Does anyone remember Ropers Motorcycles 154-172 London Road.what happened to them?Does anyone have an original letterhead or Mudguard
badge from them that I can copy. bsa rider

Just to finish this thread off this is the badge that I have now obtained
still lookin for a letterhead.



http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp63/bsarider/094.jpg

my dad remembers them, but doesnt have letterhead, he used to ride a triumph thunderbird.

I remember them - you could try the Local Studies Library for adverts in the local papers of the period. They may also have had adverts in the local directories (Kellys')...something you could copy and make a transfer or a badge from.

Hello you bsarider you. I remember Ropers and what follows probably wont interest you one bit. The fact is I actually worked there one time, for about a week. At the time I was doing a nights only job so I thought I'd fill my days in working for Ropers. I cleaned bikes and delivered them to various places around Sheffield. In a week I was dying on my feet. I remember there was a couple of Italian guys, mechanics, worked there. Fancied themselves as boxers. There, I told you it wasn't interesting.

well i find it really interesting actually,what bikes were you cleaning and delivering,who was the boss at the time when was this 60s.al

i used to love looking in thier window on london rd, very good shop to buy motorbike bits
from. bought lots of stuff from them.

Did you by any remote chance still have a bill of sale or a letterhead from them its worth a look.

sorry, no. it was 40 years ago. they were agents for reliant spares as well.

well it was worth a look ,thanks al

Does anyone remember Ropers Motorcycles 154-172 London Road.what happened to them?Does anyone have an original letterhead or Mudguard
badge from them that I can copy. bsa rider
I remember looking in their window about 1963 at a Bonnie priced about £360 and drooling.As my apprentice pay was £3.1.10d a week ,it remained a dream.

I used Ropers in the 1950's Mini moter spares etc, it was advertised as that block of clean and tidy shops, depending on what you wanted there was a number of entrances you got the impresion it was the same man running along the rear of the shops to serve.

yes when you look at the shops at present they are all different but the brickwork on the corners are mostly painted black i assume as it were in Ropers days

Yes, I remember them, weren't they also the main agent for Moskavitch cars in the early 70's!

That's where I bought my Vespa scooter from in 1958

Yes, I remember them, weren't they also the main agent for Moskavitch cars in the early 70's!

I had forgotten the Moskvitch cars - I think you're right. They were real rust-buckets - reputedly the best thing about them was the heater.

I remember the date well - 1 August 1970. It was the first day of the 'J' registrations and I had just collected my brand-new BSA Starfire (it was FWJ 18J) from Leather & Simpsons. I parked it outside Ropers and gazed into the windows. I wasn't window-shopping - I just wanted to see the admiring looks at my gleaming blue-and-chrome machine from the other bikers there! :hihi: :hihi:

bsarider, like I say I only worked there for a week or so, and I haven't got any specific memories. I remember delivering a scooter and a B.S.A.125 to a house in Wales (near Sheffield that is) and had to muscle them in the van and out again, on my own. As regards the cleaning side no memories at all.

Texas, thanks for your reply ,someone out there has a bill of sale from Ropers
he may just read this message and look in the old shoe box. thanks again

i remember ropers i used to go there quite a lot for my reliant 3 wheeler parts , a good selection and great service and also fair prices , i remember when it was closing down lots of parts etc at half price and less , i got well stocked up with parts , i think it was 1983/84 ish when they closed down a bit sad really .

The 1911 Kellys gives 168 London Rd ROPER AND BEATSON motor cycle dealers frank B lived at 2 Broadfields Broadfield Rd at no 1 was Henry John Roper an engineer father?, in 1927 he lived Above his shops on London Rd he was in at the begining of the motoring age,what memmories he must have had.

I worked at Ropers as apprentice mechanic 1955-1961 (with two years National Service in between).As I remember Frank Roper Owner, Mr Hall G.M. and George Haley shop foreman.Part of my duties was picking up and delivering Motorcycles and Scooters with a Matchless and Sidecar Box Thingy, One of the high lights of my pick-ups was to go by train to Yarmouth and ride back an allmost brand new B.S.A. Road Rocket with a single seater sports sidecar, "What a Ride"
Will look in my stuff to see if I have any papers with there name on for you bsarider I know you can still get all the transfers and badges for for your bsa just use the net.
Frank Roper sold out to Humpferies of Birmingham and I went on to Dan Bradburys just up the road and then onto Walter Wraggs at Chesterfield but still did business with Porridge and Wildoats (DAH) and Sid Smith.
Texas... The only Italians I remember was Amando and Claudo and they worked at Dan Bradburys

I worked at Ropers as apprentice mechanic 1955-1961 (with two years National Service in between).As I remember Frank Roper Owner, Mr Hall G.M. and George Haley shop foreman.Part of my duties was picking up and delivering Motorcycles and Scooters with a Matchless and Sidecar Box Thingy, One of the high lights of my pick-ups was to go by train to Yarmouth and ride back an allmost brand new B.S.A. Road Rocket with a single seater sports sidecar, "What a Ride"
Will look in my stuff to see if I have any papers with there name on for you bsarider I know you can still get all the transfers and badges for for your bsa just use the net.
Frank Roper sold out to Humpferies of Birmingham and I went on to Dan Bradburys just up the road and then onto Walter Wraggs at Chesterfield but still did business with Porridge and Wildoats (DAH) and Sid Smith.
Texas... The only Italians I remember was Amando and Claudo and they worked at Dan Bradburys

I had a mate who worked at Dan Bradbury's in the sixties, he got knocked off the motor bike and box by an Ambulance think it went through the red light on emergency, Glossop Road area.

Did'nt amando set up his own workshop? It was Horridge& Wildgoose i think thats where I bought my Zundapp Bella from in 58.

Bro' took his bike in not charging, out came the foreman in his white coat and with a quick twist with his minnie screw driver fixed the prob' that will be 2&6,what 2&6 said my Bro' all you did was quick flick, ahh said the foreman it me 20yrs to learn that flick of the wrist(True story 1947)

Bro' took his bike in not charging, out came the foreman in his white coat and with a quick twist with his minnie screw driver fixed the prob' that will be 2&6,what 2&6 said my Bro' all you did was quick flick, ahh said the foreman it me 20yrs to learn that flick of the wrist(True story 1947)


How about this for a heartbreak. Just been looking at a 1937 Motor Cycle magazine,
A brand new BSA £38/10. There again a good weeks wage was aboiut £4 so whats changed?

just finished this thread off have a look at the first thread.

I worked at Ropers as apprentice mechanic 1955-1961 (with two years National Service in between).As I remember Frank Roper Owner, Mr Hall G.M. and George Haley shop foreman.Part of my duties was picking up and delivering Motorcycles and Scooters with a Matchless and Sidecar Box Thingy, One of the high lights of my pick-ups was to go by train to Yarmouth and ride back an allmost brand new B.S.A. Road Rocket with a single seater sports sidecar, "What a Ride"


IN addition to selling BSA, weren't Roper's agents for what used to be known as Associated Motor Cycles (AMC). That would be Aerial, AJS, Matchless and Sunbeam.

I remember when Sunbeam brought out their inline, shaft-drive bike. Can't remember the model type. I remember standing outside Roper's one terrible wet Sunday morning with my Dad, and about 50 other people. This must have been the late 1940's or early 50's. We were all trying to get a good look at this NEW Matchless in the window.

Regards

I can remember sitting outside the shop in the sidecar while my dad went inside for something or other....it was a BSA bike and a maroon Watsonian sidecar......

Do the elderly ( sorry for use of the word ) amongst those of you subscribing to this thread remember 2 Sheffield brothers, both very keen bikers, Ray and Alan Stevenson. Ray did work for Dan Bradbury for a short period from 1951 onwards. He was an ex BR Fireman.

Me and 3 other mates went through a period of trying to create "choppers" out of the various basket case bikes we running - this would be 1968/69 I suppose and was inspired by Easy Rider.
The one essential was apehanger bars but cable lengths were then a problem so we went to Ropers and purchased coils of inner and outer cable + a load of nipples to make up extended cables. I think Ropers were the only ones out of the Abbeydale Road biker shops to sell such things.
The trouble was that we really weren't much cop at soldering so inevitably applying the front brake in anger would pull the cable apart just at the wrong moment.
At the time I was running a beaten up Sunbeam S8, can you imagine how badly it handled with huge apehangers. I fell off twice in close succesion making a very unpleasant mess of my hip on both occasions, since then I have learned to solder !
Ropers were also the best shop for all things Lucas.

IN addition to selling BSA, weren't Roper's agents for what used to be known as Associated Motor Cycles (AMC). That would be Aerial, AJS, Matchless and Sunbeam.

I remember when Sunbeam brought out their inline, shaft-drive bike. Can't remember the model type. I remember standing outside Roper's one terrible wet Sunday morning with my Dad, and about 50 other people. This must have been the late 1940's or early 50's. We were all trying to get a good look at this NEW Matchless in the window.

Regards

Ariel and Sunbeam were part of the BSA and Triumph group not AMC.AMC were Norton,James,Francis Barnett,AJS,Matchless.The inline Sunbeam was the S7 with balloon tyres which changed to the S8 with normal tyres.Apparently it was a slow performer due to the weak shaft drive and was detuned to preserve it.

Armandos would be the scooter workshop off Abbeydale road then. I once took a Vincent there for an mot test. Armando looked for a few minutes, waggled the brake lever and said "Itsa alright". That was it. Done.

Living in Leicester pre 49 and after 55 Roper is to well known to be strictly Sheffield or was it my S5 Sunbeam i suppose the adverts went far & wide

If my memory serves me, didn’t Ropers always price their bikes in guineas?
Anyway this may be of interest from a 1939 telephone directory, although there’s no mention of Ropers.

http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/pp92/coyleys/telephonedirectory.jpg

sorry coyles yu are wrong the man who priced in guineas was grays on bridge street.who moved to west steet later on.bought my my husband bought his first bike from him bsa b31 350cc.

Sorry lindy3, I stand corrected (said the man with the prosthetic leg) the old grey matters not what it was. :huh:

I remember Frank B Ropers, Dan Bradburys, Wilf Greens, orridge and Wildegoose, Grays on Bridge St, Wraggs on West Bar, Toms Motorcycles on Copper St, Leather and Simpsons.
I particularly remember Wilf Greens hatred of Japanese motorcycles. He once had a sign in the window which read :- WE DO NOT SELL ORIENTAL ODDITIES.
At the end of each racing season we used to look in Grays window. They used to sponsor John Cooper and a 500 and a 350 Manx Norton were on display [complete with oil drip-trays under the engines].

Ah, memories,memories.

We do not sell oriental oddities"I'm afraid that sort of outlook killed the british bike a total misread of the British biker as in "real men have kick start's"NO real men have push button start and all cover cowlings I don't know if a bike is still made in U.K over here bikes are 80%Japanese quite a few "Harley's" and a few B.M W

I remember Frank B Ropers, Dan Bradburys, Wilf Greens, orridge and Wildegoose, Grays on Bridge St, Wraggs on West Bar, Toms Motorcycles on Copper St, Leather and Simpsons.
I particularly remember Wilf Greens hatred of Japanese motorcycles. He once had a sign in the window which read :- WE DO NOT SELL ORIENTAL ODDITIES.
At the end of each racing season we used to look in Grays window. They used to sponsor John Cooper and a 500 and a 350 Manx Norton were on display [complete with oil drip-trays under the engines].

Ah, memories,memories.

A motorcycle dealer near in Laceby (near Grimsby) had a nice counter sign.It said "Please do not ask for Japanese parts as a smack in the gob often offends".

We do not sell oriental oddities"I'm afraid that sort of outlook killed the british bike a total misread of the British biker as in "real men have kick start's"NO real men have push button start and all cover cowlings I don't know if a bike is still made in U.K over here bikes are 80%Japanese quite a few "Harley's" and a few B.M W

Wilf was a 'character', a living institution, and had a huge sense of humour.
We still make bikes in the U.K., Triumphs are still made [at Hinckley instead of Meriden] and Nortons are on the verge of firing up again once the deals are struck. We have a thriving classic industry, we even make new Gold Star and Vincent engines. Complete bikes if you can afford one. We even reproduce and race Manx Nortons, G50 Matchless and AJS 7R's. The Japs beat us on productivity but we still build quality bikes. Just listen to a racing Norton 'on the pipe' and you will know what I am talking about. It brings tears to your eyes.

Wilf was a 'character', a living institution, and had a huge sense of humour.
We still make bikes in the U.K., Triumphs are still made [at Hinckley instead of Meriden] and Nortons are on the verge of firing up again once the deals are struck. We have a thriving classic industry, we even make new Gold Star and Vincent engines. Complete bikes if you can afford one. We even reproduce and race Manx Nortons, G50 Matchless and AJS 7R's. The Japs beat us on productivity but we still build quality bikes. Just listen to a racing Norton 'on the pipe' and you will know what I am talking about. It brings tears to your eyes.

And if you go to Cadwell Park,Mallory Park or Donington to the Vintage racing next season,you can watch and hear them.

I do go whenever possible, but only find the old 'uns interesting. The only other normal meeting I go to is 'the Stars' meeting at Darley Moor. I like to see the young lads and the 'not so wealthy' given a chance. Darley gives such ambitious kids a chance.
To see road based so-called superbikes racing does nothing for me any more.
I remember 'proper racing bikes', open megaphones, pudding basin helmets, black leathers.
Pure nostalgia, yes I do wear rose tinted glasses, just put it down to age.

Ariel and Sunbeam were part of the BSA and Triumph group not AMC.AMC were Norton,James,Francis Barnett,AJS,Matchless.The inline Sunbeam was the S7 with balloon tyres which changed to the S8 with normal tyres.Apparently it was a slow performer due to the weak shaft drive and was detuned to preserve it.

I remember the S7 being refered to as 'the gentlemans motorcycle'.

Although i am not local to Sheffield ,i was interested as to the history of a calendar i have in my possesion..It was given by Frank B Ropers business, obviously to his cherished customers...its from 1931 and features a picture of the Strand in London with the company address given as FRANK B ROPER.158,166,168 London road Sheffield Automobile Engineers and Concessionaires..Phone 51502 Grams;Roper51502 sheffield...I have also a bundle of photos relating to a coal transport company in Sheffield..i will have to dig them out as Iam sure they may be of interest to any existing family members..all for now.

I worked at Ropers as apprentice mechanic 1955-1961 (with two years National Service in between).As I remember Frank Roper Owner, Mr Hall G.M. and George Haley shop foreman.Part of my duties was picking up and delivering Motorcycles and Scooters with a Matchless and Sidecar Box Thingy, One of the high lights of my pick-ups was to go by train to Yarmouth and ride back an allmost brand new B.S.A. Road Rocket with a single seater sports sidecar, "What a Ride"
Will look in my stuff to see if I have any papers with there name on for you bsarider I know you can still get all the transfers and badges for for your bsa just use the net.
Frank Roper sold out to Humpferies of Birmingham and I went on to Dan Bradburys just up the road and then onto Walter Wraggs at Chesterfield but still did business with Porridge and Wildoats (DAH) and Sid Smith.
Texas... The only Italians I remember was Amando and Claudo and they worked at Dan Bradburys

Hi - My dad was Wally Humphry - Walter Wraggs was his business - do you remember him?? Longs shot as your post was in 2005.....

By the time I started biking (1975), Ropers I think was just a spares and accesories shop. Would I be correct?. I remember buying my first helmet,leather jacket,gloves and boots from there. And,later,my first Belstaff for my first biking winter!

I remember Frank B Ropers, Dan Bradburys, Wilf Greens, orridge and Wildegoose, Grays on Bridge St, Wraggs on West Bar, Toms Motorcycles on Copper St, Leather and Simpsons.
I particularly remember Wilf Greens hatred of Japanese motorcycles. He once had a sign in the window which read :- WE DO NOT SELL ORIENTAL ODDITIES.
At the end of each racing season we used to look in Grays window. They used to sponsor John Cooper and a 500 and a 350 Manx Norton were on display [complete with oil drip-trays under the engines].

Ah, memories,memories.Sorry Nimrod it was Walter Wraggs on Shalesmoor who sponsered John Cooper,they always had the two Norton Manx's in the window with his cups and photos.Wraggs were previously on Wellington st.Ian Geddes was the sales manager and Tom on copper st worked for them around1963.

By the time I started biking (1975), Ropers I think was just a spares and accesories shop. Would I be correct?. I remember buying my first helmet,leather jacket,gloves and boots from there. And,later,my first Belstaff for my first biking winter!

same for me, bought my 1st helmet there in 1978, went back for gloves and bits for the bike, I remember getting a mirror in the winter of 78 as I broke mine when I fell off in the ice. I bought my boots from a shop on Attercliffe, it was on a corner,. anybody any idea what or where that was?

Its was probably Syd Smiths,Syd ran the shop with Les Worthington and his wife after Syd retired Les had the business until his retirement and his unfortunate and tragic accident in the Isle of Man.I believe his son Glyn has the shop now on Green land rd.

I knew all the staff at Ropers from the mid 60s onwards, it was just an accessories shop then and they would be wearing smart brown smocks. I also remember the combination parked outside with the box chassis on it. Occasionally Mr Roper (quite elderly then) would visit and upon his entrance the staff would politely voice their greetings, although Mr Roper was quite deaf.

I think, at that time, that Armandos had a workshop on the other side of London Road down a side street.

Memory's a bit hazy now but I seem to recollect that Ropers had another sales premises further up London Road?

Ya I remember Ropers I worked at Dan Bradburys up the road from Ropers. my friend Andrew worked there 1970s time. they had a motorbike and side car he would use it to come up to Dans and have a chat sometimes they sold a lot of Franny Barnett's and James motor cycles all with the little brass badge on the back mud guards. I dont know if it was any thing to do with them but there workshop changed into selling Wartburg Sabb and Lada cars .

Ya I remember Ropers I worked at Dan Bradburys up the road from Ropers. my friend Andrew worked there 1970s time. they had a motorbike and side car he would use it to come up to Dans and have a chat sometimes they sold a lot of Franny Barnett's and James motor cycles all with the little brass badge on the back mud guards. I dont if it was any thing to do with them but there workshop changed into selling Wartburg Sabb and Lada cars .I think when Ropers finished it became David E Hinchliffe's selling eastern european junk,lada,Wartburg,moskovitch all crap.Ropers always appeared to be a cut above the others and all the counter sales staff wore brown coats and were helpful.I must have spent a small fortune in Gunk there.

I think when Ropers finished it became David E Hinchliffe's selling eastern european junk,lada,Wartburg,moskovitch all crap.Ropers always appeared to be a cut above the others and all the counter sales staff wore brown coats and were helpful.I must have spent a small fortune in Gunk there. Remember moska****s dans sold them absolute junk it bust dans selling them,

Remember moska****s dans sold them absolute junk it bust dans selling them,The diff units were full of casting sand and the bearings were shot in a few miles.

I first saw a Honda 250cc in there window I think it was a Benly black thing dint like the look of it , Always been a British and still am a British motorbike fan little did I know that they would take over as they did still hard to think what a grate motorcycle industry we had here at one time. all long gone

Hi - My dad was Wally Humphry - Walter Wraggs was his business - do you remember him?? Longs shot as your post was in 2005.....

Hi
I worked for Walter Wraggs on Wellington Street in 1957 Wally Humphry was the owner and Russ Warren was the manager.
I was the Box Boy
Happy days:
Trevor Staniforth

I used to work in the parts department in 1961 mr hall was gm frank b roper lived on abbey lane at the time there was a seat outside his house with rest awile curasy of fb roper.
The ad was its that nice tidy block of shops under the clock.
dont know the name of the parts manager but he as old and they gave him a flat above the shop it was jubalee flat