Ace Cafe London Review

[Mooch]

Thought this was probably the best place for this review , mods please move if it isn't

Ace Café London

Well, After getting hounded by PaulinNZ recently saying that we weren’t real biker until we visited the Ace Café in London my wife and I finally got off our butts and headed down today. For those newer to motorcycling the Ace Café is a famous London biker hangout that started in 1938, post WWII it became popular with motorcyclist and rock’n roll and rockers. After its hay day it close in 1969, it then re-opened 1993 and has become a destination point for bikers and petrol heads alike.

Not having our motorcycles in London we headed across London taking 3 tubes to get there. The area sounding the tube station is partly industrial and is surrounded with motorway areas and large area of train tracks and tonnes of Graffiti and not many people. I made a mental note that it wasn’t the best area to be on foot after dark which was a couple of hours away.

Heading towards the café the area had bike art done in metal looking like a shadow of 60’s café racers, one of the bridge’s still had a 60’s advert painted for brake pads. I knew we were getting close ! Shortly after I could see parked motorcycles and then the Ace Café. Considering the temperature was around the 2 – 3 degree the Café had a reasonable number of motorcycles in the car park. The bikes were a real mix from trikes, to older Triumphs, Harley’s and touring bikes, with the odd sports bikes as thrown in for good measure. An Ace Café member was outside assigned to keeping and eye on the bikes and riders, but as usual as apposed to myth there was no trouble with a reasonable amount of different kinds of bikers in one place.

We entered the Café , feeling a bit out of place without bike gear , went to the bar and ordered a beer and real coffee and some food (No fluffy coffee available here !). Looked around and found a seat. A quick look around the people showed that the café had a diverse clientele from the more hardened looking motorcycle club members with the tattoos and patches and two few “older gentlemen” that had probably been going there for the last 40 – 50 years , to the modern day bike matched sports leather types all sitting together. Not a spot of trouble anywhere to be seen. Had beer and food , and walked around looking and various posters and bits of history on the walks. Brought a couple of bits of memorabilia from the shop. Then went outside and did the usual checkout the bikes in the car park bit. Took a few photo’s in the low light (3:45pm !) It was great to finally visit this motorcycling icon.

[Fordy]

Its a great place...was a bit busier when I was there in September.

Your right about some folks seem to have been going there for 40 odd years That cafe racer was there then too, he must have spent £thousands on it.

[Bob]

It is a great place to visit. I was lucky enough to be asked to write a feature on the history of the Ace and how it is today (and was allowed - later on - to put the article up on the web).

If you want a look, it is at:

http://www.bobpickett.co.uk/bikearticles/Ace.html

Hope you find it of interest,

Bob

[StoneChucker]

Its a great place...was a bit busier when I was there in September.

Your right about some folks seem to have been going there for 40 odd years That cafe racer was there then too, he must have spent £thousands on it.

Say, thats a pretty, shiny '04 R1 in the picture there. That would have been a dream holiday for me for sure!