one And that’s all down to Yogi’s choice of parts. The fork stanchions were from a Pulsar, while the lowers were off an Apache, as were the clutch and brake levers, front brake calliper and the disc. Yogi also plonked in a set of shock absorbers from the TVS Pheonix which could handle a lot more than what I subjected them to. Normally, I wouldn’t have trusted a Frankenstein job like this, but on this bike, it almost felt like a factory setup.
YC’s take: ‘The underpinnings are now a tried-and-tested setup, and we almost treat it like a factory line, using the same parts for every Scrambler that we build.’
Before I (and the RX) ruined everyone’s peaceful Sunday sleep, like with every new motorcycle, I tested the brakes and suspension at low speeds. With that done, it was time to rush… and what a rush that was. Everything that I read about a two-stroke engine presented itself in a more parlous fashion. Come on, it’s a 132cc single-cylinder two stroke motor that makes around 12 bhp and 1.2 kgm; it shouldn’t make Hunter and Himalayan riders question their choices, but it did. At one point, the Himalayan rider’s desperate attempt to overtake me almost cost him dearly. Oh, and there was a Domino quick throttle on this bike, too… just for that added an extra sense of urgency
YC’s take: ‘Every RX that we build is completely restored with new engine parts, wiring, wheels and tyres, so the bike that the customer gets feels like a brand new one.
However, it was not just about the engine, but everything that complemented it. Be it dodging sleepy/stupid jaywalkers or getting over colossal speed-breakers, everything seemed like child’s play. And that’s all down to Yogi’s choice of parts. The fork stanchions were from a Pulsar, while the lowers were off an Apache, as were the clutch and brake levers, front brake calliper and the disc. Yogi also plonked in a set of shock absorbers from the TVS Pheonix which could handle a lot more than what I subjected them to. Normally, I wouldn’t have trusted a Frankenstein job like this, but on this bike, it almost felt like a factory setup
YC’s take: ‘The underpinnings are now a tried-and-tested setup, and we almost treat it like a factory line, using the same parts for every Scrambler that we build.’
However, in the pursuit of making the bike purposeful, Yogi ensured that it was a head-turner, too. The headlight was one of the best ones that I have experienced and the tail-light… well, it just blended in so well with the frame that unless it was switched on, one wouldn’t notice it. And yes, the indicators are integrated into it. The puny monopod console? It was a no bullshit unit that told just what you needed to know. To complete it all, the Nardo grey paint job with black-and-white accents made for a suave look. Coincidently, it matched my riding gear a little too perfectly, didn’t it?
The ‘ProTaper’ foam protector for the ’bar brace, the Ralco 18/17-inch off-road tyres and the increase in height affirm its scrambler creds, but as much as I wanted to take it on some dirt-slinging adventures, I refrained from doing so. It was down to the bike’s size (compared to mine) and that seat was a little too narrow and soft for my derriere.
YC’s take: ‘I am a guy who likes to go off-road and so I aim to build scramblers that do it well. With the new suspension, the bike’s height is raised by two inches and the smaller 17-inch rear wheel adds to the scrambler’s character.’
My short stint with the RX 135 was nearing its end, and I still didn’t have an answer to my question — ‘Why buy a custom bike that can be replicated again?’ While pondering over this, a 50-something gentleman and his wife pulled up on the side, and with a child-like happiness, he blurted, ‘The smoke!’ before his wife covered her face, poked him and said something that implied he was supposed to be angry at me for making them breathe the two stroke air. Before she could say it to my face, he took off, maybe to save himself from the embarrassment. Shortly after, I saw two kids gawking at the bike from the side of the road, which almost immediately was followed by a rider on a loud Z900 giving a respectful nod before speeding off. And all this while, passersby would stop, give the bike a glance or two before resuming their lives.
Maybe that was the charm of YC’s RX 135 scrambler. For some, the old memories and unfulfilled dreams flashed in front of their eyes. For some, this bike presented a different and focused purpose, and for others, just seeing something old get a fresh start at life was reassuring enough. Isn’t this what custom-bike culture is truly all about
