Most people rush to workshops or service stations to add accessories the moment they purchase their bikes. “This is because some accessories make the bike safer, and also prevent the bike from getting stolen,” says Kiran Tandulkar, a mechanic at Guarantee Motorcycle Workshop, Sankhamul, adding “They don’t come with the bike when you buy it.”
These accessories are used for safe and comfortable riding by almost everyone owning a bike. But we need to know that even a ‘carrier box’ is against the rules but many a bike have such accessories. It’s obvious that there are loopholes in implementing the law.
“Adding an accessory that is not mentioned in the blue book is illegal,” says sub-inspector Krishna Pokhrel.
“If you are found with illegally modified bikes, traffic police will take actions. So it’s better not to modify your vehicle illegally,” says a traffic volunteer Sujeet Maskey.Accessories like seat covers and disc locks make bikes comfortable and keep them from getting stolen.
A disc lock is such an instrument which can be installed on to a bike having a disc brake. It uses the holes in a bike’s disc brake. A locking pin passes through the hole in the disc brake preventing the tires from moving. And for bikes without a disc brake, wheel locks are often used. This is a rod like instrument which passes through the front wheel.
Navin Gautam, 22, says, “I use helmet lock and a fuel lock to get rid of thieves.” He says a helmet lock can be used to get rid of the risk of helmet theft whereas a fuel lock can be another important accessory to prevent petrol theft. There is another option of using a bolt lock which might come expensive compared to a helmet lock but it enables locking a jacket with the helmet.
Apart from safety issues there is the comfort factor that needs to be taken care of. This is when various accessories like leg guard, grip and chain cover come in use. A leg guard prevents the front part of the bike, the tank and the rider’s leg. A grip is a sponge like material kept in handles and brakes. Avin Sunwar, 19, from Sanepa, says that he uses gear pedal only with the front pedal which makes him easier to change gears.
Using a sari guard can also be very necessary, especially for girls and women on the go. A sari guard is made up of grills, which is installed in rear wheel to prevent long clothes like sari, skirt and kurtha from reaching the wheel and thus causing an accident. “Similarly, a mud guard can be used to prevent clothes from getting soiled due to mud,” says Ajay Tamang, 18.
Apart from the accessories mentioned above stickers can be considered as a common trend in bike gadgets. People paste stickers on their bikes to make them colorful and attractive. But adding attractiveness is not the only thing a sticker will do. Pasting stickers prevents genuine parts from getting scratched in case of accidents. “I have used stickers but not to decorate my bike. I use them to cover the scratched parts,” says Deepak Raj Giri, 25, from Sitapaila. In most cases, the tank of the bike gets scratched quite fast, and a sticker does a good job. There is also the option of a tank guard. Tank guards are covers that can be placed on top of a bike’s tank. Such tank guards are mostly made up of leather but they also come in jeans and plastic material.
Along with stickers, neon lights can also be installed to decorate the bike and make it attractive. Neon lights are found in various colors and can be installed anywhere on the bike. Ramesh Koirala, 28, from Ekantakuna says that he likes to ride a bike at late hours so that his bike looks attractive with neon lights.
A box can also be fixed at the rear part of a bike where belongings can be kept. For keeping newspapers, notebooks and files a seat net can be used. But one has to be aware before installing an accessory. Madav Niraula, 44, says, “I was caught by a traffic police officer at Koteshwar, a year ago for installing a carriage box on my bike. I would have never done so if I was informed before.” We request the government to launch programs that make people aware of bike modification and punishments, says Madhav’s friend Suresh Deuja.
Published in – Republica National Daily, July 18th 2010
