D.G. Manktelow needed a few college credits, and had an interest in photography, so for his photo class he documented the world of his friends, who were Rockers in East Sussex, England, from 1960-65. Be careful what you study as an afterthought in college, as it's likely to become your career after graduation, as happened with D.G. His son Adrian has kindly consented to show some of these photos on The Vintagent, as a tribute to his father's skill, and the unique period he documented. Many of the riders are still friends of the family, although a few didn't pass the trial by fire of the Rocker years...(top; a pair of Norton Atlas 750s, with 'ace' bars and a dustbin fairing, in front of a 'typical Rocker car covered in Bondo - an Austin Atlantic)'
And all the classic Rocker gear is represented; the Goldies, Bonnies, Dommis, dustbin fairings, even a Norvin, and at the end, a couple of Japanese lightweights.... (Above - Bonnie, Goldie, Bonnie)
There was always a bit of real racing to inspire the 'go faster' look of the Rocker boys; these shots (above and below) of a racing Dominator 88 were taken at Mallory Park. A very tasty machine indeed, and worthy of imitation.
Nothing will make your Norton Dominator 99 go faster than a leopard seat cover and Goldie muffler! The two-in-one exhaust was an optional extra from Norton, and the flat 'bars are standard. It was sporty to begin with... you can tell it's an early '60/'61 model by the two-tone paint job (standard) and the Norton 'button' on the timing cover - of course it's a Slimline Featherbed frame as well.
Another Norton, which is being used to its limits, complete with a Peel fairing, which could use a little tucking in, as the fiberglass will shortly be ground away on the tarmac, or, if you're really unlucky...
...it will find a bump in the road and lift the rear wheel off the deck, pitching itself and the rider off the road completely. This machine is an early Wideline Norton, can't tell if it's a single or twin-cylinder, but it has the '58/'59 type chrome panel on the petrol tank; the 'ace' bars have Doherty alloy levers, very racy, and the rear valanced mudguard has had the removeable rear section... removed! Much of it would have needed repair after this getoff, but it seems the rider never had to bother, as the notation says "he survived this spill but wasnt' so luckly later when he died on his way back from London on this bike...".
Not all Nortons were Dominators, Atlases, or Internationals; this is the only photo I've ever seen of a Café Norton Navigator! The 350cc little twin (below) was never a great performer, and certainly didn't live up to the hotrod reputation of it's bigger brothers. I've owned four of them (don't ask), and the timing chest sounded like a cast iron stove being run over cobblestones... not Norton's best effort. But, they are compact and tidy looking, and share forks and wheels with the big twins...
Not all Rocker-worthy machines were British, either; this NSU Supermax 250cc single is a rare before-and-after study -
of an attempt to lighten and sportify what was already a very good machine. The inspiration must have be the pukka racing NSU Sportmax, one of most beautiful motorcycles of all, but the impecunious young owner could only manage to lose the front mudguard and add 'ace' handlebars... improvement or desecration?
Regarding clip-ons; for the seriously racy crouch, the rule was, 'the lower the better' - just above the lower fork clamp seems to have been the goal. Inspired by racing practice, it became Fashion, and the utility distorted out of the equation... no racer had 'bars that low! The fellow on the second machine has inverted some fairly high handlebars to really get down to it.
This Triumph Tiger 90 with 'bikini' rear enclosure, ca.'62-'64, has met its cornering limit fairly quickly - the centerstand and footrests are being shaved away by tarmac. This bike is very standard though - rearsets would be useful for such scratching! Undoubtedly, the rider needed the bike to take him to work or school the next day, so practicality ruled the hour...
Here's another rarity; a Royal Enfield Super 5, their sportiest 250 in 1962/3, with short leading-link forks, 5 speeds, and a 20hp engine, giving about 84mph top whack. This is a '62 model with deeply valanced front mudguard - amazingly the bike is completely standard, with 'ace' bars as per catalogue spec. R.E. had a clue; in 1964 they introduced one of only three genuine Factory Café Racers; the Continental GT. The other two? You tell me - prizes for correct answers.
Another fantastic period machine, and an early example at that; a Norvin, the immortal combination of a Vincent 1000cc v-twin in a Norton Featherbed chassis, which according to the notes 'had only three speeds', but still went like stink! This machine falls into the Barely Legal category, with no head or taillamp in the first photo.
But later on, it was completed, and our lad can be seen 'hanging off' at the notorious bend which ate the Norton above. Note the number of spectators lurking on the outside of the bend - the Rockers must have been the best thing going on a sunny weekend day, and clearly this was a corner worth watching.
Another corner worth watching; here a Goldie tears around the bend, while the fellow in the plaid jacket records the proceedings on his portable tape player! I can hear it now - the classic Gold Star muffler has been replaced with a short megaphone (actually a factory racing item), and it was LOUD. The rider is very well tucked away and leaning a lá Phil Read into the bend. Nice technique.
Another shot of our B.S.A. Gold Star hotrod, with clip-ons a bit lower than the Factory set them...the tank is patterned on the 'Lyta' large-capacity racing item, although his might be a fiberglass copy - much cheaper, and money was certainly tight in the 60's. Phis Read had only recently introduced the 'knee hang' on GP circuits; it would be a few years yet before racers would hang completely off the seat. The lad had good style, this is one of the best 'action' shots of the group.
"Into every ride a little Trouble must fall"... and if you've ditched your center stand for more ground clearance, a kerb is a handy thing.
Even a Learner could ride a hot Royal Enfield Clipper 250cc, as this fellow has, while waiting for his pal on the Norton with Peel fairing to sort out his issue. Note the four-wheeled competition driving away; truly, motorcycles ruled the road in the 1960s in England. That little Hillman (?) saloon would be hard pressed to make 70mph, and certainly wouldn't get there quickly.
And if you've got a bike, and your mate's is down, give the lad a ride...no holding onto the rider though! A very nice Norton Domi 88 or 99, with optional tachometer, but driven from where? Perhaps it's just for show - I only see one cable - or maybe it's an 8-day clock!
And now, the Trojan horses appear... so unassuming in these early days, and so small. And while the 125cc SOHC Honda CB92 Benly had tremendous performance for it's capacity, it was still only a 125... and if the rider was a big bloke, it would take a while to achieve the 70mph max - no passing Hillmans then. Note the fellow's '59' Club patch; Father 'Bill' Shergold's club for motorcyclists, and you had to visit his church in Hackney Wick, London, to get a patch. It was the largest motorcycle club in the world during the 1960s.
By the time this Yamaha YDS1 250cc two-stroke twin appeared, all bets were off, and Honda had already won a string of TT victories. Yamaha and Suzuki were pressing hard on the Island as well as on the GP circuits, scoring victories over their exotic DOHC counterparts from Italy and Germany... Britain had long ago given up a credible threat in this class, although 'special' builders continued to shrink Velocette KTTs and BSA Gold Stars for something competitive.
Cue 'The End' by the Doors please, as this was the smoky perspective soon to be seen by all the leaky, unreliable, cobbled-up, badge-engineered, head-in-the-sand British Café Racers in the very near future. More's the pity, and they are missed.
All photos courtesy Adrian Manktelow, and copyright D.G.Manktelow. Images used by permission.
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