The Bajaj V15 has been one of the more celebrated motorcycles in the past year. The bike and its association with the decommissioned INS Vikrant warship ensured that the owners connected with the bike on a special note. This has also the reason the Bajaj V, a predominantly commuter offering, has managed to find several celebrity homes. The latest one to join the list is actor Rana Daggubati who recently purchased the motorcycle.
Interestingly, the INS Vikrant has a special connection with Rana's upcoming movie ' The Ghazi Attack' and it only seemed apt that would choose to own a piece of history. The film is based on true events from the 1971 war, when Pakistani submarine Ghazi attempted to destroy the Indian aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant. The movie is also one of the few that chronicles the life of Indian Navy.
Bajaj V15 Blue
Speaking about his new possession, Rana Daggubati said, "For the last one year of my life, I've been researching how the incident took place and what India went through when actually the war had taken place. INS Vikrant was one of the most celebrated warships in the Indian naval fleet. I know the importance of it that time. It's lovely to be part of the entire thing."
The INS Vikrant was one of the crucial reasons that helped the Indian Armed Forces win the 1971 war against Pakistan. After being decommissioned in 1997, the warship served as a museum until 2012. In 2014, however, the ship was scrapped and the metal was then bought by Bajaj, which used it to make the tank of the V15 and consecutively the V12. We also found the V one of the more nimble bikes for city commuting when we rode the bike last year.
The Bajaj V15 was also the 2017 NDTV Car and Bike Viewers' Choice Two Wheeler of the Year. The bike uses a 149 cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine tuned to produce 11.83 bhp at 7500 rpm and 13 Nm of torque at 5500 rpm. The motor is paired to a 5-speed gearbox. Apart from Rana, it is actor Aamir Khan who also owns the V15 and also gets a custom 'A' embossed along with a custom made badge that read 'Chotelal'. Prices for the bike start at Rs. 62,002 (ex-showroom, Delhi).
