Visakhapatnam: It is rare to see an old two wheeler on the road. But owning, maintaining and riding 31 such bikes is rare. Proud owner Basava Ravishankar Reddy is an engineer from Reddy Kancharapalam in Visakhapatnam.
Each of these vintage vehicles is meticulously maintained and raced on the road, showcasing the beauty of historic motorcycles on the move.
Ravi Shankar Reddy is a dedicated caretaker. In addition to keeping all his bikes in excellent running condition, he has built a dedicated building to house his collection. He personally handles all their maintenance.
“Looking after 31 different types of old two-wheelers requires careful attention. Rust is their worst enemy. As soon as a bike starts rusting, I take a bottle of oil to deal with it. Sometimes Even repairing a single bike takes me four to five hours,” Ravi Shankar told Deccan Chronicle.
His collection includes such gems as a 1957 Jawa Bike, a 1959 Lambretta Scooter, a Mini Ambassador, a Diesel Bullet, a Luna, and an Ind Suzuki. “Importantly, I bought all these wonderful machines one by one from people in Visakhapatnam,” he revealed.
An indicator of his passion for vintage bikes is paying ₹1.70 lakh annually for their maintenance and keeping their registration and other certificates up to date.
“It is a misconception that old bikes are inoperable just because of age. These bikes can be ridden proudly on the road. Sometimes, spare parts for these bikes may not be available in India. Then I use from abroad. Every old bike that I have,” Ravi Shankar He says with pride.
Filmmakers often approach him to use vintage bikes in their films. However, he is protective of his collection and refuses to lend them. Through his meticulous care and passion, he is keeping the legacy of these classic bikes alive for future generations to appreciate.