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Motorcycle shops on Abbeydale Road/ London Road


Guest barbrook

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Guest barbrook

There is only one motorbike shop on Abeeydale Road now, as far as I know, but I can remember quite a few when I was a kid in the 1960s, and I'm trying to list them.

Wilf Green near Abbeydale Picture Palace sold MZs in 1960s/70s

Ropers, on London Road

Bradburys

Richardsons

Can anybody fill in the gaps with the marques sold.

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I remember Wilf Green's, and there was the Empire Garage, who did scooters on the junction of Machon Bank and Empire Road. There was a motorcyle dealers on the corner of maybe St Ronan's Road, or Chippinghouse Road. I had an MOT done there in around 1966. I can't remember the name of it though.

Ayfer

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There is only one motorbike shop on Abeeydale Road now, as far as I know, but I can remember quite a few when I was a kid in the 1960s, and I'm trying to list them.

Wilf Green near Abbeydale Picture Palace sold MZs in 1960s/70s

Ropers, on London Road

Bradburys

Richardsons

any

body fill in the gaps with the marques sold.

D+H MOTORCYCLES OPPOSITE KWIK FIT, JUNCTION OF LONDON RD ,ABBYDALE ROAD

IT SOLD SPARES FOR BRITISH BIKES ,

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Jack Woods Motorcycles, main Kawasaki dealer until late 90s / early 00s when they were bought out by Carnells who opened up a dealership in Attercliffe - now long gone themselves.

The Jack Woods shop is now a Spar?

Technically Armani's is on Empire Rd, but close enough I suppose.

I bought my first ever motorbike from Richardsons back in 1989, a new Suzuki DR125, which included a half day training session on the playground of the school opposite Granville College.

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Guest barbrook

I think that was De La Salle School?

I did an RAC/ACU motorcycle learner course at the same place back in 1977.

Looks like Empire Garage is being used for other purposes. It must be almost just round the corner from Techmoto, now the only motorcycle shop round that area ( unless you know different!)

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Wilf Greens sold Royal Enfields and then MZ's as well as most other British bikes. He once had a notice in his window stating 'WE DO NOT SELL ORIENTAL ODDITIES'. He was obviously referring to the Japanese 'invasion' of motorcycles like Honda and Yamaha.

I also remember Frank B. Roper, Dan Bradburys, Horridge and Wildgoose, Wraggs on West Bar, Grays on Bridge St, Toms Motorcycles on Copper St, Leather and Simpson, Frank and Arthur Smith on Spital Hill, Alf Parker was a bit further up spital hill, he was an ex speedway rider and did mainly repairs. I remember Kenyons on Division St where you went for rebores, valves and springs etc. Syd Smith down the 'cliffe for all the spares that nobody else stocked.

I am sure there were more but my memory is fading a little.

The older I get, the faster I was.

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I lived on Empire Rd, i remember the garage at the bottom of Machon Bank very well.

I also remember the shops on Abbeydale rd near the picture palace, but also there were a few more further down heading into town, just up from the the opening to Wolsely Rd.

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Guest plain talker

I remember in the 1970's the shop by herschell road, which is now Moonlight Curtains was a motorcycle shop, and the sop on the corner of Abbeydale Road and Crowther Place, opposite the Royal sold spares.

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I remember in the 1970's the shop by herschell road, which is now Moonlight Curtains was a motorcycle shop, and the sop on the corner of Abbeydale Road and Crowther Place, opposite the Royal sold spares.
Moonlight Curtains was Richardsons as mentioned in the original post.
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Moonlight Curtains was Richardsons as mentioned in the original post.

Richardsons Motorcycles seem to have had 4 shops. One on London Road, another on London Road which wasn't called Richardsons and only sold crash helmets, gloves, leathers, boots, etc (biking gear), however this shop seemed to have the same staff and owners as Richardsons. There was a third shop somewhere at Crookes and the fourth one, the main one which I used a lot, on Mansfield Road S12.

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Bought a Kawasaki from Bentleys Motorcycles on Abbeydale Road in 1978.

I think they must have closed or lost the dealership soon after as I had to go to Clay Cross many times for spares. I think their repair shop was on Chippinghouse Road -became a builders yard?

My 200cc and another blokes 1000cc left the garage at the same time- his a little bit faster, when I reached the junction with London Road his bike was under a bus and he had no insurance.

Five minutes later I was terryfing an ice cream queue at Hunters Bar roudabout having forgotten that the foot controls were not on the same side as my previous BSA.

I dont ride now.

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Bought a Kawasaki from Bentleys Motorcycles on Abbeydale Road in 1978.

I think they must have closed or lost the dealership soon after as I had to go to Clay Cross many times for spares. I think their repair shop was on Chippinghouse Road -became a builders yard?

My 200cc and another blokes 1000cc left the garage at the same time- his a little bit faster, when I reached the junction with London Road his bike was under a bus and he had no insurance.

Five minutes later I was terryfing an ice cream queue at Hunters Bar roudabout having forgotten that the foot controls were not on the same side as my previous BSA.

I dont ride now.

I also no longer ride and have not done so for over 20 years. It was not the danger and risk that stopped me, it was marriage and children.

Even now I have no inclination to go back to bikes, I wouldn't want my easily influenced teenage son tearing about on one so would not give him any "like father, like son" encouragement. I feel a bit too old and not really up to all that cold weather exposure stuff anymore so it looks like my motorcycling days are long over.

Great fun at the time though, especially with all those local dealers mentioned in this thread many of which I can still remember.

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I still ride, it's the only way to get to work these days, although I've left the 600cc sports bikes behind and moved down through a commuter bike to a 250cc maxi scooter as pictured here. It's more fun than any bike I've had and much more comfortable, and now we can use bus lanes it's much safer and quicker. If you see one of these ridden by someone wearing a high vis jacket and white helmet (pretending to be a police motor cyclist) it's probably me.

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I still ride, it's the only way to get to work these days, although I've left the 600cc sports bikes behind and moved down through a commuter bike to a 250cc maxi scooter as pictured here. It's more fun than any bike I've had and much more comfortable, and now we can use bus lanes it's much safer and quicker. If you see one of these ridden by someone wearing a high vis jacket and white helmet (pretending to be a police motor cyclist) it's probably me.

Hmm...

Not riden a scooter before but my brother has, a Peugeot one, just for commuting to work and back.

That was until the day of the Sheffield floods last year (25 June 2007). On his way home from Attercliffe he was in a queue of traffic but he wanted to turn left so went down the empty left hand lane as you would, the queue being in the other 2 lanes going straight on towards the town centre. At this point a pedal cyclist (say no more!!!) weaving between the rows of held up cars pulled out into the left hand lane in front of him. Although he was only doing about 15mph (because of the weather and traffic) when he tried to avoid the pedal cyclist he came off, landed awkwardly with the scooter on his leg which was fractured in 5 places and put him out of action for 5 months. the pedal cyclist ignored his predicament and just cycled off (say no more!!!). Due to flooding an ambulance could not be sent to him from Sheffield and he was waiting over half an hour for an ambulance from Rotherham, which then took ages to get to Rotherham general hospital due to flooding and other accidents.

I think I'll stick with the car and stand by my original statement in post #13

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I no longer ride but my son 'dabbles' a bit. Has done road racing,moto X and messes about with a trials bike and an enduro bike. He says Track Days on his Suzuki 1000 are safer than road riding. No Volvo's or bimbos in 4x4's and everybody going in the same direction and all concentrating on what they are doing. Not talking on mobiles or putting on make-up and the like. No foreign lorry drivers in horrific l/h/drive 32 tonners driving on unfamiliar roads.

I think bike sport is a safer option to road riding these days.

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I no longer ride but my son 'dabbles' a bit. Has done road racing,moto X and messes about with a trials bike and an enduro bike. He says Track Days on his Suzuki 1000 are safer than road riding. No Volvo's or bimbos in 4x4's and everybody going in the same direction and all concentrating on what they are doing. Not talking on mobiles or putting on make-up and the like. No foreign lorry drivers in horrific l/h/drive 32 tonners driving on unfamiliar roads.

I think bike sport is a safer option to road riding these days.

Totally agree with your comments here Nimrod

Driving anything safely on the road these days a nightmare and on a bike you are totally exposed and vulnerable. No matter how safe and carefully you are driving there is always some idiot coming at you from just around the next corner. As well as the ones you mention above there are also those taxi drivers who are living proof that experience counts for nothing, blokes in a clapped out BMW series 3 that think they own a Ferrari, blokes who drive around in a company car as though it was a mobile wardrobe with half their clothes hung up in front of the rear drivers side door window and then there are those on pushbikes, you know the sort, -

NO tax,

NO test,

NO licence,

NO insurance,

NO MOT,

NO highway code sense,

NO respect for anyone else with their "holier than thou" green credentials,

NO brains,

In short a total liability!

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Went to Abbeydale Junior school with Wilf Green's son Martin. Remember playing in the shop when it was closed. Anyone know where Martin is now?

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There is only one motorbike shop on Abeeydale Road now, as far as I know, but I can remember quite a few when I was a kid in the 1960s, and I'm trying to list them.

Wilf Green near Abbeydale Picture Palace sold MZs in 1960s/70s

Ropers, on London Road

Bradburys

Richardsons

Can anybody fill in the gaps with the marques sold.

Nimrod mentioned most of the bike shops I remember from the 1960's and early 70's. But what about the bike wreckers? Remember going out to a huge wrecker at Dinnington who had a mountain of wheels reaching up to the roof-you could pull any wheel from the pile and the guy would say "350 Bullet" or " '59 Gold Flash" - he knew every one. Does anyone remember the 3 Stooges on Scott Road? Three elderly brothers who wrecked bikes and kept them in a big shed beside their house - and IN their house too. All the rare carbies and maneto's they stored on shelves in the kitchen. They looked as if they didn't have two coins to rub together but appearances were deceptive - they drove the only Range Rover I ever saw in Sheffield at that time.

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Did Jack Woods take over from Wilf Greens?

I remember being dragged down to Jack Woods by my dad in the 80's which at the time also sold MZ's and Kawasaki's. I seem to remember that Wilf green stopped retailing bikes and became the importer of MZ's, CZ's and Simpsons.

My dad was always threatening to buy a big Kawasaki but instead ended up with a few MZ's. (much to my embarassment!)

I also remember being dragged down to Leather and Simpsons who at the time was selling Bonnevilles during Triumphs ill fated brief come back in the 80's. They were in a small warehouse unit just off Infirmary Road.

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Did Jack Woods take over from Wilf Greens?

Don't know if it's still in print, this was from The Classic Motorcycle, October 1997.

I reckon it would be a great read, if anyone has got a copy they would like to send me . . . :rolleyes:

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Guest benelliman

Bought a Kawasaki from Bentleys Motorcycles on Abbeydale Road in 1978.

I think they must have closed or lost the dealership soon after as I had to go to Clay Cross many times for spares. I think their repair shop was on Chippinghouse Road -became a builders yard?

My 200cc and another blokes 1000cc left the garage at the same time- his a little bit faster, when I reached the junction with London Road his bike was under a bus and he had no insurance.

Five minutes later I was terryfing an ice cream queue at Hunters Bar roudabout having forgotten that the foot controls were not on the same side as my previous BSA.

I dont ride now.

Hi

Remember buying a Suzuki K11 Supersports new from Ropers about 1967. They offered free training which comprised of two runs around the back streets on the pillion, then they let you loose down London Road. I remember the traffic lights at the bottom of the Moor coming up all too fast but I survived. They stocked new NSU,Francis Barnet,James,Suzuki . They didnt stock many spares.Next up was Dan Bradburys stocking mainly seconhand but very helpfull regarding spares. Moving on on the left going out of town was a small shop and the only thing I can remember is that thet had a new Royal Enfield Continental GT in the window. Then there was Wilf Greens shop and possibly another bike shop on the right cant remember the name. The last one was Bennetts which stocked a variety of machines and spares. Slightly off topic. These are the other motorcycle shops in Sheffield (by no means comprehensive) some already mentioned in another posting. Grays Bridge Street (Birmingham based) lots of Brits and Orientals secondhand. Smiths Spittal Hill main Yamaha dealer. Charles Freeman somewhere out towards Hunters Bar (main depot Eckington)New British and a intence dislike of anything from Japan, Bill Beavers Fir Vale, main Honda dealer plus secondhand, The shop on West Bar as mentioned. Syd Smiths Attercliffe Common (Spares) John Allen Firth Park (although mainly a cycle dealer) he did stock a selection of secondhand lightweights from Suzuki, Honda,Kerry Capitano, and the full range of new Raleigh mopeds. Even though we had all those shops I still preffered to go to Doncaster to view I must have been mad. As I have seen several of you dont ride anymore but I am still riding, my present mount is a Benelli and I am very fortunate to live in Motorcycle heaven on the Isle Of Man. keep the posts coming in. Steve

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Guest lebourg

The bike shops take me back.

It was 1964/65 and I had just left school at 15. Had to wait a year till I was 16 and could apply for a license. So I trawled the bike shops drooling over the machines.

When I was 16 I bought an Arial Arrow 250cc 2 stroke. Can't remember where from though? I do remember buying a Royal Enfield 350cc bullet from a shop on West st just up from Town Head st. Then later bought a 500cc Matchless from Wilf Green.

Later whilst working as a mechanic for the Parks at Picmere rd a guy called Dennis Coffee came to work for us. Dennis had been Wilf Greens head mechanic.

I still ride now but on the much quieter roads of France.

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Guest 30_degrees

My dad was always threatening to buy a big Kawasaki but instead ended up with a few MZ's. (much to my embarassment!)

I also remember being dragged down to Leather and Simpsons who at the time was selling Bonnevilles during Triumphs ill fated brief come back in the 80's. They were in a small warehouse unit just off Infirmary Road.

Nowt wrong wi MZ's My TS250 Sport went fast enough to nearly kill me on Wooley Wood Bottom, fast approaching the lights by the Engineers Pub from Ecco with the throttle slide stuck wide open. VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOMMMMM!! I had to pull the HT lead of to stop it as I couldn't reach the key in the headlight nacelle.

Leather and Simpsons were on Flora Street. I bought a Belstaff suit from them, that had been ordered by a Parks Patrol rider that never collected it, only to loose the trousers off the back of my bike whilst touring East Anglia

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