Motorcycle shops in 70's Sheffield

[suzyoo 11]

The Bakewell man , who's name I forget , was another friend / aqquaintance of my late Dad's , again. probably army in WW2.

He had a R/H/S engine cover in stock for my CB 72 ( the forward acting kickstart bust it after I went sliding past the Essoldo on Sheffield lane Top on spilt diesel from the bus in front ) , all the Honda dealers wanted a king's ransom for one after importation. We used to call there about once a month in the early 70's. but trying to get him to sell a bike was like pulling teeth ,

 

I think he just simply loved bikes and their bits, and since we knew of his wartime experiences , easily and quickly forgave his odd mannerisms.

 

the guys surname was bishop

[topsail 10]

We always called the bike shop in Bakewell "Piggy Smiths" I once went in for some velo gearbox parts, he climbed over several oil drums full of parts to reach them and most of them collapsed. I think he charged me ten bob! He used to chat, and he told me he was originally the velo agent for the area, and if you remember there was a big velocette transfer, like everything else, filthy and faded, across his window. I still have my sheffield registered 1961 venom 679 dwb.

[m6avf 10]

There was a lot of bike shops in south yorkshire

haven hands in rotherham west gate

you ad frost at kimberworth

you ad owen & lambs who sold mz at maltby

i no there not in sheffield but thats what i remember

as i never lived in sheffield

[ducker 10]

there was one near the football ground in rotherham

[m6avf 10]

any idea what they was called its a shame now there

is not as meny motorbike shops now

[ducker 10]

they had race bikes in the window, it was opposite what is now the car spares shop.

[m6avf 10]

i no haven hands moved to westgate but i am not sure it was from masbourgh

now you have done it now i will find out

who it was there i keep you posted on this post

in fact i be looking on the internet

[Darnex 11]

Hi Darnex,

 

Reading your post reminded me of my experience in 1978 with D C Cook on London Rd, I was lucky, I traded my CB550 Four in against a CB750F2 and ended up getting more than I paid for it!

 

It was a T reg about 10 months old, metallic blue, it had it's foibles like all bikes, but I thought it was a thoroughly decent bike, and like you I now regret getting rid of it.

 

As for Bill Beevers, I found him quite a nice bloke, he always had time for a chat and if he couldn't help you he always knew someone who could.

 

The only bike shop I thought were rip off artists were Grays on West St, always ready to fleece an unsuspecting young lad.

 

You got that right , Teenies were meat & drink for them buggers .......

My old Dad used to tell me never to deal with Grays ! He used Dan Bradbury's.

 

I nearly bought a Commando instead of the F2 , I test rode both - no comparison .

 

There are still quite a few 750F2's around , I still lust after one ..... I still have my Haynes manual ( For an F1 - don't think they made a seperate edition for the F2 ) Original Bell Star + Barry Sheene race gloves

 

Proper bike

[Darnex 11]

i no haven hands moved to westgate but i am not sure it was from masbourgh

now you have done it now i will find out

who it was there i keep you posted on this post

in fact i be looking on the internet

 

Havenhands were about as capable with a motorcycle as I am at neuclear physics ! they were just trying to cash in on the resurgence of Superbikes in the 70's .... W.....s

[jasper12 10]

The old guy in bakewell had a large barn somewhere up in the hills, that was packed..and i mean packed with every type of brit bike you could name.There were hundreds.He was well known as a local oddity.I dont know what happened to the bikes.Most of them where rusty old relics, as the barn was in a derelic state.

 

I suppose the Bill beevers you mentioned could well have been bill beevers of shop and T.T.fame. His Norton Manx was recently up for auction.I seem to recall he was in the war, and my father knew him, so the age would be about right.He did ride in a few T.T s for Norton, and i think Guzzi.

Heres acouple of more bikey things..

F.L.F race fairings.Made in Rotherham, and you too could have a full race replica of Bazza or Mick Grant.Bolt on Fibre glass things for suzuki x7 and RD250s

Dunelt..bike made in sheffield..???any others? ner a car is another I think.

piggy smith at calver and bakewell

[jasper12 10]

Hi, in the mid seventies there was an old man that lived on Scott Rd that sold British bikes and parts. He had a two storey building (still there) that came out on Passhouses Rd. Our 'gang' use to buy bikes from him and ride them on Smiths Field at the back of Petre St, and on Petre St of an evening when it was quiet! If i remember right we had off him 2 x Royal Enfield 350 Bullets, a Matchless, something with a Viliers engine in it and lots more i cant remember. The old man had bikes and parts strewn all over his yard, he even had one of those mini bikes that were parachuted in to Europe in a canister during the war.

Does any one know what make these mini bikes were? and the name of the old man?

 

Dean

 

storeys three brothers on scott road

[banjodeano 27]

There was a lot of bike shops in south yorkshire

haven hands in rotherham west gate

you ad frost at kimberworth

you ad owen & lambs who sold mz at maltby

i no there not in sheffield but thats what i remember

as i never lived in sheffield

 

There was one on Domine lane in Rotherham, near the tesco entrance, i think it was called Crosses or something

there was also Mcdonalds at Mexborough, i dont think they had a good reputation...and there was also Pete Cresswells at Swinton,(nice bloke) just over the bridge, he used to have old bikes in the shop but never seemed bothered about selling them...