Bike Shifting in Mulbagal

Mulbagal is a silk town, and its packers page deals with the agricultural goods inside an ordinary household: grain stores, brass and steel, and the equipment of rearing silkworms. The bike belongs in that picture too.

In a sericulture household, the motorcycle or moped is a working vehicle. Each morning it carries bundles of mulberry leaves from the garden to the rearing house. In season, it carries cocoons in bags or trays to the market for the auction. It may carry chandrikes, the mountages where the worms spin, to a neighbour or a repairer. Over years, a rear frame or extra carrier gets bolted on for that work, and the bike collects a particular kind of grime.

Mulberry leaves leave green sap and stains on the seat, the tank and the carrier. Silkworm litter and leaf fragments collect in every corner. The rearing house disinfectants used between batches can splash onto the bike. None of it does much harm, but it smears onto neighbouring bikes during a shared run, and it shouldn't travel to a new home in the city.

So the preparation is specific.

Take the working frame off. Unbolt any rear frame, extended carrier or side hooks fitted for leaves or trays. Clean them and pack them with the household's farm equipment. If you'll keep rearing at the new place, you'll want them again; if not, they may be worth passing on to a neighbour.

Wash off sap and litter. Use water and a mild detergent on the carrier area, the seat and the tank. Leaf sap comes off more easily before it dries hard, so do it a day or two before the move rather than the night before.

Rinse off any disinfectant. If bleaching powder or other disinfectants have splashed the bike, rinse those areas thoroughly with plain water. They can corrode metal and fade paint over time.

Look at the tyres as well. Farm tracks and heavy loads wear the rear tyre unevenly, and small stones lodge in the tread. Pick them out before the move, and check the pressure; an underinflated rear tyre on a carrier can be pinched by the straps.

Check the rear suspension. A bike that has carried heavy loads of leaves and trays for years may have tired rear shocks. Note it at the survey.

Time it around the market. Mulbagal's cocoon market is busiest in the mornings, when the town's roads fill with farmers and their bikes. A collection after the market's peak is easier for everyone.

Mulbagal bikes are collected by our crew, used to farm vehicles from silk households. Every job here starts with a survey and a figure on paper; from loading to the new gate, any knock to the bike is ours to settle.

Our Mulbagal packers page covers a household with agricultural goods in it. Here we look at the hard working two wheeler that hauled them.

Think about the trays and chandrikes themselves, too. They're bulky, light and easily crushed, and they're often stacked on or beside the bike in the shed. Move them clear before the crew arrives, and decide whether they travel with the household or go to a neighbour who still rears.

And consider the season. In the weeks around a cocoon harvest, the bike is needed every day. Book the move in a gap between batches, when the rearing house is empty and being cleaned, so the bike isn't missed.

If the family is leaving sericulture behind, the bike's role changes. In a town, it becomes a commuter. Have it serviced after the move, especially the chain and brakes, which take a beating on farm tracks.

Check the papers before the bike leaves the village. Farm bikes are often registered to a parent or an older brother who started the rearing business. If the rider is moving to a town and the bike goes with them, sort out whose name is on the RC and whether the insurance covers them.

And if the farm continues with a relative, the working bike may be more useful staying with them. Decide that before booking.

Electric scooters are starting to appear around the rearing houses. Keep disinfectants and water away from the battery cover and charging port, and wipe the port before charging. Share its maker on the booking call.