Find vintage mopeds and motorcycles at India’s first museum dedicated to two-wheelers

Come 2022, experience vintage mopeds, scooters and motorcycles at India’s first museum dedicated to two-wheelers in Mahabaleshwar by Vinit Kenjale

Do you remember the Luna? A petite 50cc lightweight bike, the Luna became the vehicle of choice for mothers dropping their kids to school, the only affordable moped you could purchase with a first salary in the ‘70s, a cross between a cycle and a motorcycle. The diminutive vehicle has made countless memories for families across India, but this particular one, owned by collector Vinit Kenjale, also managed to race a train.

“This was in the mid-’70s. Our Luna took on the heavyweight Deccan Queen. Both started at 7.20 am for Dadar station, and the Luna beat the Deccan Queen by 20 minutes. It was unbelievable!” Kenjale’s eyes light up as he recounts this and other stories of the 550 mopeds, motorcycles and scooters, he proudly owns, and will soon put on display in Mahabaleshwar at the end of 2021, at Vintage Miles, India’s first museum dedicated to its two-wheeled wonders.

“Soon, India is going to transition to electric scooters, and I want to tell the story of our two-wheelers, from when you could hear them before you laid eyes on them. There was a certain charm to the kickstart or your friends pushing your moped and later, scooter, to start it. Each of the bikes I have collected from people across India has a story to tell,” explains Kenjale, who currently houses his impressive two-wheeler collection at a shed close to his home in Pune.