Motorcycle shops in 70's Sheffield

[bullerboY 10]

Hibbsy,George Pollard is buried 100yrds from my house,i went to his funeral as did quite a few racers Chris Vincent being one of them.Ive known Tony Dawson for years and also knew Terry Windle,if I remember right i think Jack Woods had Handsworth Motorcycles.

 

[Kay9 0]

Saw Crumpy 76 asking if anyone remembered his dad at Handsworths - which prompted my post. 

 

Handsworths was just on from Abbeydale Cinema. Wilf Green let the property so I believe he may have worked out of the same before moving when he got the MZ contract.

 

Tried to buy Bob's Shadow engine but he would never part with it, During the time I was autojumbling with him, someone nicked it from his shop - think all the missing parts were Vincent so they obviously knew what they were after. It was a chopped motor with a Goldie gearbox.

 

 

[HIBBSY 12]

When Bob committed to going full time at D&H,he realized that he didn't have the time to go racing anymore so the outfit was stripped down and the engine languished on the floor of the shops back room for years. That Vinny engine was a brute and well sorted by Bob and had strong sentimental ties for him. The last time I saw Bob he had a small lock-up property in Wath upon Dearne. The racing sidecar chassis was propped in the corner and in a bit of a state as the property had been recently flooded. By that time the engine was long gone and believed to have resurfaced in Australia. Bob's collection of Vincent stuff would be worth a fortune these days.

Happy Days.

[Lorisue 0]

I worked at F.B. Ropers, London Road 1969-1971. 

[MICK BADGER 21]

3 hours ago, Lorisue said:

I worked at F.B. Ropers, London Road 1969-1971. 

I was always in the shop during those years

[Lorisue 0]

I worked in the office upstairs but I was on the shop floor quite frequently as Mr. Roper's office was downstairs.

There was a spares department further up London Road too. 

I was 16 at that time and remember when they started selling the Bond Bug. 

 

 

 

[Crumpy76 10]

Handsworth Motorcycles was in Wilf Greens old shop on Abbeydale Rd. My dad took the shop on when Wilf left to take his new unit over at Halfway. When Handsworth motorcycles closed in the early 80's Jack Woods took the shop on.

[stephen peace 1]

On 21/12/2009 at 14:45, Beesa rider said:

Backtracking on this thread I note the comment about Charlie Freeman's Banner Cross shop. It was on the opposite side to The Banner Cross pub and if my memory serves me right had bikes in the window at street level and some stairs down to a lower floor - but I have no idea whether there were bikes down their or spares.

I think it was more about scooters/small Hondas etc and was open maybe 1965 - '67 ?

 

I purchased my first "proper bike" from Grays in 1968, a '64 C15 which cost me 99 Guineas. Riding it home I noticed a horrible noise coupled with poor acceleration when I gave it some throttle . This turned out to be the rear sprocket which had virtually no teeth allowing the chain to just spin round it.

Grays did replace the sprocket at no charge but fancy putting it out to a customer like that !

Yes everything in Grays was in Guineas my dad was constantly reminding me how much more than in pounds that was. Remember seeing a very early Yamaha YDS series in there without Autolube and every bike other than the Japanese models had a oil tray underneath.

[bullerboY 10]

gaz 786 What a clever fellow you are do you speak to him via a ouija board???

[bullerboY 10]

Gaz786 It takes one to know one  Phil Vincent Eh only thirty whats that about village idiots?.

 

[MICK BADGER 21]

Iin 1970/71 there was a bloke selling mainly 2 strokes on John street off london rd he then moved to west bardoes anybody remember his name

[gaz678 98]

On 19/01/2021 at 14:44, bullerboY said:

Hibbsy,George Pollard is buried 100yrds from my house,i went to his funeral as did quite a few racers Chris Vincent being one of them.Ive known Tony Dawson for years and also knew Terry Windle,if I remember right i think Jack Woods had Handsworth Motorcycles.

 

Phil Vincent-day great grandson stops at our house now and then when he's visiting sheffield 😀