Well Friday Already,
I am stuck for a bit of time but thought I would add a post of my mate Mark Wilsmore on here at the ACE Cafe, talking about the Rockers and of course the Bonneville.
Have a safe weekend out there.
Ok people, when I see something I think is good, I let people know about it- When I see something that I Know is going to be Great- then I jump on my website and try and tell the world about it.
On Thursday I had the opportunity of hosting Steve Maes at my Motorcycle shop for his filming his newest project “Caffeine & Gasoline” Evolution of the American Rocker.
Many of you know the passion I have for my Motherlands birth of the Cafe Racer, and many of you have taken an interest in the History of the Cafe bars of the day in Great Britain back in the Late 1950’s and early 60’s.
Britain’s very own Coffee Cowboy evolved from Transport Cafeterias of the day and now some 55 years later, there is a huge interest in that era in the United States of America and somebody needs to engrain this on the silver screen to let the rest of the world know how a half century old lifestyle has had a massive resurgence and become a huge part of the Motorcycle fraternity.
There has not been a good ,documented film about this “Sub Culture” in the US like this, and now that Steven Maes has taken it upon his self to sit on a saddle, go out to like minded Ton Uppers and record what they have to say about this Lifestyle, well, I just want to help out the best I can.
If ever there has been a time to help out- now is the time.
I give to charities all the time and as the Rocker who runs the 59 Club O.C. section, we are a charity event and like to help where ever we can, I am not saying this is a charity cause but what it is to me and to many others is a personal encyclopedia of informative people over the United States who love the “Cafe Racer” style.
So, I am asking you to spare a little change and help Steve be able to make this project a total reality, and get this funding up and running fast, so that we can see this on the one eyed monster as soon as we can.
If you are reading this, it truly means that you have an interest in the Cafe Racer Lifestyle, and how ever big or small that interest is, it is great people like you that can help to make this film happen.
Lets all try and help, and donate to their cause, no matter how small the contribution, I would love to see the amount grow and this movie come to a full fruition and get to see this played all over the globe.
Personally I think it will be interesting, intriguing, informative and above all, it will show people around the globe “What makes us Tick”.
If you can pass the word I know that Steve will be forever indebted in gratitude to you for this, as it means that you care and would like to see this project completed and ready for everybody to watch and enjoy.
Also,I for one am so glad that someone is taking on the challenge and making this project happen and would be stoked if you could help with this funding.
I never ask for anything but feel this sums all of us up that are into the Nostalgia side of Motorcycles, something with history and of course now making its very own History in The US of A, how cool is that?
Here is the link for the gofundme page and hope you can do your best to pass it around to everyone you know, as YOU are our voice!
Thanks alot and I will be watching with baited breath at the totals to get Steve to achieve his target and complete this great movie that I think will receive awesome reviews.
Without help from the likes of like minded folk – Steve could not achieve the goal in the allotted time, so please help out where you can as I know I know I will.
Here is the link.
https://www.gofundme.com/caffeineandgas
Just a quick run down of Steven Maes below:
SILVER CITY — Silver City native and New Mexico Filmmaker, Steven “Fenix” Maes, known for his iconic design work on cult series Breaking Bad, is hard at work on a passion project about cafe racer motorcycles and rocker culture called Caffeine & Gasoline: Evolution of the American Rocker.
The film looks back at the American-inspired 1960s British greasers and their bikes, immortalized in the classic movie Quadrophenia, and then aims the camera at today’s home-grown rockers in America and beyond.
“From their earliest roots in the East Side of London to the growing vintage motorcycle enthusiasm around the world, rocker culture has made its way across the globe,” says Maes. “Motorcycle culture is always evolving, writing its own mythology and leaving tread marks across America. The rockers with their cafe bikes are a subculture within a subculture. They’re the real rebels in an increasingly conformist pastime.
“I really want to show the spirit and community within the culture, as well as, the design” Maes continues, “there’s such a passion and individuality put in to each bike.”
Caffeine & Gasoline talks and rides with such motorcycling icons as Antoine Predock, Albuquerque’s famed resident architect. The film features New Mexico’s only cafe club, the Duke City Rockers, whose rockabilly-styled members take viewers for a ride on their hand-built motorbikes and explain their attraction to the British iconoclasts.
Maes expects to wrap filming in fall 2016, and to release the film theatrically in 2017.
Good luck Steve and Hope to Ride up to Albuquerque to see you lot on my Triumph Cafe Racer.
Peace and Grease as always
CARPY
Hey there gear heads
Well today I shall write a short blog on branding, as many people like to watch my blogs, even my competitor reads my website everyday to see if he can cash in on any idea’s. LOL!
But today I wanted to add some videos, seeing it is Friday and thought that this would be a good day to have a few snippets of movies, documentarys or commercials that show the Triumph brand.
First up is this unusual snipet, a little boring but it says Branding of the Trumpy all the way.
Well not all that interesting as it was to and fro on a few occasions but next up for your entertainment is this video.
Just a Thruxton going around downtown LA and through the old Bladerunner tunnel.
Now, this Girl rider Lauren Richards from cold and wet Wales, takes the New Ace Thruxton for a little blap around her area and gives a nice run down on how she likes this Motorcycle. More power to you as we need more girl riders.
Now, this long winded Brit chin wags about his Machine, albeit a wee bit too dangerous if you are riding on busy roads as you tend to lose concentration whilst riding a motorcycle, but, again if you have a few minutes its great for me to check some of the countryside out of back home, but click past if you feel the geezer rattles on too long.
OK, lets whiz off to Austria and check this fella’s Trumpy out.
Break into a little bit of Music for this one to get your weekend off to a great start with these Scramblers.
Have a great Friday everyone.
Here we are with a brand new look to my 2013 Thruxton, as I had drawn this up a long time ago and wanted the old style look with a new ride.
I was so fortunate to be honored as the President of the 59 Club for Orange County, California and that was back in March 2014 and sure am stoked to have that bestowed upon me and I do my utmost to promote this famous club to the best of my ability.
I have made numerous changes to my Thruxton and am still making improvements as and when time and money is available.
As you may notice, I have made my own front bikini fairing, similar to the Thruxton but extended two inches on the top – and of course I have the ears extended back to give it a slight Rickman styling, also I added my 7 inch LED headlight that really sets the front end off on my machine.
I am from the UK and as a teenager I grew up loving motorcycles and immersed myself in what ever I could, I loved all the classics and my first ever Caff racer was back in 1978 when we got our provisional License and had a 50cc Suzuki that I put Clubman bars on, cut down seat and fitted a fairing and from then on I was hooked into the scene.
I used to go to all the Rocker Reunions to watch the Gene Vincent styled bands play, from Joe Brown and His Brothers to The Rapiers, who still gig today.
If you look on the tank I have painted Ton Up and ask any Rocker what that means, it means to go over 100 miles an hour and back in 1959 that was quite a feat to accomplish. This has nothing to do with the TON UP clubs that are all over the place, I had this logo many years ago as we were Ton Up Boys back then and this term was coined back home in the 1950’s by the 59 Club members. I wanted to use a Triumph Style font and love the look.
I made the tail cowl too and my seat has the compartment inside the cowl so that I can store all sorts of stuff for my ride. You will also notice the awesome polished finned Primary Cover that I received from Speed Merchant and boy does that look trick now.
I have Speed Merchant covers and love the look, fit and style of these castings etc, and get many good positive comments on the set up I have.
My stainless steel Monarch Megaphones bark like a scolded dog and actually improve performance, hope to get a dyno chart on them soon.
I also make the side covers too and have an air intake style grill that really helps the bike and as I now have pod filters, these breathes well.
I
Right now I am working on making brand new stainless steel headers for the Thruxton and the Bonneville, so stay tuned on my website for that.
I have the big wide 5.5 T.T. rear wheel set up with Wave rotors too on a stock swing arm and it handles very well but soon I will have new alloy rear swing arms that will be available for all to purchase for your rides.
I have TEC shocks right now with my covers I machined on them to give that racy look and am happy with that set up until I can afford some Works Performance piggy backs.
The bike sits well and I have Wave rotors front and rear, it corners so well and have such fun with this bike.
Just have a look at the gorgeous SM Finned Clutch Cover, it really is a piece of art and a happy I went this route as its kinda Hot Roddy!
From the right side you can see that I have my own oil pressure gauge set up on the bike and I love to know I have good oil pressure.
I changed the Front sprocket to a 19 and love the performance and fuel millage on it and now will be fitting a nickel DID chain to compliment it.
To break 100 MPH in Great Britain back in the day was a major effort and the 59 Club were the first Rockers organized motorcycle club and that where you started to hear TON UP, doing the Ton, Ton up Boys, Ton Up Pirate, Ton up kid. To break ‘the ton’ was a huge achievement back in the day and gave you some bragging rights.
Back in the day my dad would point if we were in the car going somewhere and would say look, “Ton Up Boys”
My first Ton Up experience was putting my brother on the back of an RD200 and tapping him on the shoulder so he could look at my speedometer needle bouncing at the 101 MPH, it was an awesome experience and a sense of accomplishment back then, albeit it highly illegal, as it still is today!
The real badges I have from back home.
The FIRST organized motorcycle club in Great Britain and when Britain was really great was the club I am now president of here (the Orange County, California chapter) some 55 years later.
I wanted to fit my fairing on the bike and give it a slightly nostalgic look that I grew up with, having a fairing back then was not just cool it made you more aerodynamic, which meant you could go faster, I also used to be able to tuck stuff in the fairing like tools, maps and spark plugs, etc., and on occasion, as my throttle would stick, keep the throttle wide open on cold mornings on the freeway and put my cold hands in the fairing to warm up a bit.
This is the rear of the bike with my own made cowl with old style metal-flake gold paint and of course the famous 59 Club insignia I am so proud of.
My peanut style tank looks great in the new livery as green was just too common and I have had many green bikes over the years but always loved black and gold. you can see my old style European Fog light and oil pressure gauge to the right of the bike.
My ram air system style side covers not only looks cool they are cool and function very well transporting cool air to my pod filters.
This has House of Kolor Aztec Gold flake and it sure looks good when the sun is out.
So, here she is outside my shop and has so many of my parts on her, the Oil Pan Bash Plate, the fog light, the fairing, the exhaust, the rear cowl and seat, the side covers and the front alloy fender, all designed by me and available to you, too.
I have so much fun with my Thruxton and we have many rides to great places, check out meetup.com under Carpy’s Cafe Racer Meet Ups and come on a ride with us all, you will love it.
I still have more to do to my bike as I will be making a 3/4 Dunstall style fairing for her to give that early 60’s styling and something I really like.
I thank you for looking at my Cafe and love to hear from you, carpy@carpyscaferacers.com if you want to drop me a line or two?
Look forward to seeing some of you on the road, as we have many rides and start to go to more places too.
Stay tuned for more stuff like parts and apparel, etc., as I love what I do and enjoy meeting like minded people.
Just some history below back in 64.
1964 Rockers from Hong Kong Rockers on Vimeo.
1964 Rockers footage
Edit by H.K.R.C. (Hong Kong Rockers Club)
Here is me on my Thruxton a few months ago taking Big Bear Area in, I loved how the bike handled with the new rims on.
Well, Friday already, so i thought I would just add a great little promo Video today and let you take it all in, has a great 60’s feel to it and good to see the Rapiers are still playing back home.
So here it is.
Recently, Widow Makers presented a sneak preview of what to expect from us to those who attended the famous ‘Ton Up Day’ event held at Jack’s Hill Cafe in Towcester, Northamptonshire. Widow Makers showed illustrations completed together with our merchandise and following a very successful day a number of new commissions have been requested.
Whilst attending the event, Stuart from Widow Makers and Creative Beast worked with Tom White at Black Rock Creative who filmed the finishing touches of a promotional video for Widow Makers showing the presentation of an illustration completed just days previously to Johnny ‘Chester’ Dowling – the culmination of days of planning, drawing, filming & tea-drinking – we hope that you agree that the illustration is a fitting tribute to what is a lovely machine and that the video captures the essence of a bygone era of motorcycling.
Widow Makers was so happy with the video that we couldn’t wait to show it to you all – we hope you love it as much as we do !
Widow Makers would like to thank the following: Jacks Hill Cafe- Towcester, Davida Helmets, Pure Triumph Motorcycles Wellingborough, Royal Enfield, Haywards Cambridge, The Rapiers, Fury Records
Vince Taylor, Creative Beast Ltd, Toxico Ltd, Guildhall Press, Black Rock Creative
and a very special thanks to
All my family, friends and customers who have supported me on the launch of this project, To all those who attended ‘Ton Up Day’ at Jacks Hill Cafe. Johnny ‘Chester’ Dowling and my wife and best friend, Lorna McDowell.
Soundtrack:
Vince Taylor – Jet Black Machine, The Rapiers – Out of this World, The Rapiers – Chopping and Changing, Supplied by Fury Records. A Film by Thomas White, Black Rock Creative
Widow Makers is owned by Creative Beast Ltd, a registered trademark.
I have lived this lifestyle for many decades, cant tell you why I love this and the passion for Motorcycles and old vintage things but that’s just me, but- there are many like minded people around the globe and we all share something in common. I have been honored to have the title of the president of the 59 Club in the O.C. and am looking forward to meeting you on some of the rides we shall be organizing, as I hope to do this for fun, relaxation and sometimes for a charity too.
We have a certain camaraderie and I wanted to just drop some lines and information about this historic club that started back home and now flourishes around the world.
Make a cuppa, put your feet up and try and absorb some of this information below if you are interested in being part of this great club.
Peace and Grease as always.
Carpy
The 59 Club
First some History on this Ton Up Club.
The 59 Club, or Fifty Nine Club, was formed in London, England by Reverend Fathers John Oates, Bill Shergold and Graham Hullet in 1959 as a church-sponsored youth organization to help underprivileged youth in the church’s parish. In 1960, sensing that the young rebellious bikers of North London that raced along the North Circular Road might be in need of spiritual guidance, Reverend Bill Shergold, an avid biker himself, rode up to the Ace Café to see if these “Ton-Up boys,” as they were called, would be interested in Sunday mass services where they could have their bikes blessed. Surprisingly it turned out to be hugely successful, and thus the relationship between Londons bikers and the 59 Club began.
By 1962 the club had transformed into a very popular hangout where the wild biker hooligans of the time could socialize, tune-up their bikes, play billiards and basically stay out of trouble. It also became a clubhouse where you could dance and listen to 1950s Rock’n’Roll and Rockabilly music, which was favored by the Rockers and their predecessors the Ton-Up boys. The club was also the first place to premiere the 1950s Marlon Brando film The Wild One, which was banned in UK cinemas by the BBC. Throughout the 1960s the Fifty Nine Club sponsored numerous motorcycle rallies in Scotland, Wales, Germany, and the famous T.T. Races on the Isle of Man; and it became a beacon in the community for social activism when it became a registered charity in 1965. Within a short period of time the motorcycle section of the youth club became so large it overtook the entire club and eventually transformed into the 30,000 member strong, worldwide motorcycle club it is today. The clubs success, according to Father Bill Shergold, was based on its entire lack of rules or formal structure and its association during the 1980s with the Rocker Reunion Movemement created by Len Paterson. Also pivotal to the clubs legacy was the creation of a Classic Section, a sub-group of members dedicated to upholding the 1960s Rockers subculture (the music, the fashion style, and British motorcycles).
The 59 Club is now based in Plaistow, London and meets twice weekly. It remains a registered charity as established in 1965, and has evolved into a place where families and bikers are welcome. Today the club is led by Father Scott Anderson, a fellow motorcycle rider and Rocker, and is still favored by those who are passionate about classic or vintage British, European and Café Racer style motorbikes. Current members continue the proud 50 years-long traditions and original club philosophy of having: no rules, no ranks, no politics, and no church agenda. Even though we are a registered charity we are not a ‘Christian motorcycle club’ or a religious organization, but the club is open to male and female bikers alike. Also important is that the club has never been a 1% or outlaw biker club, but do we respect all motorcycle riders.
The club exists today as a historical celebration of the original 1950s and 60s British biker subculture, which was centered on 1950s Rock’n’Roll and Rockabilly music, British motorbikes and Café Racers. The club also maintains strong ties to the Ace Café and the annual Rocker Reunions outside of London each year. Over the last five decades the club has become an icon in the international Rockabilly music community and Café Racer motorcycle scene. The 59 Club is still a motorcycle club for individuals who are passionate about riding bikes, gathering at late-night pubs and cafes, and attending bike related events, like the annual ride to Brighton from the Ace Café in North London. Our 50 year relationship with British motorcycles, Café Racers, the Ace Cafe and Rock’n’Roll music has been and always will be our pride and passion.
The Fifty Nine Club has officially recognized sections in Australia, Belgium, Chicago, France, Germany, Italy, California, Spain, Switzerland, and Texas. Only card-carrying members are allowed to wear the 59 Club patch. These members have paid their club dues and have ID cards registered in London. We wear our patches with pride knowing that we represent a motorcycle club with a vibrant British motorcycling history and a worldwide following. We equally cherish the clubs association with the modern Café Racer motorcycle scene.
Cheers mates.
So why a California branch of the 59 Club of England? Well after being a member of the 59 Club for many years, I along with friends from Los Angeles and San Diego who are also members noticed a disparity that we felt needed to be addressed, there was no unified 59 Club representation in Southern California for members to belong to. So began the yearlong email inquiries to London about creating a new section, and having their authorization and blessing to do so. After many, many months of communication we were given the green light to move forward with this new American section, we first created a Facebook page for current members and supporters with plans for an official website to come later. Secondly we sought approval from the Ton-Up/Rockers community in England who needed to know we were doing this with respect and the strictest adherance to British 59 Club customs and traditions. This was not going to be a ripoff of the name or a mockery of 50 years of British motorcycle culture, we wanted to do it right; we eventually got a nod of approval from a large number of Rockers new and old from England. And here we are now almost 3 years later with new members in Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Orange County, and San Diego; a gathering site for Southern California members who were already in the club, and a new website to respectfully promote the original 1950s/1960s British motorcycle subculture here in So Cal.
Having spent time in England and Europe, and being a biker for the better half of my adult life, as well as being a Rocker for over a decade, I would like to dedicate this website to my brother and sister Rockers in England, Australia, Europe and the very, very few of us that exist here in the States. I’m proud to be a Rocker and a member of the 59 Club of England. I want to thank some important people in the Rocker/59 Club community for all their support over the last year and a half; Larry Fletcher of 59 Club – Chicago, Shadow from 59 Club – Australian, and friends from England Heather and her husband Max from the former original 59 Club – Italian Section. I also want to thank the Council of Management in London, specifically Sandra Hall, for their blessings and support of this new American section. Lastly, I want to dedicate this new section to the growing Cafe Racer scene here in the U.S. and to the hundreds of American bikers in Southern California that choose to ride vintage or classic British motorcycles. So ride with the wind at your back and the warm sun on your face, we’ll be riding up the North Circular to the Ace Cafe, in spirit at least.
Below, me and mark Wilsmore from the Ace and good friend and an ambassador of the Ton up lifestyle that I truly live and love.
The California arm of the 59 Club carries on the original club ideology and passion for vintage motorcycles like BSA, Norton, Triumph, AJS, Matchless, Royal Enfield, Ducati, Moto Guzzi, BMW, and Café Racers from Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki. Our members come from all walks of life; blue-collar and white-collar, male and female. Most members are in their 30s or 40s who’ve been riding for a long time, some are educated professionals, and some have families, most of us ride on the weekends, some of us ride every day. Overall the club has a very diverse mix of people and backgrounds, but we all have one thing in common, riding vintage or classic British, European or Japanese bikes and café racers.
As an officially recognized section with card-carrying members all over Southern California we keep true to club traditions; therefore we have no club officers, no politics, very few rules, and we have zero tolerance for personal drama, racist or sexist attitudes, drug use or criminal activity. You don’t have to be a Greaser or love Rockabilly to join our section, but you do have to own, ride and maintain a bike that reflects our club philosophy, you have to understand our club history, and hopefully feel a kinship with what we represent. We also support other clubs with similar passions.
Overall we want to keep our club and our sections focused on meeting up at out-of-the-way locales, fun rides, camaraderie and sharing a few rounds of beers with your mates. We ride as a group, and often with other Southern California-based clubs. We attend music & bike events, weekenders, and basically enjoy the biker lifestyle as the original Ton-Up boys and Rockers did in 1950s and 1960s Great Britain. And where ‘cracking the ton’ was a customary rite of passage in England, it is too a rite of initiation for the California arm of the legendary 59 Club, among other traditions such as jukebox ‘record racing’ between pubs and diners.
We attend the annual Mods vs Rockers rides in San Diego and Los Angeles, the annual Hansen Dam ride here in L.A., and numerous other bike events. We frequently ride up the PCH, sometimes along Mulholland, the Angeles Crest, Malibu Canyon or the Santa Monica mountains; more often than not we just hit up a local pub around town. In San Diego we ride up to the Julian/Lake Henshaw/Ramona areas quite often, sometimes East County, and occasionally down the Coronado strand to Imperial Beach or up the PCH to Oceanside
Any more information you can inquire here at 714-598-8392 or go to the website which is http://www.the59clubla.com/