Motorcycle shops in 70's Sheffield

[skippy]

[quote=carsupplier;

hope you like it!

http://www.vintagebike.co.uk/

 

Great site, this is a good thread too, brought back many memories, this could be my old bike on thevintage bike site, less the good old Busmar Astral sidecar, unfortunately I can't remember the rego number.

I bought it in the early 60's from Smiths on Spital Hill for 250 quid, my mate [Graham] worked for him as a salesman for a few years.

I saw the Cadwallenders a couple of days ago and told them about the forum & this thread, so hopefully they will participate too.

[jordcam117]

Many thanks to all of you who have replied regarding the bike shops in Sheffield, it has brought some good memories back to me.

I take it that a lot of you will have visited these places when you where younger and will remember doing the rounds looking at the bikes and always talking of which one you would have next.

Just a few of my memories of these places follow.

I remember Grays on West Street that became Cooks, I went in to Cooks one day and was admiring a Yamaha RD400, the salesman came up and tried to sell it to me, but as I told him, I've only got a provisional licence to ride up to a 250, the salesman said that wasn't a problem, they would just put a pair of side panels on it from a 250 and no one would know the difference! Now was that a D C Cook salesman or what?

Samurai motorcycles was at the bottom of Ecclesall Road, I think that they were bike breakers.

Wilf Green at Halfway was where I took an Enfield India Bullet out for a test ride, lovely looking and sounding bike apart from the gearchange being on the opposite side to what I was used to, It sort of went pear shaped when I got to a junction and mixed the brake up with the gear pedal and nearly bent their demonstrator.

Charlie Freeman at Eckington was a great bloke, when my girl friend lived out that way and I was on my way home at night I would often stop to have a look in his window and on a few occasions Charlie came down from the flat and let me go and have a look round the shop even though he was closed.

Richardsons also had a shop in the old Co-Op building in Crookes, I did a short time working there.

Bentleys on Abbeydale Rd was where I bought my first sports moped from, a Suzuki AP50, They had two shops, one on each side of the road.

Bobs on the junction of London Rd/Abbeydale Rd, wasn't that the one with an old Tiger Cub outside with a sign on it saying 'Not For Sale'?, If it is then I remember a lovely lady who was very patriotic who worked there, she had a thing about people who had Japanese bikes and would tell them exactly what she thought about them.

Syd Smiths on Attercliffe was a great place as well, you could get nearly anything you wanted, or if not, he could get it for you.

I had forgotten about Martin Beevers until one of you listed him, He was near Attercliffe baths.

Wizzard used to be under the Wicker arches and again always offered great service.

There was someone who wasn't a bike dealer as such, but used to buy and sell bikes as a bit of a hobby, He was an oldish gent on Scott Rd between Pitsmoor and the Northern General.

He had bikes for sale and had a yard with loads of used parts in it.

 

Thanks again to you all.

LOOKING FOR A RD 400 IF ANYBODYS GOT ONE ANY CON

[Colley76]

Dan Bradbury, CI Roper, Freemans, Horrage & Wildgoose, all on London Road. Greys, Wraggs? on Penistone Rd

[garyb]

I worked for Charlie freeman when he first opened his Whittingtoin Moor shop. Maynard Holmes was the manager. From 1956 -1961 I must have ridden every type and model of Motor bike which was on the market. Happy Days!!! so many memories !!! Gary

[garyb]

As well as having shops in Sheffield, Eckington and Whitt. Moor Charlie also bought a shop in Grantham, Lincs. I remember driving his Austin Three Way Van on trips to Grantham to swap some Stock around. Photo Available . Gary

[Mr Pops]

Fond memories of the Suzuki 750 water bucket ... fine machine

[garyb]

I worked fro Chatlie from 1955until 1961. Get in touch!

[Bassman62]

The only dealers I remember on London Rd were Dan Bradbury and Ropers, as far as I remember Wilf Green was only on Abbeydale Rd.

Cadwallanders had a shop on London Road (Highfields near the library) they used to sell ex WD Norton 16Hs for £39 also Horridge & Wildgoose on London Road and Bentley Brothers on Abbeydale Road.

[bullerboY]

Hi Nimrod

Yes Barry Dungworth is still around and living in Wadsley,but it wasnt Grays who displayed Coopers bikes it was Wraggs on Shalesmoor who were his sponsors.Alf Parker sold Piatti scooters,emigrated to Australia,invented a swash plate pump and became very wealthy.Bill Kenyon was a clever man my mate Mick worked for him for years he had a brother called Howard who sold bikes near Leather & Simpsons on Langsett Rd and onRoselle St in Hillsboro.Bill lived on Dixon Rd.

[bullerboY]

Hi Garyb

I knew Charlie well and Maynard,he used to work for horridge and Porridges before charlie and went to work for his relative at sheepbridge that is after founding Dronfield motorcycles.Sadly he is no longer with us.Ted Boyce use to work for chas,George Pollard at Dinnington has Charlies crashhat and goggles and gloves on his workshop wall and a mate of mine has his outfit engine in his road going manx,you probably know him.I remember billy he owned Eckington fuels he was killed I think riding a Paton.