Author Topic: 60s Motorcycle dealers  (Read 83745 times)

Boz

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Re: 60s Motorcycle dealers
« Reply #121 on: May 04, 2016, 01:06:41 PM »
Hello bikers, does anyone remember Ray's Motorcycle Depot in Belchers  lane ?  In the late 50's I had a Saturday job there cleaning bikes down at his workshop in Shaw Hill road.  Incidentally  Chris Vincent, the sidecar racer lived in Shaw Hill road at that time. I was still at school and I used to cycle from Castle Bromwich. Later,with the help of Ray Hawksford and Chris Vincent, I got into sidecar road racing myself.

Seeing Chris Vincent mentioned, does anyone recall Bill Boddice as a sidecar racer? I met him a couple of times in the 1950s

Greengrass

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Re: 60s Motorcycle dealers
« Reply #122 on: May 04, 2016, 01:38:46 PM »
Ayup Boz,
Yes I remember Bill Boddice very well.  He was racing when I was.  I had just started in the early 60's  Bill by then was at his peak.  The grids in those included Fred Hank's, Pip Harris and later Chris Vincent and Peter Brown and still later the sons of Bill Bodice and Fred Hank's.
As chairman of the Midland Motorcycle Club I represented the club at the Midland centre of The ACU.  At that time Bill was the Chairman with the hard working Doris Taylor as the Midland Centre Secretary.  I've many fond memories of that period of my life.
I used to attend Coleshill Grammar School. Just before my time there was a boy called Cyril Smith.  He went on to become  world sidecar road racing champion riding a Norton Watsonian. Those were the days when Britain was Great!!

Phil

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Re: 60s Motorcycle dealers
« Reply #123 on: May 15, 2016, 03:59:49 PM »
A chapter of the local hells angels outside The Old Bell on Kings Norton Green in 1922.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Sidecarsid

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Re: 60s Motorcycle dealers
« Reply #124 on: May 13, 2017, 01:57:38 PM »
Hi Geengrass.
No relation to Claud, I hope!!
I was for several year a member of the Midland Motorcycle Racing Club, was the Midland Motorcycle club the forerunner to the racing club? If you don’t mind, another question. 
DO you recall the name Mick Casey? He originally was our milkman then the next thing I knew he was a passenger for Helmut Fath, and I have the photo to prove it.
 

Greengrass

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Re: 60s Motorcycle dealers
« Reply #125 on: May 13, 2017, 10:56:05 PM »
Ayup Sidecarsid,
No I'm no relation to Claude but he did inspire my use of the name.  I was one of the founder members of The Midland Motorcycle Racing Club, MMRC.
Originally it was set up as a branch of the newly formed Bantam Racing Club in the early 1960's. We firstly called ourselves The Midland Bantam Racing Club but after a few meetings in the Prince of Wales pub just off Broad street and after voting in Len Vale Onslow senior as our first President we changed the name to the Midland Motorcycle Racing Club. As well as racing sidecars at the club meetings I served variously as Treasurer, Vice Chairman, Chairmen and Clerk of the course.
Mickey Casey never passengerd Helmut Fath as far as I know but he did passenger Chris Vincent in the Fath built URS.
I think Mick started racing with Peter Williams on an ex outfit that Pete bought from me. Pete was well known for racing one of the first, if not the first, Hillman Imp engined outfits.
I think Mick also raced with Peter Brown on his BSA engined kneeler.  All the above, including myself, are all good Brummies !! 
ps. Not Helmut of course !

Sidecarsid

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Re: 60s Motorcycle dealers
« Reply #126 on: May 14, 2017, 09:22:15 AM »
Hi Again Greengrass.
Yes, he was a lovable rogue and a midlander too, he was from Leicstershire.
Albert Mole was also a senior member of the Birmingham Motorcycle club which, when I joined was at the Serck Radiator company on the Warwick Road in Greet. It later moved to a property in Station Road Acocks Green.
Do you remember the Name Paul O’connor? I was a passenger for him a couple of times when he was short of a passenger, everyone said that I was crazy to passenger him, I also Rode a couple of times with Charlie Greatrex at a couple of Welsh meetings, I rode for several years with a guy from Bordesley Green called Colin Day who at the time had a Windle rolling chassis with a tuned Weslake Bonnie motor. A few seasons later he bought a Kawasaki H1 750 two stroke triple and that was seriously quick.
Another name you might recall is Norman Burgess, He's one of the compares at the Sidecar Extravaganza at Mallory Park,  I  met up with him a few years ago while sitting at a Bar in the Deux Sèvres region of France where I now live. Norman has a holiday property in a village not far from me.
Roy Hanks once said to me, keep away from Nutty Norman, yet his son also called Norman is just as bad!!
 
Regards S C Sid.

Greengrass

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Re: 60s Motorcycle dealers
« Reply #127 on: May 15, 2017, 12:10:04 PM »
 Envy you living in France, lots of space great roads.  Yes I remember Paul O'Connor well we raced against each other many times and his brother Tony.   If you knew Paul you surely must know Tony Peach then from Castle Vale.  He now lives in Shustoke next to the church. We used to meet up at Premier motercycles,in Aston, were we were always given a good deal on bike spares by Eric at the sales counter . Had some great races with Roy and his father Fred and brother Norman.  I vaguely remember Norman Burgess.
Cheers
Greengrass

secondman

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Re: 60s Motorcycle dealers
« Reply #128 on: September 08, 2017, 02:41:28 PM »
Remember Fred Hanks,s shop on Slade Rd. He Raced his outfits at Malloy Park. Bought my first bike from Aston Autos, a 250 AJS. I must have stripped and rebuilt that thing a dozen times, all in the back yard. Lasted well though. I also had a tuned C15(loud), a Ariel Red Hunter and a Tribsa(Goldy frame and a bonnie engine) I also remember going to Kings on Bristol St where they had a Royal Enfield Continental Gt in the window. My dream bike then with the red glass tank and bacon slicer. My second hand AJS cost £108, the Enfield was £248 new. How we dreamed, maybe one day. Spent many a night at Alex,s and the Double Zero. Star turn was taking off from the Double Zero and still be heard when you got to the Bull Ring. Happy days.

roy one

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Re: 60s Motorcycle dealers
« Reply #129 on: September 08, 2017, 03:10:46 PM »

one red hunter m/bike




each day is a blessing and I bless each day when it comes

roy one

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Re: 60s Motorcycle dealers
« Reply #130 on: September 08, 2017, 03:15:58 PM »
nice bike
each day is a blessing and I bless each day when it comes

Potomac

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Re: 60s Motorcycle dealers
« Reply #131 on: September 08, 2017, 03:47:56 PM »
I had two uncles who had motor cycles.  When about twelve I rode pillion around parts of The Potteries.  An old bike with a wobbly rear wheel.  The second was quite different a large speedy bike which an uncle, who lived in Hammersmith, used to collect me from near Calne in Wiltshire when I was in the RAF.  This was before I got my first car.  He rode fast and we seemed to get to London, along the Great West Road (no M4 then), in pretty sharp time. My lasting memory of these journeys is clinging for dear life to him with my service cap wedged between us.  ;)   I have never wanted a motor bike but did have a Raleigh Whisp for a few months back in 1976.  A very economical bike, very basic, but it got me to my station, when answering an emergency call, especially when the town was congested with tourist traffic.  Those who remember summer of 1976 will recall the very dry conditions which meant most fire stations were far busier than usual.
As far as Birmingham is concerned then all who used the Stratford Road, Camp Hill area, will remember Vale Onslow on the corner of Kyotts Lake Road.  The place was recently demolished I read from a post on another Forum.  I remember seeing Leslie Vale-Onslow on BBC tv riding a motor cycle, I believe on his 90th. birthday.
best wishes,  Alan


 

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