Frank Roper, motorcycle dealer, London Rd.

[MickDn]

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

 

Dan Bradbury's further up London Road were the Moskvitch dealers

 

---------- Post added 05-02-2015 at 16:34 ----------

 

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

 

Dan Bradbury's further up London Road were the Moskvitch dealers

[speedway fan]

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:

No it was Dan Bradbury who was the Moskovitch agent.

[pjkay]

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

 

 

Yes Frank B Roper london road..Near to Highfield motors...I bought my first motorcycle suit there..Belstaff black prince two piece. Waterproof and warm,But made you sweat under your arms..Yorkshire folk always have,, in any case

[len palmer]

I think it was Ropers on London rd where I used to drool over the Vincent

COMET and others when I was a post office messenger around 1949/50

riding my very de tuned BSA Bantam courtesy of the P M G.

wish I had one now.

[westmoors]

Hi Len, I don't recall the Vincent Comet, but I am going back to the middle to late 1940's, I do remember the Vincent Black Shadow but I thought Ropers dealt more with the smaller bikes, add on extras and spare parts.. I do remember they did often have in their windows ex military BSA and Norton side valve Dispatch Rider bikes still in their original war paint and accouterments.

Pride and Clark in London made a big thing of these bikes, buying them in job lots from the Ministry ex army Auctions and advertising them for around £25 I think in the "Motorcycle", they shipped them to the customer by the railway so you bought unseen . But I was only earning one pound,two shillings and sixpence a week at Brook Shaws and such a possession was only a pipe dream for me, anyway I was too young to have a license at the time.

But I did go to the auctions at Byron Park because Brook Shaw bought a few staff cars and trucks which we had to go and retrieve, many hardly driveable, but that is another long story.

[retep]

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?

 

Do you remember Barrie who rode the combo.

 

---------- Post added 27-08-2015 at 11:43 ----------

 

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 .

 

Do you remember Dave who rode the combo, got flattened by an ambulance.

[bigal123456]

dad bought a nsu quickiey 50/cc with pedals to help up the hills ,from ropers, i think they were the agent for them...........

[carosio]

Do you remember Barrie who rode the combo.

 

---------- Post added 27-08-2015 at 11:43 ----------

 

 

Sorry, just can't quite picture him.

[len palmer]

Thanks Westmoors, I thought the dealer was Ropers but I remember going in and asking

the salesperson about the bike and although I was only 17 and clearly not a buyer

he was very patient and explained all the models Rapide ,Comet and of course the Black Shadow .but the memory that still sticks in my mind is when telling me of the varios speeds in each gear he said in a very dramatic tone , top gear SPEED UNKNOWN and this had been my everlasting dream to test this out.and though this has been on my Bucket list at 82 I don"t think it is on the cards.

[bullerboY]

Why not Len,give it a shot you only live once or so they say.Ropers used to sell Brough Superiors as well and Francis Barnetts.