Anyone that used to go to Skyways in the 60's??

[ginettajoe]

...... Just wondering if any of the more mature BB people like myself, used to hang out at The Skyways coffee bar, near Manchester airport in the 60's???

[srob]

I didn't (as I'd have been minus 20 years old ), but love the cafe racer era. What did you ride - anything exciting?

[ginettajoe]

srob said:

I didn't (as I'd have been minus 20 years old ), but love the cafe racer era. What did you ride - anything exciting?

..... a BSA 500 Gold Star, DB34. What about yourself??? I have a TT600 now, .. what about yourself??? Howard

[srob]

ginettajoe said:

srob said:

I didn't (as I'd have been minus 20 years old ), but love the cafe racer era. What did you ride - anything exciting?

..... a BSA 500 Gold Star, DB34. What about yourself??? I have a TT600 now, .. what about yourself??? Howard

Gold Star - lucky sod!

I ride a '63 Velocette Venom most of the time. It's got the tls front brake and exhaust from the clubman, but normal bars/footrests. I've got either a Triton/TriBSA project - I've got a Featherbed and an A10 rolling chassis but only one Triumph engine! Once I've decided which one to do (and got some money together) I'll get started on it again. Can't decide between a Rocket Goldstar replica but with a pre-unit Triumph engine, or a Manx replica, but with the Triumph engine. Quite fancy doing both and just swapping the engine between the two for a bit of variety!

Wish I'd lived in the 60's!!

[ginettajoe]

srob said:

ginettajoe said:

srob said:

I didn't (as I'd have been minus 20 years old ), but love the cafe racer era. What did you ride - anything exciting?

..... a BSA 500 Gold Star, DB34. What about yourself??? I have a TT600 now, .. what about yourself??? Howard

Gold Star - lucky sod!

I ride a '63 Velocette Venom most of the time. It's got the tls front brake and exhaust from the clubman, but normal bars/footrests. I've got either a Triton/TriBSA project - I've got a Featherbed and an A10 rolling chassis but only one Triumph engine! Once I've decided which one to do (and got some money together) I'll get started on it again. Can't decide between a Rocket Goldstar replica but with a pre-unit Triumph engine, or a Manx replica, but with the Triumph engine. Quite fancy doing both and just swapping the engine between the two for a bit of variety!

Wish I'd lived in the 60's!!

Yes, I have to admit, life in the '60's was far different. No breathalysers, no Gatso's, no average speed cameras and more importantly, no maximum speed limit!!!! Very few bikers wore helmets, or any form of protective clothing, but that is one big important move forward! I can't imagine now, riding a bike without all my gear on.

All those bikes you have mentioned were the mutts nuts then, and if I can scan some photos in, of my bikes etc, I will post them on here .... but no laughing at the ice blue skin tight jeans, winkle pickers & regulation brush stuck out of my back pocket!!!!

[huckster6]

srob said:

ginettajoe said:

srob said:

Wish I'd lived in the 60's!!

The 1960's?
Most thinking people were convinced we were all going to die in a mutually assurred destructive war with Russia...there was polio from swimming in the river...bad teeth...unreliable cars and bikes with no rust protection...dreadful food, bad beer, universal smoking, crossply tyres, greasy hair, class hierarchy, 405-lined tv pictures, early closing, the light programme on the radio, inner city bomb sites, holidays in indifferent bed 'n' breakfast accomodation in gruesome seaside resorts, all foreigners were to be feared and despised, racism was an unquestioed fact of life.
There were also plenty of exciting things, too.

[ginettajoe]

huckster6 said:

srob said:

ginettajoe said:

srob said:

Wish I'd lived in the 60's!!

The 1960's?
Most thinking people were convinced we were all going to die in a mutually assurred destructive war with Russia...there was polio from swimming in the river...bad teeth...unreliable cars and bikes with no rust protection...dreadful food, bad beer, universal smoking, crossply tyres, greasy hair, class hierarchy, 405-lined tv pictures, early closing, the light programme on the radio, inner city bomb sites, holidays in indifferent bed 'n' breakfast accomodation in gruesome seaside resorts, all foreigners were to be feared and despised, racism was an unquestioed fact of life.
There were also plenty of exciting things, too.

....... mini skirts??

[huckster6]

Wish you'd lived in the 60s, with ally-tanked cafe racers and the mini skirts?

...not if you were a shy teenage boy in Portsmouth, where the greasers rode frightening but unreliable bikes like Gold Stars or Tritons, and their girlfriends didn't look like Twinkle...either group could easily beat you up, if they thought you looked at them in a funny way. Biker birds often wore drain pipes and smelled of chewing gum and chips.

I remember that there seemed to be quite frequent road deaths amongst the bikers at the local cafe, The Milano in Southsea. I'm sure that while traffic density is now hugely greater, mortality rates are possibly lower for modern bikers. Safety gear was rudimentry, 1960 helmets were pathetic, tyres were narrow and offered less grip, people has much less disposable income.

God, it's FAR better right now...crikey, I never had to do national service and the government even helped me give up smoking.

And the reliability of my Triumph Bonneville is unquestionable, with great handling, brakes that work without fade and engines that don't leak.

On the other hand, the music really was infinitely more exciting than now.

Edited by huckster6 on Saturday 21st February 12:35

[ginettajoe]

huckster6 said:

Wish you'd lived in the 60s, with ally-tanked cafe racers and the mini skirts?

...not if you were a shy teenage boy in Portsmouth, where the greasers rode frightening but unreliable bikes like Gold Stars or Tritons, and their girlfriends didn't look like Twinkle...either group could easily beat you up, if they thought you looked at them in a funny way. Biker birds often wore drain pipes and smelled of chewing gum and chips.

I remember that there seemed to be quite frequent road deaths amongst the bikers at the local cafe, The Milano in Southsea. I'm sure that while traffic density is now hugely greater, mortality rates are possibly lower for modern bikers. Safety gear was rudimentry, 1960 helmets were pathetic, tyres were narrow and offered less grip, people has much less disposable income.

God, it's FAR better right now...crikey, I never had to do national service and the government even helped me give up smoking.

And the reliability of my Triumph Bonneville is unquestionable, with great handling, brakes that work without fade and engines that don't leak.

On the other hand, the music really was infinitely more exciting than now.

Edited by huckster6 on Saturday 21st February 12:35

Well I'm glad I didn't live in Portsmouth in the 60's!!! Northern girls were fit, & feminine, slim,, sexy & built for speed. The Portsmouth lot have obviously moved north now, they are all big, brawling, tattooed drunkards, smelling of chewing gum & chips around Manchester!!

Those bikes were "MENS" bikes, no namby pamby starter motors, it was a proper kickstart aided by a de-compressor on those big singles, ... they hurt when they kick back!!!!! Unreliabilty, leaking oil, brakes that didn't work, ..... that was the exciting part, they'll be fitting all new bikes with stabilisers soon, to ensure no one falls off & grazes their legs!!!

I didn't have to do National Service, .... I just missed it, so managed to spend most of my teens, doing everything we weren't supposed to do ......

....... definately better in the sixties than present day!! We didn't have Gordon Brown to govern our every move!!!

[huckster6]

I remember the greasers at the Milano in Southsea kick-starting their bikes. Milano had teeny little glass expresso cups, a pin table and a Wurlitzer jukebox at a tanner a play. If you were a bit flush you could get beans on toast, or even a cheese sandwich.

The greasers used to line their bikes up outside, and they looked great. I'm sure they must have seen themselves as Marlon Brando in the Wild Ones: "Whattya rebelling against Johnny?" "Whaddya got?"

There was a smallish bloke called Titch, I think. He had a huge barrel chest and curly blond hair, and absolutely doted on his Big Brit Bike. He worked on the footplates of the steam engines down at Fratton shunting yards. He used to have to leap up onto the starter at a great height to try and get momentum to start his bike. He always seemed to have to take several swings to get it going. He had one of those peaked British Railways caps with a chin strap passed over the top. The last time I saw anything like that cap was on the head of one of the Village People. That's another entirely diffent discussion thread.

My other current bike has a kick start. At my age the knees can get really sore on a bad day, trying to get it started. Thank god for poncey southern electric starts, especially if you stall with a police car behind you.

Apparently, Triumph was hoping to top 50,000 sales last year. I have many very fond memories of the sixties, but I think this is probably the golden age of British motorcycling right now. Especially if they start making something called a Norton, which looks like a classic British twin...

Back to Manchester Skyways...what was that like? Any characters you remember?

[ginettajoe]

huckster6 said:

I remember the greasers at the Milano in Southsea kick-starting their bikes. Milano had teeny little glass expresso cups, a pin table and a Wurlitzer jukebox at a tanner a play. If you were a bit flush you could get beans on toast, or even a cheese sandwich.

The greasers used to line their bikes up outside, and they looked great. I'm sure they must have seen themselves as Marlon Brando in the Wild Ones: "Whattya rebelling against Johnny?" "Whaddya got?"

There was a smallish bloke called Titch, I think. He had a huge barrel chest and curly blond hair, and absolutely doted on his Big Brit Bike. He worked on the footplates of the steam engines down at Fratton shunting yards. He used to have to leap up onto the starter at a great height to try and get momentum to start his bike. He always seemed to have to take several swings to get it going. He had one of those peaked British Railways caps with a chin strap passed over the top. The last time I saw anything like that cap was on the head of one of the Village People. That's another entirely diffent discussion thread.

My other current bike has a kick start. At my age the knees can get really sore on a bad day, trying to get it started. Thank god for poncey southern electric starts, especially if you stall with a police car behind you.

Apparently, Triumph was hoping to top 50,000 sales last year. I have many very fond memories of the sixties, but I think this is probably the golden age of British motorcycling right now. Especially if they start making something called a Norton, which looks like a classic British twin...

Back to Manchester Skyways...what was that like? Any characters you remember?

Well, the Milano sounds very similar to the Skyways, and all the bikes would be lined up outside, just the same. Styal Road where the Cafe was situated was a very twisty road that lead to Wilmslow where there was another coffee bar. There were regular races along there, which although I don't think anyone died, they did sustain some serious injuries. Inside Skyways, it was just the same, Wurlitzer juke box, fruit machines, pinball tables, cona coffee, & beans on toast etc. Everyone in studded leather jackets, winkle pickers or brothel creepers, skin tight jeans. The bikes I remember mainly were Tiger Cubs, BSA C15, Ariel Arrow & Leaders, Velocette Venoms, AJS 350 & 500 singles, AJS 650 twins, Bonevilles which were rated along with the 500 Gold Star, as the quickest bikes of that era, Norton Jubilee 250, Norton Commando, Manx Nortons, Tribsas, Triton, Norvin( Norton featherbed frame & 1000 Vincent engine )I remember some of the more exotic Italian bikes, 200 Ducati, Bultaco, MV Augusta

My mate, who unfortunately, 5 years ago, aimed his car at Military Tank parked in a layby, & topped himself, used to go to the Skyways straight from work on a Friday afternoon, & put every penny of his wages into the fruit machine, ..... he was convinced that he would crack the system to win fortunes, all he did was loose fortunes!!!!

[root 666]

What was the name of the cafe in/near Daisy Nook(!) which was somewhere near Failsworth?
We went to Skyways now and again but felt it was a bit posh.

I was once overtaken by a "caffed-up" Honda Dream (about 1962) who was clearly unaware that he was 50yards from a 90 left which skirted a lake.

He went across the rough like Dougie Lampkin and his brake-lights only went off when the bike (and him) were totally submerged.

How we all laughed.

Hondas really weren't popular owing to their ability to humble much bigger British bikes.

I didn't really care as at that time I had a Ducati Elite followed by a Daytona both of which visited Skyways several times.

[ginettajoe]

root 666 said:

What was the name of the cafe in/near Daisy Nook(!) which was somewhere near Failsworth?
We went to Skyways now and again but felt it was a bit posh.

I was once overtaken by a "caffed-up" Honda Dream (about 1962) who was clearly unaware that he was 50yards from a 90 left which skirted a lake.

He went across the rough like Dougie Lampkin and his brake-lights only went off when the bike (and him) were totally submerged.

How we all laughed.

Hondas really weren't popular owing to their ability to humble much bigger British bikes.

I didn't really care as at that time I had a Ducati Elite followed by a Daytona both of which visited Skyways several times.

Brilliant!!! The coffee bar near Daisy Nook was one I didn't go to, but I know there was one there. It mustn't have been "posh" enough for me!

When I listed the bikes in the previous thread, I forgot to mention the Hondas, the 125 Benly, the 250 Dream, and the 50cc with the High level exhaust. I used to work in Altrincham, and a friend that had a brand new Triumph Trophy with a high level exhaust, & ape hangers, used to pick me up in the morning, always insisting that I rode his bike with him on the back, ....... he wanted me to race everything in sight, and me being totally devoid of any brain, did as I was asked!!!

What size engine did those two bikes have, the Elite & Daytona??

[root 666]

Elite was 200 and Daytona (how did Triumph manage to nick the name?) was 250.
Both looked and sounded bigger and could see off 350s. All Daytonas (there weren't many in Britain) could chamfer footpegs better than an angle-grinder.

It was utterly beautiful in metallic blue with a dinky fairing.

Mind you the electrics were effing apalling, and while I admit to almost pissing myself when the
Honda became a submarine, the fact that his lights were on for about a minute after he went in irritated me quite severely given that mine fused every time it drizzled

[srob]

root 666 said:

Elite was 200 and Daytona (how did Triumph manage to nick the name?) was 250.
Both looked and sounded bigger and could see off 350s. All Daytonas (there weren't many in Britain) could chamfer footpegs better than an angle-grinder.

It was utterly beautiful in metallic blue with a dinky fairing.

Mind you the electrics were effing apalling, and while I admit to almost pissing myself when the
Honda became a submarine, the fact that his lights were on for about a minute after he went in irritated me quite severely given that mine fused every time it drizzled

I always wanted an Elite! They must have the best looking petrol tanks ever!

I've got a 1967 Motobi like this:



It's only a little 125 but the handling is amazing thanks to it's low centre of gravity.

Afraid I still wish I lived in the 60's, there's just no decent caff's to line your bikes up outside these days!!

[root 666]

Come to think of it, Lotus had the monocoque (drool, dribble) Elite out at the same time as the Ducati
so I shouldn't get sniffy about Triumph pinching names.

If you and your dad stick a couple of bikes on a trailer, The Ace Cafe can still act a bit like a time-machine, you could even bring the ladies and abandon them (and the car) at Brent Cross shopping mall which is about two miles away.

I'm bugger-all use at links but, as they say, Google is your friend.

Nice bike, nice tank. But you're right, there's nothing quite like a lovely bumpy Elite tank (especially with four tablespoons of castor oil in it. Smelled just like Castrol-R).

Desmodromic mmmmmmmm.....

Edited to add; I've just looked at your Motobi properly and have to admit that neither Ducati looked as good when they were new. Utterly beautiful and an enormous credit to your enthusiasm, effort and attention to detail.

You must go through Solvol by the bucket.

Have a trip to the Ace. I'll buy both of you a pint.

Edited by root 666 on Monday 23 February 22:10

[aeropilot]

root 666 said:

If you and your dad stick a couple of bikes on a trailer, The Ace Cafe can still act a bit like a time-machine, you could even bring the ladies and abandon them (and the car) at Brent Cross shopping mall which is about two miles away.

I'm bugger-all use at links but, as they say, Google is your friend.

I think this is what you were thinking off.....

http://www.ace-cafe-london.com/

There's also, the good old fashioned Jack's Cafe on the A5 near Towcester, where the annual Ton-Up Day is held around July time, which is a good day out.

[root 666]

Thanks a lot Graham.

If that (and the offer of a couple of pints) doesn't get them there, nothing will!

[mrtomsv]

ginettajoe said:

Well, the Milano sounds very similar to the Skyways, and all the bikes would be lined up outside, just the same. Styal Road where the Cafe was situated was a very twisty road that lead to Wilmslow where there was another coffee bar. There were regular races along there, which although I don't think anyone died, they did sustain some serious injuries. Inside Skyways, it was just the same, Wurlitzer juke box, fruit machines, pinball tables, cona coffee, & beans on toast etc. Everyone in studded leather jackets, winkle pickers or brothel creepers, skin tight jeans. The bikes I remember mainly were Tiger Cubs, BSA C15, Ariel Arrow & Leaders, Velocette Venoms, AJS 350 & 500 singles, AJS 650 twins, Bonevilles which were rated along with the 500 Gold Star, as the quickest bikes of that era, Norton Jubilee 250, Norton Commando, Manx Nortons, Tribsas, Triton, Norvin( Norton featherbed frame & 1000 Vincent engine )I remember some of the more exotic Italian bikes, 200 Ducati, Bultaco, MV Augusta

Wow, always interesting to find out about local history. Where abouts exactly were the two cafes situated? I can't imagine treating Styal road in quite the same way nowadays, what with it being a 30 all the way through Styal.

[ginettajoe]

srob said:

root 666 said:

Elite was 200 and Daytona (how did Triumph manage to nick the name?) was 250.
Both looked and sounded bigger and could see off 350s. All Daytonas (there weren't many in Britain) could chamfer footpegs better than an angle-grinder.

It was utterly beautiful in metallic blue with a dinky fairing.

Mind you the electrics were effing apalling, and while I admit to almost pissing myself when the
Honda became a submarine, the fact that his lights were on for about a minute after he went in irritated me quite severely given that mine fused every time it drizzled

I always wanted an Elite! They must have the best looking petrol tanks ever!

I've got a 1967 Motobi like this:



It's only a little 125 but the handling is amazing thanks to it's low centre of gravity.

Afraid I still wish I lived in the 60's, there's just no decent caff's to line your bikes up outside these days!!

Yes, I think it may have been an Elite that a friend had, ..... I was always envious, ... my Tiger Cub didn't compare!! That Motobi looks good, but that is a bike I've never knowingly seen. I 1967, I had my sensible head on, and drove a car!!