The Sikh Motorcycle Club UK, working alongside the family of the late campaigner Gyani Sundar Singh Sagar (known as Gyani Ji) have organised a commemorative motorcycle ride in Manchester to mark 50 years since a landmark moment in Sikh and British motorcycling history.
The ride began at Strangeways Prison, where Gyani Ji was imprisoned in 1976 after refusing to pay fines for riding his moped while wearing his turban instead of a motorcycle helmet .
Around 20 Sikh motorcyclists took part, riding together to Sri Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara in south Manchester. A replica of Gyani Ji’s original moped was displayed at Strangeways before the ride, connecting the historic campaign with today’s Sikh riders.
“Fifty years on, we are proud to remember Gyani Sundar Singh Sagar and the stand he took for his faith, identity and principles,” said a Sikh Motorcycle Club UK representative.
“This ride was about bringing people together — Gyani Ji’s family, Sikh riders, the wider community and those who recognise the importance of his contribution. We want younger generations to understand that the freedoms they have today came from people who were prepared to stand up for what they believed in.
“Sikh Motorcycle Club UK is proud to honour that legacy and continue promoting Sikhi, brotherhood, community and awareness of turbaned riders across the UK.”
Gyani Ji’s contribution to Manchester’s Sikh community and wider society extended beyond motorcycling. He campaigned after being refused employment as a Manchester bus conductor because of restrictions around wearing a turban, contributing to the city’s 1966 decision to allow turbans as part of the bus uniform.
He was also involved in establishing one of Europe’s earliest Sikh gurdwaras in Manchester in 1953, and a blue plaque was unveiled at his former home in Old Trafford earlier this year.
Sikh Motorcycle Club UK was founded in 2020 as a UK-wide organisation dedicated to building brotherhood, promoting Sikhi and raising awareness of turbaned riders.
The club brings together motorcycle enthusiasts from across the UK and supports community initiatives, charitable causes, Sikh events and public awareness campaigns.
This story is a reminder that the right to wear a turban on a motorcycle (and therefore not a helmet) was a hard fought piece of legislation, won by one man’s refusal to back down, at real personal cost.
Ben Clarke began riding (legally) at 21-years-old when he passed his direct access one month before shipping his Yamaha XT660 R to Miami and embarking on a 13,500-mile tour of the USA and Central America. He's worked at MCN for the last six years, riding everything from super nakeds and superbikes to small-capacity electrics and scooters across several continents. In more recent years, he's worked closely with the bike kit team to bring you all the latest news and reviews about the bike-related products we all use every day.
Lover of V-twins and big singles, partial to a tour