Rockers were gangs that usually rode Triumphs, BSA and Nortons in and around the 1950's to 1970's was their golden era.

If you liked wearing black leather, white woolen sea boot socks, white woolen polo neck jumpers. Sewing on patches to black leather jacket then this has your name on it.

Rockers were usually made of similar like minded souls into Elvis, Rock around the clock, cafe racers hanging out in local cafes and playing pinball machines. Another favourite was ice cream parlours.

In the UK this was time when gang violence was just too much of regular occurrence. Fights could break between rival rocker gangs, football fans, their arch enemy were mods. Bank holidays while going anyway in group required a lot planning and thought to minimize the risk of ending up caught or on the losing side

In the 1970's another genre appeared they were a bit more scruffy and more into heavy metal. The patches were sewn into red label denim cut off jackets with rallies attended and a patch on the back for what gang you were a member of.

The rockers continued to do their thing. Typically black frame standard shape bikes, with polished aluminum gas tanks. Polished aluminum engine cases. Chrome front and rear fenders, flat bench seats. Greased and combed DA haircuts. Nearly shaved and washed. Put on an Elvis record and you had a friend for life.

Scruffy bikes were frowned on and doing a ton was a right of passage. It was all very clicky and highly competitive.

In 1970's a new genre appeared? Bikers these socially challenged individuals were into heavy metal and were gradually being weened off British made motorcycles Japanese bikes had arrived the Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Honda. They were being accepted I was enjoying life on Triumph Bonnie.

These were the days when you bought a copy of the Haynes manual for your model of motorbike and serviced it and repaired it yourself.

Rockers and Mods even to this day have a noticeable dislike for one another?

The gang culture has lessened over the years probably for the best. I prefer to have conversation with cats and dogs rather than awkward humans with their complicated emotions and fragile egos.

If Rockers is your thing then you might like to meet other fans of this genre there's a few well established groups in London.

I wouldn't be able to recommend one group over another I don't have the patience or the intellectual intuition to tip toe through the emotional mine field of club culture and do's and don't's.

From my family to yours have a great day

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