Anyone with a name like ‘Dr Che’ will probably catch your attention immediately. Only here the person is not a doctor for humans but for machines; Royal Enfields to be precise. Chezhian is a well-known personality, not just in his neighbourhood in Chennai, but also among bike clubs, Royal Enfield enthusiasts and owners. Known as Dr Che, Chezhian has been running his bike service centre for about twenty years in Triplicane in Chennai. The ‘Bullet Doctor’ welcomed me with a smile into his workshop.
After discontinuing his studies after Class X, Chezhian took up many part-time jobs that included working in a courier company, and a blade manufacturing firm. His brother got him a job at a Royal Enfield service centre, thereby sparking off Chezhian’s love affair with the company’s bikes. He started his own shop over twenty years ago. From old Royal Enfields to the new, he loves them all. When asked about his favourite models, he mentions the Royal Enfield Bullet 500 and Lightning 535 (remember the bike actor Suriya rides in Mounam Pesiyadhe ?).
Chezhian says that the customers treat him with respect. “Most of my customers come through word of mouth and they always come back. Some of them don’t even ask me for bills for spare parts. From alteration to retuning, I am confident about doing anything with the bike, as long as the customer is ready to make the investment. Sourcing old parts is often difficult, but I manage by getting the original parts from Pudupet.”
Chezhian is also known for his jugaad skills. Ramanujam, a member of the Madras Bulls Motorcycle Club, claims that he has known Chezhian from 2012 and was the one who gave him his nickname. Ramanujam currently owns a Bullet 500 and has previously owned a Classic Chrome 350, all serviced by the bullet doctor. He reminisces, “Once, I got my 500 retuned to be a 535 by Dr Che’s skill, without a major redo of the engine. The alteration not just improved the overall performance but also helped the fuel economy.”
Chezhian gets a call during our conversation and just like a doctor probing the patient for symptoms, asks for the details and provides some general tips, before telling him to bring in the bike to the garage tomorrow. He says, “Most of the time, I get calls from customers who get caught in the middle of nowhere, thanks to breakdowns. If it is a minor problem, I tell them what to do and try to get the bike going. Sometimes I go to the customer if it is a major problem.”
In his free time, Chezhian goes on rides with his friends and has also participated in Rider Mania events. He adds, “For me, customer satisfaction is the primary goal.” Chezhian remains a Royal Enfield loyalist; if you take any other bike , you will be politely rejected with a smile.
