A history of bike shops in Auckland

[Motu]

I thought I might do a thread on Auckland bikes shops,to show younger riders what was here before,and a trip down memory lane for others.I'll start in my year of 1970,it was a turning point - the established bike shops had been there from the '50's and '60's,but a new order was coming.I want interaction,but can we keep it relavent and in cronological order please - don't come butting in about Spectrum while we are talking about Len Perry,too much of that and I'll let it whither and die.This is only my observations as a customer,I'll get things very wrong - please correct me as I want to know too.

Weston-Webb Motorcycles.

I'll start with Weston-Webb first and work my way north into the city.Weston-Webb were my closest bike shop,and the one I became more familiar with.They were in Station Rd Otahuhu,next to the Orphius picture theater....every suburb had their movie theater,I went to every one,but never the Orphius....it would't even register on the Flea Pit status,it was the worst of the worst.Mr Weston-Webb like all these early bike shop owners was an ex racer,I don't know his first name....John I think.You didn't see him much,but he did my WoF's when I went there in my lunch break,a polite and reserved Englishman.They did all the British bikes,and supplied the Traffic Cop's Triumphs and BSA's,and did all their maintenance too.I don't even know if they had a Japanese agency....maybe Suzuki - the Jap bikes weren't their focus....kinda like a Chinese takeaway doing fish and chips.

It was a small shop,they all were then - and behind the counter was the grumpy sod Ray,in his dust coat.The old school didn't like us young guys,we were noisy with long hair and poor dress sense....worst of all was what we were doing to their treasured bikes,chopping them up,stripping them down,we didn't respect nothing...not them or their bikes.So Ray didn't talk to us,just stood at his counter and watched....then you went up to the counter and asked for what you wanted.''No,we don't have one''....'What about that one there?'.....''It won't fit your bike.....or....that's sold,you can't have it'' - and it'd still be there next week.

Bestest thing was their Hepolite piston ring machine.So you asked Ray for some plus 20 rings for a B31,and he went to the end of the counter where the machine was.The wall was wooden pidgeon holed and the holes full of piston rings.He'd pull a piston ring out of a hole and put it into the machine.It had a steel band,and by turning a knob it compressed the ring,closing the gap,a window read out bore size in mm,and oversize in thou.Brilliant,and I've never seen another like it.

Out the back was the workshop,about the size of a single car garage,wooden floor and dark,like maybe a single bulb on a wire stuff,room enough for me to work on a single bike - but there would be 4 mechanics working on half a dozen or more bikes.There was a shambles out in the yard,wrecked bikes lying rusting on the ground.They took over a shop next door at one stage and wrecked bikes there,you weren't allowed in there,but I got to go in a few times to help on a search.

Over the years when it was shown we were dedicated bikers,we loved the machines and worked hard to keep them on the road - they thawed.Ray would now talk to us,and if he heard us out in the shop Brian,the mechanic might walk out to say hello,or help us with a part we were looking for.Or we might just barge straight out the back with a wave to Ray if he was busy.We were getting to be part of the furniture.

By the '80's they were really out on a limb,having not moved with the times - still the same old shop,the same people and a reluctance to work on the Jap stuff.In 1984 and 85 I was working not far away and would often drop in on my way past.Ray was much more talkative now,and I learned what was happening.Ray had married Weston-Webb's daughter at some stage,and with the mechanics Brian and Dave they now owned the shop,the Classic movement had kicked in and they were content to restore and work on the old bikes....a nice retirement fade away for them I suppose.I left Auckland in 1985 and so never went back.

Weston-Webb was an old school shop,and stayed that way to the end.It was the first bike shop I ever went to,I learnt how to get the parts I needed,grew to be familiar with the guys,and them with me.My favorite bike shop of all time - thanks guys.

[Smokin]

That was a good read mate, Thanks for sharing it with us. :yes:

[WINJA]

lloyd may (i think) which was kingsland honda , that was the shop that got me addicted, i used to go in there and drool over bikes when i was a youngster ,the guy was really nice and used to let me sit on the bikes, and just up the road was custom chambers who had a shitty little shop, used to go past there and look at the choppers , of course this was before kingsland became all trendy and shit, my favourite shop of all had to be mike vinsen , he shut down the motorcyce bit and just went into selling used import cars

[calmone]

Motu I new the shop quite well, I believe the guy you refer to as Ray was Jim Allen. I had a lot of mates in Otahuhu who got all their Triumph bits there. The Weston Webbs were neighbours of my parents along with Jim Allen in Mount Wellington.

Growing up in Wellington with an ex Bike racer for a father the shops I remember as a kid were Tolley and Spence in Petone, Lawton and Boyle in Wellington and one in Lower Hutt I cannot remember the name of. They all had that old oil smell which I think all Bike Shops had.

[texmo]

I love custom chambers. I dont know how someone so grumpy can still sell stuff. Still good quaility for cheep.

[Motu]

Motu I new the shop quite well, I believe the guy you refer to as Ray was Jim Allen. .

Names changed to protect etc....I wasn't too worried about names,but yeah it was Jim,thanks for that,added input like your's is what I'm after.I was from Mt Wellington too,so maybe Jim had a reason to be a bit grumpy with me.

[kro]

My early bike shop days were from the late 80's till about 95ish.

Brians Yamaha - Beach Rd.
I would go and excrete bodily fluids over the RZ's, and XJ's, and look over the section of Naturalwear leather goodies. I got my first leather jacket from there, my mate Glen and I bought two at the same time, and got 90 bux knocked off the price, back then that was like GOLD.

Mike Vinsen Suzuki. Beach Rd.
I think he has a car yard on Gt Nth Rd now, or at least it was there when I left Auckland. Vinsens had some gnarly hardware, I remember seeing my first Macintosh Suzy there, and one of the guys I rode with bought a Katana from him. I remember the shop being pretty well laid out, and they had a good selection.

Bob Haldane Yamaha - Manukau Rd.
The shop of champions, I bought my first bike from Brian at Haldanes, the mighty RD250LC J spec (3 stripes). They were great for tyres, and their workshop was fast and efficient. Brian taught me how to scuff a new tyre in, and hence began my burnout days.

World of Wheels - Eden Terrace.
Kawasaki dealer for the most part, saw my first VF1000R there, a guy had pulled up on it, and wanted to trade it in on a GPz of some description, but he got slutted that the salesman wasn't giving him enough for the VF, and tore off in a huff, and lowsided it on that little side road at the lights just up from where WoW used to be. I had to feel sorry for the man.

Forbes and Davies - Nelson St
Honda dealer, I never really enjoyed going there much, I think they were responsible for my passive Honda dislike, as they always seemed to have wierd bikes, and massive prices.

Colemans Suzuki - K Rd
I think this place has been a beacon among the dimmer lights around the Auckland bike scene. I bought my first gixxer off them, and they treated me like royalty, and would often throw some free shit at me, recognising my repeat business.

Greenlane Suzuki - Gt Sth Rd.
Peter Wilmot, and his band of crazy salesmen. I bought like 4 bikes off this guy, RG, GSX750, GSX400, GF. Pretty good bunch of boys. Peter started Club 42 riding club, which was a bunch of nana's like me, but was fun.

Graeme Crosby Yamaha - Gt Nth Rd.
Bought only one bike off Croz. I would have bought two, but the GPz900 I asked him to have ready one friday for me to come and buy, was not ready, and in actual fact, had been loaned out as a rental, and got binned 2 streets away from Croz's shop, so I bid him farewell, and never returned... ever. Colemans got the sale on that one, a big wad of cash it was too.

[Lou Girardin]

World of Wheels - Eden Terrace.
Kawasaki dealer for the most part, saw my first VF1000R there, a guy had pulled up on it, and wanted to trade it in on a GPz of some description, but he got slutted that the salesman wasn't giving him enough for the VF, and tore off in a huff, and lowsided it on that little side road at the lights just up from where WoW used to be. I had to feel sorry for the man.



Wasn't this Laurie Summers? I bought three Quackas off them, great to deal with.

[race me!!!!]

colemans and mount eden are my haunts i regularly go and dribble on the zx6r and a gsxr 750 ive been made to stand 2 metres away at all times from the bikes sigh!!:yes:

[TLDV8]

Wasn't this Laurie Summers? I bought three Quackas off them, great to deal with.

Summer's location was what is now the Haldanes shop.Spare parts was down stairs..fwiw....... I bought my Kawsaki 250 Triple off them...Anyone remember Whites in New Market,Manurewa Motorcycles ( i still remember seeing a brand new CR125 and RE5 (round instrument cluster) there .

[SPman]

Summer's location was what is now the Haldanes shop.Spare parts was down stairs..fwiw....... I bought my Kawsaki 250 Triple off them...Anyone remember Whites in New Market,Manurewa Motorcycles ( i still remember seeing a brand new CR125 and RE5 (round instrument cluster) there .Bought my first bike of Whites - a Yamaha YL1 100 twin.They were also a Triumph dealer I think. Bought an S2 350 Kwaka of Laurie Summers and almost bought an A7SS 350 - that was faster than the triple!

[SARGE]

Colemans Suzuki - K Rd
I think this place has been a beacon among the dimmer lights around the Auckland bike scene. I bought my first gixxer off them, and they treated me like royalty, and would often throw some free shit at me, recognising my repeat business.


its still a beacon................



Greenlane Suzuki - Gt Sth Rd.
Peter Wilmot, and his band of crazy salesmen. I bought like 4 bikes off this guy, RG, GSX750, GSX400, GF. Pretty good bunch of boys. Peter started Club 42 riding club, which was a bunch of nana's like me, but was fun.


Peter was recently the sales manager at Red Baron.. he was on his way home one night and was run over by a people mover.. he is recovering from his injuries fairly well, but it is doubtful he will ever ride again, much less race his sidecar..



Graeme Crosby Yamaha - Gt Nth Rd.
Bought only one bike off Croz. I would have bought two, but the GPz900 I asked him to have ready one friday for me to come and buy, was not ready, and in actual fact, had been loaned out as a rental, and got binned 2 streets away from Croz's shop, so I bid him farewell, and never returned... ever. Colemans got the sale on that one, a big wad of cash it was too.


yup.. great service there ..

[TLDV8]

Bought my first bike of Whites - a Yamaha YL1 100 twin.They were also a Triumph dealer I think. Bought an S2 350 Kwaka of Laurie Summers and almost bought an A7SS 350 - that was faster than the triple!

:first: I remember buying a new set of Triumph header pipes off Whites ($55) and seeing a brand new XS500 (the 8 valve one?) and a Wedding special ?Triumph while there.
As for Weston-Webb Motorcycles how could i forget them and that dude in the gray coat after leaving a Daytona frontend as a holdover to the next payday and he sold it.!!!!!..That was sometime in the late 1970's.
As for Kawasaki Triples i bought my first H2 off Moller's Yamaha in 1980 which later became the Crosbies shop.

Not forgetting Papatoetoe Honda and Panmure Motorcyles.

[Ixion]

W Whites were Triumph , Velocette and Yamaha (and a few others). many was the happy hour I spend leaning on the parts counter upstairs.

Len Perry - Suzuki, BSA
Bill Russells, about where Colemans is now, Honda
Forbes and Davies
Lauries Summers also did Jawa CZeta, Nzeta.

But in those days every suburb had a thriving motorcycle shop, you usually didnt need to go any further than round the corner.

Can't remember who the Ariel or AJS agents were. Or even Norton, for that matter. I only ever used tehir parts departments, so if I didn't buy parts for a make I didn't take much notice of it.

[TLDV8]

Bill Russells, about where Colemans is now

I only remember Bill Russell's when they were the other side of the road from Summer's.

[Lou Girardin]

its still a beacon................
..

But, sadly, one of the bulbs has just gone out.

[SARGE]

But, sadly, one of the bulbs has just gone out.


awww Lou.. i didnt know you cared so much ...why dont you stop by later and fuck my sister..

[Lou Girardin]

Got a photo?

[Scouse]

W Whites were Triumph , Velocette and Yamaha (and a few others). many was the happy hour I spend leaning on the parts counter upstairs.

Len Perry - Suzuki, BSA
Bill Russells, about where Colemans is now, Honda
Forbes and Davies
Lauries Summers also did Jawa CZeta, Nzeta.

But in those days every suburb had a thriving motorcycle shop, you usually didnt need to go any further than round the corner.

Can't remember who the Ariel or AJS agents were. Or even Norton, for that matter. I only ever used tehir parts departments, so if I didn't buy parts for a make I didn't take much notice of it.Nah Bill Russells were oposite where Haldanes are now in the House of Knives Building

[Scouse]

awww Lou.. i didnt know you cared so much ...why dont you stop by later and fuck my sister..Does she look like you if so I'd have to advise Lou to Pass on the Kind offer

[SPman]

Who had the Bike shop in Browns Bay in the early 70's?
Took an R5 and a DS7 Yam for a test ride from that one.

[SARGE]

Does she look like you if so I'd have to advise Lou to Pass on the Kind offer


nah man ... she's got a bigger Mo..

[Fryin Finn]

I bought my first bike (Yamaha RT3) from W Whites in Wellington. They were in Dixon Street and they eventually became Central City Yamaha. In 1976 I had dealings with W White in Auckland and they were useless. I went to their shop and asked for some spokes for my RD350. Without checking, the guy said they had none. I hunted all over town and found nothing. I then rang Whites and asked if there were any (just checking) and the guy said yes he had a whole box full. So I went in and when I was served I was told there were none. I asked to speak to someone else and he got the spokes for me.
When I first started working Wareing Holman had a bike shop in Aitken St. They were constantly running their racing 2 strokes up and down the street.
Wellington Motorcycles were in Bond Street and Sawyers were near the top of Cuba Street.

[SPman]

Ned and the boys of Auckland Motorcycles in Ponsonby Road. Got my Ducatis serviced therefrom 73 on.
They had a lovely Rickman Trident there in 75-76, I wanted to buy, but...too expensive. $2600 I think.

[Lou Girardin]

Ned and the boys of Auckland Motorcycles in Ponsonby Road. Got my Ducatis serviced therefrom 73 on.
They had a lovely Rickman Trident there in 75-76, I wanted to buy, but...too expensive. $2600 I think.

And look what replaced it - SPQR
I guess riding still gets done there though.

[SARGE]

Got a photo?

yea bro... here she is ..

[Lou Girardin]

yea bro... here she is ..

She got the looks in your family?

[The_Dover]

yea bro... here she is ..

fuck, she's like a skinnier version of you.

with hair.

[ManDownUnder]

fuck, she's like a skinnier version of you.

with hair.

LMAO! But does she have a turtle head poking out?

[Peter_cford]

Do not forget " Shaft Motor Cycles" this place was in Otahuhu I did a year of my apprenticeship as a M/C mechanic . We used to get a lot of triumphs from the "45" Gang . I can remember the owner I think his name was David Beckham but don't quote me on the name as it was in the 70's that I worked there. We also used to get the odd Hells Angel bike in for repair I got to know one of them his name was Shane Moore. He was infamous for biting of the head of a sparrow that he caught and spitting the head at a cop. I remember going to their club house and tuning their Triumphs and BSA`s for free I did not feel that it was appropriate to mention money as these guys were heavy and not to be messed around with.

[Katman]

P & R Motors - Suzuki dealers in Takanini. Ralph Emson and his son Steve from memory.

Bought my first Katana off them.

[Taz]

And the shop on ponsonby road that had the CZ's and stuff. Think it was Auckland Motorcycles. Used to go in there as a youngun.

[Bikemad]

And the shop on ponsonby road that had the CZ's and stuff. Think it was Auckland Motorcycles. Used to go in there as a youngun.
yeah that was john guerneys? shop........later moved to Rosebank road..............downhill from there

[Pixie]

There were two shops on Ponsonby Rd - Auckland Motorcycles and the shop that sold eastern bloc stuff like Jawa and Ural

I bought my second and third bikes off Whites in Broadway -where 277 is now- off a salesman named Dave? Farquhar I think he went to work for Mollers -the Yamaha importer.
Brians Yamaha in Beach Rd was formerly a Whites Branch and Greenlane Motorcycles was formerly Len Perry's.
Bob Haldanes was know as "The Hole in The Wall" by Mollers Yamaha because the little shop in Manukau Rd outsold Mollers retail dealership (latterly Graeme Crosby and now Red Baron) in tyres and new bikes.
Haldane had a mechanic working for him for a while that moved onto the Honda MotoGP team and is now in a fairly high position.Can't remember his name,he used to come on Auckland Uni Bike Club rides.

Ray Pratt who owns AMPS used to have a workshop in the basement of a factory in Stoddard Rd,I brought and emergency chain link for my RD 350 one saturday -this was when NZ was shut on the weekend

[avgas]

Tis a pity the market changed.
Otherwise we could all still be dealing with a monopoly of Miserable shits.

[Bikemad]

Bob Haldanes was know as "The Hole in The Wall" by Mollers Yamaha because the little shop in Manukau Rd outsold Mollers retail dealership (latterly Graeme Crosby and now Red Baron) in tyres and new bikes.
Haldane had a mechanic working for him for a while that moved onto the Honda MotoGP team and is now in a fairly high position.Can't remember his name,he used to come on Auckland Uni Bike Club rides.


that was Peter Benson............bought my first guzzi from Bob back then..............many years later when Pete was spannering for Rossi when in the Honda Team i used to get a few kicks telling
people my bikes used to be serviced by Rossis mechanic.............heheh

[doc]

Ray Pratt who owns AMPS used to have a workshop in the basement of a factory in Stoddard Rd,I brought and emergency chain link for my RD 350 one saturday -this was when NZ was shut on the weekend

That was Universal wasn't it ?

What about John Hempleman in Onehunga ? As a schoolboy dreaming about bikes I always use to drool over a BMW 600 in the shop window .

[Max Preload]

The mega dredge! :rofl:

[scott411]

Do not forget " Shaft Motor Cycles" this place was in Otahuhu I did a year of my apprenticeship as a M/C mechanic . We used to get a lot of triumphs from the "45" Gang . I can remember the owner I think his name was David Beckham but don't quote me on the name as it was in the 70's that I worked there. We also used to get the odd Hells Angel bike in for repair I got to know one of them his name was Shane Moore. He was infamous for biting of the head of a sparrow that he caught and spitting the head at a cop. I remember going to their club house and tuning their Triumphs and BSA`s for free I did not feel that it was appropriate to mention money as these guys were heavy and not to be messed around with.

Shaft Motorcycles merged with Ray Pratts Universal Motorcycles to become Auckland Motorcycles and Powersports, the Beckham you name is Ian Beckhuas, he is Triumph NZ now,

[scott411]

P & R Motors - Suzuki dealers in Takanini. Ralph Emson and his son Steve from memory.

Bought my first Katana off them.

When P & R were in Elliot Street Papakura, i took the long way home from school many times to have a look at the shop

[Katman]

When P & R were in Elliot Street Papakura, i took the long way home from school many times to have a look at the shop

Was that after they moved out of the shop in Takanini?

I remember the shop in Elliot Street but couldn't remember who it was.

There was also a Yamaha shop across the road from the P & R shop in Takanini for a little while. Can't remember the name though.

[scott411]

i am pretty sure that was after, it would be around 1990 that i remember them in Elliot street,

i do remember Papakura Motorcycles being Yamaha, on Tironui Road, that was later on tho,

[Voltaire]

What a good read, I spent too much rebuilding a SL 125 at Kingsland Honda in the early 80's....and Lloyd is still there!!!!
Bought my first big bike a 500/4 from Mt Eden Motorcycle Wreckers ( now a bike shop) and parts from round the corner at Russells.
I used to look in the window of Auckland Motorcycles at the brand new Ducati Mille 1000 and the Blue Darmah for 6K.....I went to Aussie a few months later and bought a Darmah for $ 2700.00 and still have it.
I've head stories about a shop in Onehunga called ...Hemplemens....or something like that...

[JimO]

not Auckland but does anybody remember Motorcycle Engineering in Dunedin, they used to be Bland Brothers and went on to become Uptown Motorcycles

[Mom]

The mega dredge! :rofl:

Cool eh?

I remember wagging school, being picked up by my boyfriend outside of Pakuranga College and going on his parts run into town on a fairly regular basis. Whites in Newmarket, Colemans K Road, can not remember where we went for Honda bits. He worked at what started out as a garage repairing bikes down the back of Fram Filters in Howick and went on to become Howick Suzuki, cnr Moore St and Union Rd. That partnership spawned a Honda dealer at Mt Wellington, on the Panmure Highway opposite what was Masport (Mason & Porter, dear God I am old :pinch:)

Boyfriend and I went on to become Suzuki and then Suzuki/Kawasaki dealers in Warkworth.

I need a lie down now :killingme

[FROSTY]

I can remember back a few years with bike shops.
Mike Vincen and Briants yamaha in Beach road.
Colemans had the whole building where they are now.
2 bike shops on Ponsonby road
Forbes and Davies were up from there.
Auckland dismantlers just up the road from them.
Haldanes were in Market road where theres now a music shop.
Mt eden wreckers were where mt eden Motorcycles are.
Around the corner was Bill Russel honda and over the road Summers Kawasaki
Davy motorcycles and wreckers in teed st Newmarket.
There was a Suzuki shop in Greenlane for ages too
A bike shop in what became Onehunga mall
Papatoetoe Honda by the railbridge in old papatoetoe.
Takinini motorcycles
Papakura motorcycles.
Shaft motorcycles in Otahuhu
the honda place in Pamure (burnt out in the late 80's) and the Suzuki/Yamaha crowd in Howick.
Henderson Motorcycles were a wrecker back then and the "real" henderson motorcycles was on a site that got bulldozed to make room for the road being widened.
Gosh that was back in the early 80's and look how few of those guys survived till today

[Max Preload]

I can remember back a few years with bike shops.
Vincents and a yamaha dealership in Beach road.

Mike Vinsen Suzuki.

[nudemetalz]

Mike Vinsen Suzuki.

Was my first job as a detailler there in 1987. Got to ride all sorts of bikes taking them for WOF's.
The Vinsen's are a great bunch of guys.

[Pierre NS250R]

There was Peter Murphy motorcycles in Papakura,Bob Anderson in Otahuhu,and Onehunga Motorcycles which was run by Ken Fletcher.All of these blokes were well known as top racers in their day.Western Webb sold many new Japanese bikes.One of my neighbours bought a brand new 150cc Suzuki in 1965,a guy in the next street bought a Honda 305 and they had brand new Kawasaki 500s in 1971.I remember that Forbes and Davies had a small shop in Custom Street near Anzac Ave in 1972.Shaft in Otahuhu had one of those Triumph Hurricanes in 1973 and it sat unsold for a very long time.Now they are collectable.John Hempleman had two 450 Ducatis which he couldnt sell.,they were the same price as a Kawasaki 500 ,I think he must have sent them back to Italy.

[Bender]

In answer to the first post - Mr Weston-Webb was William, more commonly known as Bill. They fixed my Honda CD175 after it was modified by a woman doing a U-turn in Hunters Corner, Papatoetoe. We used to get parts and stuff there and drool over the Triumphs. Also used to hang out in Papatoetoe Motorcycles - the dude there, whose name I can't recall, used to tolerate us quite well even though we spent bugger all there. I remember seeing a Honda CB450 dohc there for the first time.

Honda spares came from John Dale on the second floor above a shop in Gt North Rd about opposite to where Mai FM is now. I'm trying to remember where the main branch was. Forbes & Davies had their shop down in Customs St and I bought a brand spankin' new MT250 through their salesman Neil Paget. Their workshop was right around the corner where the Asian markets are now.

Someone mentioned the Browns Bay Bike shop - East Coast Bays Motorcycles, run by a Canadian dude called Denis and Colin (who had one of the first SC500 Yamaha motocrossers, poor soul). One day I did a donut in the gravel outside as I left and sprayed their steel door. Apparently this made a lot of noise inside and Denis wanted to do me injury for some time after that.

Laurie Summers was in Mt Eden Rd with Bill Russell Suzuki right opposite. Yes spares was downstairs, that was the cave I worked in with Colin McAlister who knew every bloody spare part number in the place. Some guy would come in for a wheel nut for an A7, I'd dive for the parts book and Colin would say 'that's a 833-000-33.' Later I went to work in Summers' accessories dept in Newton where we handled Barum tyres, Champion spark plugs, Line 7 wet weather gear, 8 million different types of light bulbs and other shit. It is there that I learned what a festoon bulb is.

An Auckland radio station had a competition where you had to guess a bunch of bikes from the sound. My younger brother entered and I told him what the bikes were, using my knowledge of bikes roaring up and down Mt Eden Rd all day. We got all but one right - I called a Triumph for a Kwakka 650.... The prize was a Centurion full face helmet which we went to pick up one Saturday morning just before we went to see a new film called 'On Any Sunday.' I remember the radio announcer, Bill Mudgway, saying "you're really going to enjoy that movie," and he was right. I still have the DVD - I still watch it from time to time and the only thing that's changed is the amount of suspension travel and electronics on the bikes.

Summers also had a branch in Onehunga that handled Jawas as well as Kawasakis. I got in the shit one day when I wrapped some spare parts in about 8 metres of tape as a joke to the guys at Onehunga, except the wrong person got the parcel and complained to the boss that this was the sort of behaviour that would send the company broke.

I was told Laurie Summers real name was Count Lorenz Von Zomaruga - but then many of the rumours that flew around that place were bullshit so you never knew.

I also remember Len Perry Motorcycles on the Great South Rd at Penrose.

The bike shops were all pretty small and the staff were real enthusiasts. Very few left now - Lloyd May's Kingsland Motorcycles is still there but won't be for much longer. I have recently had a bike sorted there and Lloyd ain't gettin' any younger, and his back is very bad. It's like a time warp going in there and Lloyd doesn't suffer fools - like the bloke in the grey coat at Weston Webbs, remembered in the first post of this thread.

A bit long but I have some neat memories of these things.

[DougB]

At last someone has mentioned John Dale's Perhaps all on here are too young to have heard of them. They were in Karangahape road just before Ponsonby road.
I used to get them to service my first bike a 1950 AJS in the 1950's.

One day I was attracted to a lovely lass in Panmure and ran my AJ into the back of a car. The forks were bent. I got it to Dales expecting to have to get some new ones. They just said put it over there and come back tomorrow. Apparently it was a common repair for them. Sure enough the bike was ready for me all fixed next day.

There was another dealer - repair man a short way down Ponsonby Road in the
1950's. I sold my AJ to him and purchased a Micoletta maxi scooter from him. A 250cc two stroke that could go like stink. Cruised at 120kmph, one of the first two
wheelers with a self starter.

[Brian d marge]

Snip

It was a small shop,they all were then - and behind the counter was the grumpy sod Ray,in his dust coat.The old school didn't like us young guys,we were noisy with long hair and poor dress sense....worst of all was what we were doing to their treasured bikes,chopping them up,stripping them down,we didn't respect nothing...not them or their bikes.So Ray didn't talk to us,just stood at his counter and watched....then you went up to the counter and asked for what you wanted.''No,we don't have one''....'What about that one there?'.....''It won't fit your bike.....or....that's sold,you can't have it'' - and it'd still be there next week.

Sorry but had to say this sounded Just like Hamrax in london ...Exactly ,,,,,

and

Natural wear Leather , I still have my Jacket I bought in Natural wear leather christchurch , 30 years ( yes ) ago , its on the chair behind me as I type


Sorry as you were I enjoying reading this

Stephen

[Bender]

The LS Onehunga guys had a joke that the first thing every Jawa owner said when they walked in the door was "My Jawa's broken down."


Photo is of a Laurie Summers' stand at a carshow in the late 60s.

[ogh55]

Anybody remember New Lynn Motorcycles, bought a new Honda 90 in 64, a Triumph 21 in 65, a Triumph TBird 650 in 66.
What about MT Roskill Motorcycles, bought a 61 Bonnie of them around 1970.

[Paul George]

"In answer to the first post - Mr Weston-Webb was William."

It takes me back to the 1970's. Was this the guy in the dustcoat behind the counter at Weston Webb's shop in (Station St ?) Otahuhu ? An interesting case - as you, or most any other customer walked out the door with your new purchase of spare parts, this guy ALWAYS had a sarcastic remark - his parting shot. Sometimes the remarks were only mild, i.e. you couldn't be sure, take it either way. But more often, just plain sarcastic. That's how he obtained his job satisfaction I suppose. A couple of times I watched him - his timing was impeccable.
But hang on a moment, because I don't recall seeing any Japanese motorcycles in Weston-Webb's shop, at least not in the early 70's. And Mr. Dustcoat had a thing against NSU Quickly's. This despite the fact that they were a very reliable and popular go-to-work machine, and started the sales in many bike shops.
There was a Norvin out front for six months or more, next to a little SUN two-stroke tiddler, then inside the far window, closest to the old cinema, as a Royal Enfield Bullet, with plenty of oil on the floor. I once spotted a CZ 501 out the back, and asked about it, whereupon I was allowed to strip it for spare parts, for free. (Thanks).

An interesting person was the manager of the Onehunga branch of Laurie Summers, a Mr. B. Buchanan, I think. Since he's probably still alive......I've nothing to say, just yet.

"Summers also had a branch in Onehunga that handled Jawas as well as Kawasakis."

Trevor was the Jawa/CZ spare parts man at Onehunga. He was quite handicapped, poor chap, but his mind was as sharp as a tack. He knew those spare parts back to front, and although he was very slow in speaking, you could learn more about Jawa & CZ in five minutes with him than in five years anywhere else. When you gave your engine number, he knew immediately which side of the model change your bike was on. A thoroughly decent chap - in all respects.

I vaguely recall a newish motorbike shop somehere in the Sandringham area, I think. Just on or off New North Rd. Back in the early to middle 1970's. When I was there, for the first and last time, the owner/manager was loudly berating a young chap outside on the footpath/kerb area, who was fixing his little motorbike. It was a young Chinese student, and he was installing a little part into the rear drum brake linkage at the hub. 'It's a trunnion !' shouted the owner, among other remarks. The student was obviously, with his limited command of technical motorcycle terms, quite unconcerned about the difference between a trunnion and a bunion. This same shop owner I saw some time later, sitting high up in the stand at Pukekohe, resplendent in new leathers, disbursing scathing remarks about the racers on the track. I guess some people are more up themselves than others.

Perhaps I should be grateful that these turkeys are in motorcycle shops, and not in Government, or the Civil Service, or the Diplomatic Corps. I like to think that some of us have come a long way since those days, in areas of good manners, customer service, returning customers, etc. etc.

[TheDemonLord]

An 8 year Necro!

Impressive!