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Motorcycle Shops

I think you're right Elmdon Boy. my husband bought his first BSA in 1956 or thereabouts then a BSA A10 and finally his pride and joy a BSA Super Rocket (XOC 224) to which he added an AVON STREAMLINER. happy days! The rocket was still being taxed by someone up to a few years ago!!!
 
Edmund said:
Sorry its 10mths later, nice write up and acurate.My cousin worked at Washwood Heath & raced for Vale & Kings, Brian Edwards.
Went into the car trade (Colmore Depot)
September 1980 I bought Yamaha FS1E DM EON225V, £325 OVER 3yrs, I ran it into the ground in 18mths sold it siezed for 25quid. Dangourously slow. My mate Spud bought a new Suzuki X1 realy looked the part. Another chap bought a second hand DT175, Kings delivered a brand new DT, he rode around on it for a few days, fell off a few times, they realized their mistake and bought out the proper bike, taking away the not now new bike. I rode the Suzuki X1 home for my mate Alan Spud Taylor, indicators where cross wired front to rear, up with the saddle & sort it out on side of Warwick Rd Acocks Green. No thought to warranty or taking it back....or insurance.
Confession time- I took the FZZIE in for a repair charging fault, felt I was treated like a prat (which I probably was) walked out to my bike, turned around went back in and said "one of my wing mirrors is missing ! it had two when it came in" = free mirror. Shame I did that.
Great chippy next to Vale Onslow up Koyyts Lake Rd, did black pudding in batter.
CD Autos on Warwick Rd Acocks Green = 16yrs old me, walked in asked for a spark plug for Yam 50, man behind counter said "we dont sell jap parts" went back while later asked for an NGK B7HS, should have told him to shove it, ah well, never mind.
Many years later, greatfull for peace.
Best wishes
Edmund
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Hi everyone, new member here. My Dad used to manage H & L Motors on Dudley Road back in the late sixties/early seventies. They were primarily a Triumph dealer but also sold BSA, Norton etc. When that closed he worked at Stirchley Motor Cycles on Pershore Rd and then they opened Kawasaki City in Selly Oak. When I was little I remember going to work with him and going to some old dealers at the time including Ray On The Cape, Hailwood & Gould, Copes, Vale Onslow and many more i can't recall at the moment. I'd love to hear from anybody who may know my dad.
 
vicfarlowe said:
I was in the spares department at Coles in 1971. I worked with the late Stan Dilke and Mr Benny Coles. Coles was Reliant and motorcycles although the motorcycles were phased out. The stores sold off all the motorcycle stuff and I remember dealers buying van loads of the bike spares, especially Bobby Perkins who had a place in Stirchley. Imagine what those spares would be worth now!! Bobby Coles took on a Toyota agency and they were superb cars even then. I still remember the phone number of Toyota spares in Dover. Shepherdswell 266. Strange that remains in my memory because other than service parts I cannot remember us needing anything else.
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My Dad worked with Bob Perkins, they were called Stirchley Motor Cycles, virtually opposite Birmingham Motor Cycles on Pershore Rd. It later became a Reliant dealers and I think it may still be there.
 
IIRC Onslows also had a tiddly outlet on the Dudley Road, Winson Green, about opposite Cavendish Road. There was another small bike shop on the corner of Broad Street and Gas Street, building still there, either pub or nosh house or somesuch. Harry Bastable had a shop just off Shell Corner in Blackheath. Copes at Bearwood used to have on display the old mans Manx Norton, a TT winner. Later the shop closed down but the petrol business remained. Neville Cope had a number of petrol stations across the Black Country.
 
I bought my first (new) socket set off Vale Onslow at the Dudley Road shop, in 1955, a German set made by Elora, the plating came off but the tools were tough and I still have most of it. £7.10s
 
Eric Gibson said:
I bought my first (new) socket set off Vale Onslow at the Dudley Road shop, in 1955, a German set made by Elora, the plating came off but the tools were tough and I still have most of it. £7.10s
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I can't remember where Vale-Onsl was on the Dudley road. Was it anywhere near H and L motors?
 
I have no knowledge of motorcycles or motorcycle shops, though looking in Kelly's I can tell you that in 1955 Vale Onslow had only two shops listed in Birmingham and they were Stratford Road and Soho Road.
 
JonnyH said:
Hi everyone, new member here. My Dad used to manage H & L Motors on Dudley Road back in the late sixties/early seventies. They were primarily a Triumph dealer but also sold BSA, Norton etc. When that closed he worked at Stirchley Motor Cycles on Pershore Rd and then they opened Kawasaki City in Selly Oak. When I was little I remember going to work with him and going to some old dealers at the time including Ray On The Cape, Hailwood & Gould, Copes, Vale Onslow and many more i can't recall at the moment. I'd love to hear from anybody who may know my dad.
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There was a motorcycle shop in Stirchley called “Pountneys” opposite the Pavilion cinema. Was this also knows as Stirchley motor cycles.
 
Hi Grea, I'm sorry I've not heard of the Pavilion Cinema. The Stirchley Motor Cycles my dad worked at was more or less opposite Birmingham Motor Cycles where the Pershore Rd narrows going past the bowling alley towards the Dogpool pub.
 
PoJo said:
Giving my age away, it would be in the late 1960s. I started biking in 1964/65
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I checked out 68/69 and 69/70 and still no sign of a Vale Onslo listing for Dudley Road, strangely enough the 69/70 listing had changed to Vale Onslo LH (Motors) Ltd Motor Cycle Dealers & Agents for the Soho Rd and Stratford Road addresses.
 
JonnyH said:
My Dad worked with Bob Perkins, they were called Stirchley Motor Cycles, virtually opposite Birmingham Motor Cycles on Pershore Rd. It later became a Reliant dealers and I think it may still be there.
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I remember a front half of a Reliant Regal stuck up on the wall outside a shop on the Pershore rd...
 
postie said:
I remember a front half of a Reliant Regal stuck up on the wall outside a shop on the Pershore rd...
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I think the guys who took over the premises after Bob and dad moved to set up Kawasaki City in Selly Oak may well have done that. I vaguely recall seeing that too.
 
I haven't been down that way for some years now but I am reliably informed that the dealership is still going. Apparently they sell Axiam cars?
 
S R Poutney was at the junction of Warwards Lane and Ribblesdale Road where they met Pershore Rd their address was 1169/1171 Pershore Road. This photo dates from 1958

Stirchley Pershore Rd 1958.jpg
 
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