14 March,2009 09:19 AM IST | | What on Team
They've custom-made All Terrain Vehicles and snazzy bikes for the likes of Gautam Singhania and Neville Poonawala. Aditi Sharma dropped in to a thatched Bandra garage to find two brothers tinkering with metal to make magic
The Lewis brothers' Tim Moto Craft (TMC) is an automobile freak's paradise. And it's no more than a thatched garage in the corner of Bandra's Chimbai Village.
Timothy, 45, and Joseph, 36, can be found tinkering on machinery all day long. But in a pile of raw material stand the beauties the modified 350cc twin cylinder 1965-model Triumph Tiger 90 (Rs 1.5 lakh), and the modified Enfield (Rs 3 lakh).
Unlike the flashy Biker Build-Off guys on TV, these two believe in letting their creations do the talking.
They don't own a computer, and all their designs are indigenous. Tim even claims that none of them has ever been repeated. "We're not into gimmicks.
What we make is practical, and we want our clients to use our vehicles, not buy them for display," shrugs Tim.
what's on offer: They specialise in bikes and ATVs, although they've also created an amphibious car that can run on land and water. In some cases, like with the modified Enfield, it was a donor who gave them the bike, which they modified.
For the ATVs, they use second-hand engines from an Activa scooty to a Baleno, but the entire vehicle from the chassis to the body is built in-house. The bikes can be used on road, but it's best if you keep the ATVs at your farmhouse, like Gautam Singhania and Neville Poonawala do.
we liked: They've got something even for novices. Check out the automatic ATV with an Activa engine (Rs 1.5 lakh). Despite having a two-wheeler engine fitted in, the four-wheel ATV is a smooth ride with an amazing braking system.
The auto-ATV goes up to 90 km/hr and is as much a guzzler as a regular Activa. For those looking for more power from their ATV, TMC also has the dune buggy-style geared ATV with a Maruti 800 engine (Rs 3 lakh. Add another Rs 40k to that if you want off-road tyres on your vehicle). This one of course, has amazing pick up and can go right up to 140 km/hr, and weighs barely 200 kgs.)
when to order: You'll have to wait a couple of months. If you are contacting them for the first time, leave a message on their mobile. The brothers don't like to be disturbed at work, even by clients!
At: TMC, Beach View Compound, 77, Chimbai Road, next to Chimbai Police Chowky, Bandra (W), between 9 am
and 6 pm.
call: 9820241057
