Life changing A Kashmiri Tiger’s tale
At just 19 years old, Irfan Sheikh had lost both his parents, a circumstance that challenged his outlook on life; a serious curveball that could have altered a carefully planned future. Needing something to turn the tide, a temporary loan from his uncle offered the chance to make a special acquaintance, one that lasts to this very day, with a 1954 Triumph T100 Tiger.
TRIUMPH IN 1950S INDIA
Motorcycle exports to the sub-continent were limited during the early 1950s and Irfan’s bike, chassis no. 56009, would have arrived in India for one of two purposes. It could have been chosen for duty within Government, used as a police outrider but most likely it was a rather indulgent purchase by a wealthy maharaja. The export-or-die philosophy of UK manufacturers was ingrained postwar, but finding markets with cash-ready punters early 1950s wasn’t just a question of putting a pin in a map. Arriving in 1954, this motorcycle pre-empted the import ban of 1956 and no doubt attracted much attention for its wealthy owners during the period. A fine looking machine certainly, postwar upgrades from a prewar design still turned heads, especially in India. Fast forward nearly a decade and a Delhi motorcycle dealer was ‘most proud’ to offer a 1956 Triumph Tiger T100, especially in a low mileage and pristine condition.
It’s not unknown for a few miles to disappear from a second-hand bike’s history, but this Triumph’s lack of use and immaculate appearance allowed two
