Introduction
In the year 1991-92, I was on the look out for a two wheeler which I could buy for my wife Prema, for commuting to and from school. She was a student, oh sorry, a teacher. She had managed to keep all her limbs intact that far, I did not want her to go around breaking any. Oh did I tell you, she did not know how to ride a bicycle too, leave alone a scooter. Could she handle a scooter? Why not if I could get a vehicle which was safe, sturdy and easy to handle.
Emergence of a New Scooterette
Somewhere around that time, a new scooter or should I say a mini scooter was launched by Bajaj Auto. The BAJAJ SUNNY. It was hyped as the latest innovation for safe and easy riding. light weight, sturdy, highly maneuverable, Gearless, economical (65 KM per litre of Petrol) and ideal for ladies and children.
To Buy or Not to Buy
I was impressed seeing the ads on TV. I do not remember the ads exactly today, but they were good. Here finally was the ideal companion, hey not companion (where would that leave me?) but vehicle for Prema. I immediately decided to buy one. I was at Pathankot at that time. I checked the price with the Bajaj dealer. Rs 12, 500/-. I had Rs 10, 000/- ready cash from a fixed deposit which had matured. I thought I could muster up another Rs 1000/- or so from my salary or rather what was left of it (being the end of the month). But Rs 12, 500/-? Another Rs 1, 500/- required. Those were the days when bank loans were not easy to get and Rs 1, 500/- was no mean amount for the middle income group and I did not want to touch my provident fund.
I did not believe in borrowing from relatives or friends. I always believed in Shakespeare’s advice “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.” I decided to put it off till the next month. It could wait. But no. When I had made up my mind, I must execute the decision, no matter what the obstacles. A idea which takes seed in my mind and germinates, seldom waits for the usual course to flower. It has to be overnight. On enquiry I learnt that it was available 50 KM away for Rs 11, 000/-. Must be second hand I thought. No I just had to cross over to Kathua in J&K and buy it there. J & K had lower taxes. There. I know it. There had to be a way. So next day I caught a bus and was off to Kathua to ride back on the Bajaj Sunny. After completing all formalities, I finally had the bike or rather scooterette which would make Prema mobile.
Was it a wasted Investment?
Alas! My happiness was short lived. I did not realize that Prema would not be able to ride the sunny despite all its features. Oh did I tell you, she did not know how to ride a bicycle too, leave alone a scooter. So I embarked on the all important aspect of buying the Sunny. Teaching Prema how to ride it.
The area where we were staying was mountainous. Not big mountains, just low hills. To teach Prema how to ride, I had to sit on the Sunny with her as she could not balance. The Sunny managed to pull the heavy load of 68 Kg + 52 KG up and down hills. We roamed around oblivious to the fact that people were staring at the plight of the poor Sunny, but I was intent on teaching Prema so that she would soon start riding on her own. After a few days when I thought Prema was confident enough, I told her to ride it on her own. I held it from behind and ran some distance balancing it, but no sooner had I left it, she had a toss. That was the last of her independent rides. She decided she did not want to learn. She said she would rather walk than break her limbs learning to ride. Any amount of persuasion failed to make her change her mind. The decision was final.
Who Would Use it?
The girls were still too young to use it. What was I to do with the Bajaj Sunny which had bought with such high hopes. I was stuck with a scooterette with no one to ride it. It was then that I decided that I would use it. Now I had four means of transport. An old Fiat car, a Bajaj Super scooter, a Bajaj Sunny and a sports bicycle. Wow! I was highly mobile, but the Bajaj Sunny was the newest acquisition so the favourite.
My Experience With the Sunny
Once I, my wife and my two daughters took a chance and went on the Sunny to the market which was down hill. On the way back I had to stop at a place and after that it would not pull. With this excess weight it is no wonder. Prema was highly embarrassed (and decided never to take such a chance again), but luckily it had become dark and no one noticed. I had to give it some help with my feet to be able to negotiate the slope. It needs to be in motion and good speed to be able to negotiate a sustained climb with heavy loads. However, when I am alone it goes up in a jiffy.
The Advantages of a Bajaj Sunny
In the days when young men love to ride big and powerful motorcycles I was riding a 60 cc scooterette. And actually enjoying it. It gave me a great sense of freedom. How freedom? Well since it could not go at more than 40-50 KM per hour, I could safely look around while riding and did not have to concentrate on the road ahead. I could not over speed, a tendency I can not curb and hence there was no risk of accidents. I used to sit well back in the seat and lean forward as on motorcycle and it gave me a sense of power. The breaks are in the hand so both feet are free. It is so low that while sitting on it both my feet are firmly on the ground, so I can take sharp turns on either side. The foot board is flat unlike a Bajaj Super so I could even carry a gas cylinder vertically after removing the spare wheel. The biggest advantage I find is its great maneuverability specially in crowded areas of the market. I love winding my way through the crowd and it is very efficient at that. The advantages were many and varied.
Conclusion
From those days in 1991 to this day I have used the Bajaj Sunny very frequently. I have sold the old Fiat and bought an Indica V2, but the Bajaj Sunny still goes strong. It has given me good service. I used to go to the market and buy a weeks vegetables. There is sufficient space to hang the bags. I have grown in proportions and have started weighing 80+ Kg but my Sunny still faithfully carries my weight. The girls have since grown up and learnt to ride the Sunny some four years ago. They used it for a while but as they grew, they started feeling ashamed of it. Peer pressure perhaps. With all their friends moving around on Honda Activa or Kinetic Nova etc, they feel it below their dignity to use a Sunny. I am contemplating buying a new vehicle for them, but I have no problems with the Sunny. I still ride it for going to the market when I go alone and intend keeping it as long as it keeps moving. Prema says you make a funny site on the Sunny. A large man on a small bike, but, I do not mind the site. That is for others to see while I enjoy the ride. I can’t say that it is the best scooterette in terh market today, but it was the first and it has given me good service and I enjoy riding it.