A classic car/bike rally was recently organized in the capital to bring forward the classic car/bike owners under the same community. Organized by Classic Car/Bike Nepal, the rally saw the participation of various brands of classic cars and motorcycles.

The number of vintage cars and motorcycles in the country is estimated to be around 500. However, many such vehicles are still locked inside garages due to the unavailability of spare parts and services, said the organizer Subodh Das Shrestha. According to him, the main challenge now is to save vintage vehicles. It is said that 150 classic cars from Nepal have reached India, USA and Europe.

He further added, the government should be generous with classic vehicles. Because classic vehicles require good storage conditions, the government should be generous with such vehicles especially when it comes to taxation issues. He also stressed the fact that inefficient cars are wrecking the environment, not classic vehicles.

Similarly, Businessman Raj Bahadur Shah also responded that there is a heavy tax barrier to protect classic cars. Stating that the classic car is also a heritage, the government should formulate and implement a separate policy for old vehicles. Classic cars can be used for everything from promoting tourism to wedding ceremonies, Shah added.

Similarly, another organizer Prem Karthak Jimmy said that it’s time people start restoring classic vehicles.  Since buying a new car is a significant investment, restoring older vehicles will be sensible and easy on the pocket. According to him, restoring classic cars start from as low as Rs 2,00,000. He has already restored more than 60 classic vehicles so far. He further added classic vehicles emit fewer pollutants because they mostly run on many holidays. Also, these vehicles have an excellent build quality compared to the new-gen vehicles.

The event ended with an award ceremony and prize distribution. The organizers distributed 42 different prizes to the participants.