Behind every successful racer is a phenomenal mechanic; that’s a saying that few racers, international, national or underground would dare to dispute. For the last category of racers, the ‘underground’ kind (a fancy name for city-traffic racers), the role of the mechanic is beyond essential — it is mandatory. Maadhesh*, an engineering student from a top college on the OMR, reveals, “Anyone who comes on to the street to race invariably has their bike tuned up for speed and you need a good race-mechanic for that.” “We are identified by which mechanic works with us and that’s how ‘unofficial crews’ are formed,” he adds. For the uninitiated, student racers and those with extra rushes of ‘young’ blood and adrenaline tend to take their Bajaj Pulsars, Hero Honda Karizmas and the like to have them ‘boosted’ for illegal racing. Explains ‘Fancy’ Rafi, a mechanic-cum-legend in his own right who has modified and boosted bikes for close to two decades in Pudupet “We modify the .bores in the engine, work with the engine head and install imported clutch plates and air filters to make the vehicles fly.” Babu, another mechanic famous for his speed tweaks, adds, “It all comes down to how the carburetor timing is set. That will determine acceleration and high speed.” The results can be frighteningly large. “You can make a 150 cc bike, capable of a top speed of 120 kmph go as fast as 160 kmph,” and all it will cost is approximately `6,500, according to Rafi. When asked about safety features, he shrugs saying it will only weigh the bike down.But merely standing on the sidelines has never quite been enough for quite a few talented mechanics; most of them are regulars at the Irungattukottai race track for the 2/4 stroke heats and have won in the past. “I tuned my Suzuki Shaolin and put it together myself and managed to place third two years ago,” recounts ShakeelMohammed, a Pudupet-based mechanic with a penchant for speed. “Lots of people congratulated me and said I should pursue racing, but after that nothing changed.” Only grease and tuning other bikes have dotted the youngster’s career since, as he quit racing this year. “I just couldn’t keep spending the money,” he rues. However, despite their riding skills, none of them race on city roads and prefer sticking to the track, opines Rafi. “We mechanics are not welcome to race on the streets first. Students are afraid we’re better.” Name changed
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