Owning a premium motorcycle is something every young boy would dream off. What does one do if money is short but dreams know no bounds? Designing a motorcycle from an old vehicle could be the answer.
This is exactly what two youths from a small village called Gehlran in Bhogpur, Jalandhar did. They got hold of a Maruti Suzuki 800 alongside some old motorcycle parts and converted it into a large cruiser; all in a matter of 45 days and at a cost of roughly Rs 2 lakh.
Davinder Singh (20) and Harsimran Singh (18) are college students. While Davinder studies at St Soldier’s Group of Institutions in Jalandhar, Harsimran is doing B-Tech Aeronautical Engineering at Desh Bhagat University, Mandi Gobindgarh. The two have been friends for a long time and have always harboured a dream to own a ‘big bike’.
Davinder had plans to purchase a Harley-Davidson but put them on hold due to personal reasons. But it appears that the lockdown had turned into a boon for the two to reach the decision to make their own motorcycle, with a car engine!
The youngsters took the old Maruti 800, fixed the design, manufacturing process and materials required, well in advance and commenced work on 1 July 2020. To conduct this makeover, they rented a local workshop for Rs 35,000 per month. They spent days and nights there. Finally, the project was finished on August 8.
Dubbed ‘Dracula S-800’, the cruiser certainly looks interesting for a ‘student project’. To assist the Maruti 800 engine, a radiator and cooling fan were borrowed from a Tata Ace. Other key internals were sourced from various Maruti Suzuki cars and a used Mahindra Bolero. A Bajaj Pulsar served as the base chassis. Observe closely and one can also see components from the Royal Enfield Classic 350, Yamaha FZ and even a KTM 200 Duke (rear mudguard).
On paper, the Dracula S-800 can touch speeds close to 200km/h due to the relatively light construction for a 796cc three-cylinder petrol engine. In final BS4 format, the Maruti 800 made 37bhp and 59Nm of torque while mated to a 4-speed transmission (47bhp and 62Nm with 5-speed). We cannot expect the same output characteristics in this.
Fuel economy is claimed to be around 20km/h. This is the usual standard for premium multi-cylinder motorcycles from mainstream brands. Though the Dracula S-800 is ready, it cannot be easily registered for road use, especially at a time when authorities are against car or bike modifications. However, Davinder and Harsimran’s effort deserves praise.