Milk-bar cowboys

[Pixie]

thats cool. it was really intereesting read, going on about bogdins or something aswell. pretty much sums up to the emos and goth of today in my opinion. readical hair and clothes etc

Except that back then they could spell

[doc]

Milk Bar Cowboys were early in the piece,more early '50's....as my foreman was one.Bodgies and Widgies were late '50's and early '60's....late '60's to late '70's it was the Bikies.Late '70's the Maori gangs came into power....and then we had Hoodies.

You don't say which group you were in cmon cough up for the history lesson.

[calmone]

Being an old Petone boy this thread brings back a few memories. I am post war but had an older brother and sister who have related the " Elbes Milk Bar days. I also had a friend who was a 25 club member in the 60's. My first bike a 175 Bantam bought in 1964 hardly qualified me for club membership. I am aware of the names of a few of the early Hutt Valley bikers but not much else.
What I can remember are the hairstyles, the white T shirts and tight jeans especially on the girls and the transition in the later 60,s to MK1 Zephyrs and other similar cars.

[DougB]

I was riding my 1950 AJS during the 1950's (I have just turned 74) I was not a milk bar cowboy but was often refered to as one by my friends. I used to go to Queen street in Auckland on Friday nights and park with the Cowboys just to have a look at the latest Triumph, BSA, or Matchless bikes, these were the favoured machines. Ariels, Royal Enfields, Panthers, Indians and other makes were less in favour. I cant remember any Harleys from that time, there must have been some around.

[Motu]

My boss used to tell me of going into Queen St (we did too,we hung out at 246 in the '70's) Everone lined up back wheel into the curb as you do - but one guy used to park front wheel first.When he left he would jump on his Harley and go out backwards,feet up! An ex sidecar bike of course with reverse gear.The riders name was Bryce Sibritzky.

[oldrider]

My boss used to tell me of going into Queen St (we did too,we hung out at 246 in the '70's) Everone lined up back wheel into the curb as you do - but one guy used to park front wheel first.When he left he would jump on his Harley and go out backwards,feet up! An ex sidecar bike of course with reverse gear.The riders name was Bryce Sibritzky.

I knew of a Sibritzky in Auckland who was also into pioneering in underwater diving, aqualungs etc. Could that be the same guy?
Bit off topic but......... John.

[Motu]

They are a big family,from Northland and were shipping pioneers.If it's to do with water they will be into it.They serviced Waiheke Island for decades - and when the Sibritzky scow went down the Tamaki River past my grandmothers house she would mutter about bloody Subritzky's....we were from the far north too.

[kate]

Hi,

I am doing some research on the Milk Bar Cowboy era and in particular the guys and girls who used to hang out at Elbes Milk Bar in Petone. Was really interested to read your comments and would be great to talk to you about your memories of that time.

Cheers
Kate

[paulmac:Me]

Just reinforces the fact that young fella's on rides today moaning about "old farts" need to remember that they have done their apprenticship and are entitled to cruise.

[FROSTY:Me]

Gee willikers I guess I'm post milk bar cowboy stage then.
Used to hang out at brewery lane back in the days when CB750k1s and Z1 900 were still current tackle.
when you could get a 24 hour helmet exemption and ex firr service boots were the thing to wear

[wysper]

I'm not old enough to be a MBC, but my father started calling me a Milkbar-cowboy so had to ask him what the hell one was, and that led me to reserve the domain name milkbarcowboys.com which me and a bunch of mates were toying with for a bit, kinda stalled, as these things do. Open for suggestions as far as using it tho?

I am pretty sure my uncle was one here in Hammiehole.

[pete376403]

My boss used to tell me of going into Queen St (we did too,we hung out at 246 in the '70's) Everone lined up back wheel into the curb as you do - but one guy used to park front wheel first.When he left he would jump on his Harley and go out backwards,feet up! An ex sidecar bike of course with reverse gear.The riders name was Bryce Sibritzky.

The same Bryce Subritzky Speedway rider?

http://www.historicspeedway.co.nz/Su...y,%20Bryce.htm

[1billyboy]

Been their Done that. Even been called a temporary New Zealander back then.

[Skyryder]

It was a joy to read this thread again. There is an interesting aside to this. The cowboy era virtually ended at the start of the new decade in the sixties. Beatlemania and the Carnaby Streets look was about to revolutionize the younger generation. The two wheeled world was divided between the Mods some of whom rode scooters(did not realy get a foot hold here) and the Rockers.

This was the first division of the youth from the Rock'n'Roll geneation. This is a significant divide that has not been touched on by modern historians.
Essentiall it divided those from Rock'n' Roll from the Mersy sound. Rockers were still into the American music Mods had evolved their own sound and fashion from Carnaby and Mary Quant. If they rode it was a scooter and mostl likely be a Vespa
The so called Hippy movement was pure American and found it's birthplace in the Haight Ashby district of San Fransisco. It was at about this time that the Hells Angell were getting media attention and the 'bikie' gangs were forming. There must have been a small Auckland chapter as some of us were asked to join.
Whether they were afiliated to the American chapter's I don't know but the guy who wanted us to join name was Mark ????.
I stopped riding at about this time so have little knowledge of the NZ biker culture from that time onwards.


Skyryder

[scumdog]

Johnny-come-lately...I was in the mid-70's.

Me too - and more of a V8 boy...