Looking Back: The 'Bobby' Rajdoot Owes Its Success To Rishi Kapoor

The Escorts group has Rishi Kapoor to thank for a very important phase in their history. In the early 1970's around the same time when Bollywood legend made his debut as a lead actor in his father Raj Kapoor's production Bobby, the humble Rajdoot GTS 175 was trying make a mark in the Indian 2-wheeler space. But what all marketing campaigns couldn't achieve Rishi's film Bobby was able to do. Sales of the motorcycle went through the roof when the film released, and yes it got a new name as well - Bobby Rajdoot.

6vf4ofdk

Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia in their debut film 'Bobby' that released in 1973.

A youth on a motorbike was a refreshing change from the middle aged lead actors Bollywood had seen until then. Escorts had tied-up with Polish manufacturer SHL to sell bikes in India and the Bobby Rajdoot was one of the results of the tie-up. The 173 cc, two-stroke engine didn't have enough power (7.5 bhp & 12.7 Nm) and the seating position wasn't comfortable either, yet the Rajdoot GTS 175 became a rage among the youth, more so after Bobby released. There was extensive use of chrome on the bike and a spare wheel was mounted too!

9drkd2v4

The bike got many nicknames including Monkey as well as the 'Bobby' bike. (Image: Biswarup Ganguly, Wikimedia Commons)

Leading names of the Indian Automobile Industry paid their tributes to Rishi Kapoor on his passing. Chairman of Hero Group Pawan Munjal said," I am deeply saddened by the passing of my dear friend Rishi Kapoor. Like a diamond, he was a man of many dimensions. A legend of Indian cinema, he will be fondly remembered by everyone for all times to come for his immense body of work."

pd4k114c

In 2010 Rishi Kapoor got astride the humble Bajaj Chetak for his film Do Dooni Chaar.

Anand Mahindra, Chairman of Mahindra Group in a heartfelt tribute stated," For my generation, a large chunk of our childhood has just been amputated. Farewell friend. You must be still smiling broadly & entertaining a whole new tribe of people beyond the horizon."



from CarandBike - Latest News

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Harley-Davidson Streetfighter Spotted In Flesh For The First Time

Image
Harley-Davidson unveiled a range of new motorcycles last year that included an adventure tourer, streetfighter and Custom range. This, along with the LiveWire electric motorcycle defines the new-age 21st century offerings from the manufacturer as it taps into newer markets and caters to an evolving customer base. Now, giving a glimpse of the new models out in the open, the new Harley-Davidson Streetfighter was spotted in the prototype version at what seems to be a trade show in the US, giving a good glimpse at motorcycle looks like in flesh. While board says 'Styling Prototype', the production-spec version of the Streetfighter is likely to stay identical to the model showcased here. In addition to the Streetfighter, the Pan America was also showcased at the same event. The production spec versions of both bikes could be unveiled at EICMA this year. Also Read: Harley-Davidson Livewire To Be Unveiled In India In August The Harley-Davidson Streetfighter is a completely new mot
Read more

Brixton 1200 To Rival Triumph Bonneville T120

Image
A 1200 cc modern classic with similar design lines as Triumph's iconic Bonneville series, has reportedly been cleared for production. The bike was showcased as a concept at last year's EICMA motorcycle show, and from the looks of it, this is a model developed in China with the Triumph Bonneville T120 in its sights. The Brixton brand though is part of Austria's KSR Group, which imports bikes from several Chinese manufacturers, including CF Moto. And while the new Bonneville rival will be manufactured in China, the design and engineering has been created at KSR's design centre in Krups, Austria. Also Read: Triumph Bonnville T120 First Ride Review The Brixton 1200 cc motorcycle has not been named yet, or a launch timeline announced So far, the company has not committed to a launch date yet, but says that it will eventually make it to production. And from the looks of it, that may well be sometime later this year, maybe even at the EICMA 2020 show in Milan, Italy, in
Read more

Zongshen Cyclone RX6 Based On Norton 650 Nearing Completion

Image
While there still doesn't seem to be a buyer for iconic British brand Norton Motorcycles which went into administration in January this year, the firm's 650 cc parallel-twin seems to be finding life in China. While Norton apparently sold off the engine rights of its 961 engine to China's Jinglang just before the brand went into administration, the deal for the 650 cc engine was finalized way back in 2017 with Chinese giant Zongshen. The 650 cc parallel-twin engine was due to be used in Norton's Atlas and Superlight models, but now it looks like that engine platform will make its debut in a Zongshen motorcycle, called the Cyclone R6. Also Read: How Much Is Norton Motorcycles Worth Now? One of the patent designs shows the Cyclone RX6 with full touring accessories and luggage Two prototypes fitted with the 650 cc parallel-twin engine were shown in China late last year, on the Zongshen Cyclone RX6 adventure bike and the RX6 sport tourer. Both bikes used Zongshen-made
Read more