The story behind the Triumph in Udaipur

Back in 2005 Lily & I were strolling through the back streets of Udaipur when I spied a rusty old Triumph motorbike in a driveway. After much discussion and bartering, we purchased a 1942 3HW military bike in very poor and rusty condition. 

We dragged it to our friend's hotel and a couple of days later took it on the train up to Delhi where our friend Ranjeet Singh collected it and took it up to his workshop in Dheradun. There it sat for around 7 years while we undertook a search for parts. At one point it was taken and held hostage by some money lenders as security for a debt that Ranjeet owed. 

We finally got the bike back to Lalli Singh’s workshop in Delhi where it took a further 4 years to get fully rebuilt and painted. I then took it down to Udaipur where I decided that riding a rigid framed girder fork bike in Rajasthan was not for me. It has sat there in the entranceway of Hotel Mahendra Prakash ever since. The hotel owners driver polishes it at least once a week and our crew get it going every time we are touring through Rajasthan, much to the delight of our clients.

Every time I’m in the area I get it going, take it for a ride and remind myself of why this is not the bike for Indian city riding. That said, it is a beautiful example of a wartime Triumph and has given great pleasure to many people.