Frank Roper, motorcycle dealer, London Rd.

[ImbrosGeorge]

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.

[flyer]

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

[coyleys]

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

[lindy3]

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.

[coyleys]

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

[Tradescanthia]

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.

[flyer]

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

[biker]

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".

[Tradescanthia]

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.

[biker]

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.