When we think of off-roading on a bike, several new and modern machines like adventure tourers and bikes come to mind. There are dirt bikes specifically built for this purpose, but they are not very popular or road-legal in India. In our country, we have seen many people who are extremely passionate about biking but do not own an expensive bike. They do their research and find ways to have fun within their limitations. Here, we have one such example where a person has modified a 1998 model Bajaj M80 and explores off-road tracks with it.
The video has been shared by Dileep PG on his Instagram page. In this video, the vlogger mentions that the rider had come to his off-road villa. The exact location of the villa is not known, but judging by the roads and off-road trails, it seems to be somewhere in the hills of Kerala. In this video, we see a beautifully restored Bajaj M80.
The owner of this moped bought it and had it completely restored to factory condition. It is finished in its signature Red and Silver dual-tone shade. The owner worked on this M80 himself, which shows his passion. We don’t know the exact story of why he chose the M80, but it is definitely a unique choice.
The owner not only restored it but also uses it for rides. As seen in this video, he rides the bike through very difficult terrain. We see the biker ride the M80 through mud trails that are usually explored using 4x4s. The vlogger mentions in the reel that he was really surprised by how well the M80 performed.
The rider was very confident about his ride, and he even did a couple of river or stream crossings too. The bike, or moped, has been completely restored, giving it a pure retro vibe.
It is a very basic-looking scooter or moped with a gear shifter placed on the handlebar. The scooter was extremely popular among shopkeepers in rural areas.
It was a very practical scooter, as you could easily load up as much stuff as you wanted and still ride the bike without any issue. The scooter came with bigger wheels, which added to its appeal. It had a two-stroke 75cc engine. It is a lightweight, fun-to-ride moped, which is very evident from the reel we have added to this article.
Even on tricky and slippery tracks, the rider managed to keep the wheels on the track and ride up. We have seen several modified examples of the M80 along with restored ones, but this one is special as the rider worked on this project himself.
It is not just a project or a display bike; he uses it for rides and ensures that the puny two-stroke engine continues to roar for the rest of its life. Before the M80, Bajaj even had the M50. Both these mopeds looked exactly the same. In fact, the M50 was Bajaj’s first-ever step-through or moped for the market. It was slightly less powerful than the M80 which was launched after M50 version.