The Lighter Side!

[Al Weyman]

Originally Posted by terence bower

I remember that incident Al,a couple of mates were questioned but released.They were down the other end when it supposedly happened.
One of the coppers said he thought the poor sod had been drinking but we never heard anything else about it.

Yes it was tragic, it was my mate Bertie who comes with me racing and known by a few of you who's brother it was, There were 4 brothers and of course the papers made a meal of it especially the Daily Mirror which made it headline front page news. My mates told me that it broke their mothers heart seeing the headlines on all the newspaper stands.

[Al Weyman]

Does anyone remember the Busy Bee cafe on the A41 in Watford now a Hilton Hotel. We all used to meet up there then drive down to the Ace Cafe in Neasden or the Dugout in Golders Green (how sad!)

But I know what Gordon means some guys in life do what I always think of as 'get off the bus' at one stage in their life and never move on, same hair styles, more or less same way of life with the bikes and all. I do shirts for a club based on the old Busy Bee days called believe it it not the Busy Bee Motorcycle club. Is'nt it amazing how an old greasy spoons like this place and the Ace which at least is still there and renovated, years later holds so much nostalgia? Personally I passed my driving test on or shortly after my 17th birthday and hung up the leathers and bought a mohair suit ang changed sides, mods got better looking birds and more of em than greasy bikers

[Eddy V]

That is odd Iain, Friday 13 is usually a very lucky day for me. And it certainly was this year, which means that I will be leaving Germany and it's motorsport collapse behind me soon.

[delta]

You need to tell us more Eddy.

[Eddy V]

Simple: another job soon.

[esper]

Originally Posted by Eddy V

Simple: another job soon.

the ace cafe!!

[terence]

One of the best meeting places of its time,Goldie fired up and firing every other lamp-post,slipping the clutch till 30mph,and a nice quick run to Soufend,THEY were the good old days,no cameras,coppers you could talk to etc etc.

[delta]

Ive just read your note at the bottom Esper. That reminded me of the time at Spa i was going through Blanchemont and felt a bump then fogot about that incident untill we preped and looked over the car "Sports 2000" and realised the starter motor was missing. Spent hours that night looking for it.Someone had it for a souvenir.You havent seen it Eddy.

[delta]

Here Terrance you wern't one of those greebo's in South Ascot in 1969 were you.

[Eddy V]

That is probably lying next to Gordon's wiper (in some local yokel's shed).

[terence]

Originally Posted by delta

Here Terrance you wern't one of those greebo's in South Ascot in 1969 were you.

No,thats one place we did not venture to,non of us had a suitable Hat Iain.

[terence]

Originally Posted by Eddy V

That is probably lying next to Gordon's wiper (in some local yokel's shed).

This new job Eddy,its not selling second hand parts is it?

[Al Weyman]

Rocket Gold Star eh Terry, you had style, I remember I pulled into the car park at the Busy Bee one night (I have a couple of photos of the place I will try to post up tomorrow) and there was this gleaming AJS 7R the sister bike to the Manx Norton parked up. I swung my Norton Dominator with Stieb sidecar in alongside it and just ever so gently tapped it and watched in horror as the machine crashed to the ground. I though this is it I am dead meat as about 10 hairy bikers came rushing out the cafe, I apolgised profusely and prepared for a kicking but amazingly the owner just picked it up and said no harm done mate but all the Castrol R oil has poured out but there is a late night garage in Watford that sells the stuff if you go and get me a few pints we will say no more about it, phew!.

Terry do you remember the Yankee bird that used to go down the Ace on a big old Harley and used to burn up the North Circular Road showing the lads how to do it, I think she met a grisly death along with a few others including my work mate 'Hoss' Cartwright who rode a Triumph Bonniville I was pillion on that a few weeks before he met his maker, crazy times. My friend Gerry Cain has a black and white photo of him as a whipper snapper aged about 14 or 15 sitting on the back of her Harley.

[terence]

B-----dy Hell Al,I'd forgotten all about her.I heard she lost the brakes just as a Coal Lorry pulled out of a side turning,it was a very grisly end to a really nice girl.On one memorable evening,we had just gone through the Halfway House roundabout on the A 127,there were five of us,a 7R,two Goldies,Bonneville and my mate on a Black Shadow trailing behind.About a mile along the dual there was a turn-off.Some old boy in a two day old Mini pulled out just behind the Bonni but in front of the Vincent,they were never that good on the braking front! Result was the Vincent went clean through the Mini,just behind the drivers door.The driver ,although a little shook up was fine!! My mate,once we had searched everywhere for him,had no idea where he could have gone,untill some-one heard some groans coming from a hay-stack,had a two month spell in hospital,mainly because of the airborn destruction of some overhead power lines,[him]
had multiple fractures of the hip and left leg. A very light let off really,considering the 120mph we were all doing.Two weeks later,the Bonni owner got wiped out by some drunk in a Jag,I started to have second thoughts about bikes,I still sometimes have them!

[esper]

Dont hope thats age related, Terry .

[terence]

Originally Posted by esper

Dont hope thats age related, Terry .

Never lost my love of decent British Bikes Esper.My ex-boss from 15yrs ago sold a pile of scrap from one of his barn's,two weeks later he remembered that there was a 7R under a cover in the barn-----------Ooooops.
I wish I still had the Goldie despite it being a bit of a pig at times when it felt the need to kick back!

[delta]

I remember a mate of mine let me have a go on his side car sorry cant remember what bike it was. Came up to the first corner leaning in and went straight on into a field.Forgot to turn the handlebar.He was following on my scooter and i think he still laughs about the incident now.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by delta

I remember a mate of mine let me have a go on his side car sorry cant remember what bike it was. Came up to the first corner leaning in and went straight on into a field. .

Heard that so many times when going from a bike to a chair !
Did any of you old boys used to go to "Joes Cafe" on the A20 in the 60s ?
I suppose it was like the Ace where everybody used to turn up and look at everybodys bike and talk a load of b#####s (nothing changes)
Then someone would do a "run by" whilst we stood and wached the latest hot bike complete with clip ons n rear sets tearing by on what was a pretty straight road.
I dont seem to remember too much trouble from the law in those days but its probably a case of "selected memory" at my age !

[Al Weyman]

Clip ons and resets and a dustbin fairing, thats what I had on my Dominator outfit, I was customising and pulling things apart even in those days.

That sounds like some hairy times you had back then Terry, the Rocket Goldstar was a great looking and sounding machine with that distintive twitter from the exhaust. Gerry who races SDi's and other things not so much these days has turned his attention to renovating old British bikes and has a great collection including an Arial Arrow with loads of works developments parts he somehow sourced from the old factory engineer, these include a water cooled engine and a 5 speed gearbox I believe he is also building or has completed a three cylinder version, the Arrow was center spread in Classic Bike. He also has a magnificent Commando, a Vellocette Viper with a 5 speed gearbox he makes and sells and a Bonniville flat tracker. I think he is currently working on a Moto Guzi ex race bike or it may be an Aprilia it will be good what ever it is as he and his mate Basil do absolutely wonderful jobs on these old machines to the same standard as his SDi if you ever see that around the circuits.

What was that place in Windsor the bikers used to frequent?

[delta]

Me and my sweet hart would go to the flicks in Windsor on a Saturday night. All the bikers would be just arround the corner by the river there must of been a cafe there. Cant remember the name.

[Al Weyman]

Yeah thats the one it was on the waterfront I only went there a couple of times as it was too far for the old Norton.

[terence]

Thinking back Al its a wonder some of us are still alive
Gordon,we used to use Joes on our way back from Deal,couple of girls down there had their own place on the front,saddly they both copped it one night when coming home from a night in London. Your right about plod in those days though,but the again they did not have quotas to meet then!

[delta]

When i was about Twenty i had a TR4 and had the best dice ever with a greebo on a Bonerville we raced for about ten miles around the back of Fifefield and Winkfield along a road called Driftroad well over the ton in places,at the T junction we waved good bye with thumbs up great fun but foolish. "biker wasnt one of you lot was it"?

[delta]

So im cycling into work lovelly spring morning and its my last day as a 55 year old. When this massive Rolls Royce nearly had me off the bike.I then have a look at registration and wait for it [ 2 JR ]. Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa couldnt be. Could it ?

[terence]

Originally Posted by delta

So im cycling into work lovelly spring morning and its my last day as a 55 year old. When this massive Rolls Royce nearly had me off the bike.I then have a look at registration and wait for it [ 2 JR ]. Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa couldnt be. Could it ?

I doubt it Iain,he would'nt of missed!