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rocker style, nor do they share the passion for 50s rock'n'roll. These modern café racers have taken elements of the
American greaser, British rocker, and modern motorcycle rider styles to create a look of their own. Rockers in the 2000s tend still to ride classic British motorcycles, however, classically styled European café racers are now also seen, such as
479:. Rockers have continued to wear leather motorcycle jackets, often adorned with patches, studs, spikes and painted artwork; jeans or leather trousers; and white silk scarves. Leather caps adorned with metal studs and chains, common among rockers in the 1950s and 1960s, are rarely seen any more. Instead, some contemporary rockers wear a classic woollen
248:, using them as starting and finishing points for road races. A café racer is a motorcycle that has been modified for speed and good handling rather than for comfort. Features include: a single racing seat, low handlebars (such as ace bars or one-sided clip-ons mounted directly onto the front forks for control and aerodynamics), large racing
408:
They had no knowledge of the different sorts of drugs. To them amphetamines, cannabis, heroin were all drugs - something to be hated. Their ritual hatred of Mods and other sub-cultures was based in part on the fact that these people were believed to take drugs and were therefore regarded as sissies.
322:
Rockers bought standard factory-made motorcycles and stripped them down, tuning them up and modifying them to appear like racing bikes. Their bikes were not merely transport, but were used as an object of intimidation and masculinity projecting them uneasily close to death, an element exaggerated by
290:
is now also used to describe motorcycle riders who prefer vintage
British, Italian or Japanese motorbikes from the 1950s to late 1970s. These modern café racers do not resemble the rockers of earlier decades, and they dress in a more modern and comfortable style, with only a hint of likeness to the
158:
is
English slang for driving at a speed of 100 mph (160 km/h) or over. The rockers or ton-up boys took what was essentially a sport and turned it into a lifestyle, dropping out of mainstream society and "rebelling at the points where their will crossed society's". This damaged the public
618:
It was, I have it on good authority, as much a surprise to the so-called rockers to find they are now "greasers" as it was to the general public...The people in question—greasy rockers?—are expected to sit back uncomplainingly while learned gentlemen in such papers as the
Guardian discuss the pros
396:
Largely due to their clothing styles and dirtiness, the rockers were not widely welcomed by venues such as pubs and dance halls. Rockers also transformed rock and roll dancing into a more violent, individualistic form beyond the control of dance hall management. They were generally reviled by the
147:
and financing for young people, the influence of
American popular music and films, the construction of race track-like arterial roads around British cities, the development of transport cafes and a peak in British motorcycle engineering. The name "rocker" came not from music, but from the rockers
865:
British motorcycle customisation stretches back to the 1950s, when the term cafe racer was coined. They were stripped-down machines, lighter than stock with dropped clip-on handlebars to make the riding position more aerodynamic, and were the low-cost mode of transport for the growing band of
506:, which attracted individuals from as far as Europe. The first rocker reunion motorcycle run of 30 classic British motorcycles rode to Battersea - home of the Chelsea Bridge Boys. Following runs went to other destinations with historic relevance to rockers such as
326:
First seen in the United States and then
England, the rocker fashion style was born out of necessity and practicality. Rockers wore heavily decorated leather motorcycle jackets, often adorned with metal studs, patches, pin badges and sometimes an
252:
tanks (aluminium ones were often polished and left unpainted), swept-back exhaust pipes, rear-set footpegs (to give better clearance while cornering at high speeds) with or without half or full race fairings.
517:
to mark the 25th anniversary of the closure of the famous transport cafe before going on to re-opening and establishing a series of events. These events now attract up to 40,000 motorcyclists.
619:
and cons...I would suggest to the
Guardian's correspondent, and to any other erudite commentators who feel duty bound to join in, that the subject should be allowed to die a natural death.
143:
The rocker subculture came about due to factors such as: the end of post-war rationing in the UK, a general rise in prosperity for working class youths, the recent availability of
866:
post-war rockers who would race ton-up (100mph) between transport cafes, such as the famous Ace Cafe on London's North
Circular Road, along the then quiet motorway network.
174:, a term previously little known outside small groups. The public came to consider rockers as hopelessly naive, loutish, scruffy, motorised cowboys, loners or outsiders.
338:, or wore a classic open-face helmet, aviator goggles and a white silk scarf (to protect them from the elements). Other common items included: T-shirts, leather caps,
136:
period, motorcycling held a prestigious position and enjoyed a positive image in
British society, being associated with wealth and glamour. Starting in the 1950s, the
1282:
502:
In the early 1980s, a rockers revival was started by Lenny
Paterson and a handful of original rockers. Paterson organised rocker reunion dances called
271:
engine. It used the most common and fastest racing engine combined with the best handling frame of its day. Other popular motorcycle brands included
1073:
491:
In the early 1970s, the British rocker and hardcore motorcycle scene fractured and evolved under new influences coming from California: the
1257:
816:
The sociology of youth culture and youth subcultures: Sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll by Mike Brake 1980 Routledge & Kegan Paul,
753:
Dancin' in the streets!: anarchists, IWWs, surrealists, Situationists, Franklin Rosemont, Charles Radcliffe. Charles H Kerr 2005
256:
These motorcycles were lean, light and handled various road surfaces well. The most defining machine of the rocker heyday was the
848:
654:
newspaper wrote, "you can call rockers Greasers if you like. ... Greasers just means they have to put a lot of work into bikes."
1229:
1215:
1277:
1272:
542:
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British motorcycle industry and general enthusiasts as being as an embarrassment and bad for the industry and the sport.
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17:
1262:
916:. Café Racer The Motorcycle: Featherbeds, Clip-ons, Rear-sets and the Making of a Ton-up Boy. Parker House (2008).
793:
Resistance through rituals: youth subcultures in post-war Britain By Stuart Hall, Tony Jefferson. Routledge, 1990.
68:
that originated in the United Kingdom during the late 1950s and was popular in the 1960s. It was mainly centred on
446:
bands and fans in the late 1970s. The look of the ton-up boy and rocker was accurately portrayed in the 1964 film
1098:
166:
through highly exaggerated and ill-founded portrayals. From the 1960s on, due to the media fury surrounding the
1170:
272:
1064:
Missy D. Interview mit Mark Wilsmore Ace Café, London (deutsche Übersetzung). Speeding E-magazine, July 2007
162:
The mass media started targeting these socially powerless youths and cast them as "folk devils", creating a
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220:
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found in 4-stroke engines, as opposed to the two stroke engines used by scooters and ridden by mods.
418:
650:
94:, although used differently in North America and elsewhere. Rockers were also derisively known as
31:
533:
877:
The Café Racer Phenomenon (Those were the days...), Alastair Walker. Veloce Publishing 2009.
401:
370:
1267:
471:(sharp pointed shoes) are no longer common. Some wear brothel creepers (originally worn by
78:
140:
were able to buy inexpensive motorcars so that motorcycles became transport for the poor.
8:
300:
299:, as well as classic Japanese bikes, some with British-made frames such as those made by
73:
422:
Len Paterson, founder of the Rocker Reunion movement, left, Father Graham Hullet of the
268:
719:
Mods, rockers, and the music of the British invasion. James E. Perone. Praeger, 2008.
700:
Suzanne McDonald-Walker, 'Bikers: Culture, Politics and Power' Berg Publishers, 2000.
499:. The remaining rockers became known as greasers, and the scene had all but died out.
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Jeans: A Cultural History of an American Icon, James Sullivan, Gotham, 2006.
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91:
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Writer: Driscoll, Frank. Rank Organisation Special Features Division, 1964.
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The rockers' look and attitude influenced pop groups in the 1960s, such as
194:
182:
62:
736:
Skateboarding, Space and the City, Borden, Iain. Berg Publishers, (2003).
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with members all over the world. The rocker hairstyle, kept in place with
1144:
665:
The Restless Generation: How Rock Music Changed the Face of 1950s Britain
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457:
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39:
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of England, a church-based youth organisation that later formed into a
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had also been introduced to Great Britain and, since then, the terms
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Folk Devils and Moral Panics; The Creation of the Mods and Rockers
1036:
Cookson, Brian (2006), Crossing the River, Edinburgh: Mainstream,
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Folk Devils and Moral Panics; The Creation of the Mods and Rockers
128:
1960s Rockers under canopy outside Busy Bee Café, Watford, England
423:
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trinket. When they rode their motorcycles, they usually wore no
177:
The rocker subculture was associated with 1950s and early-1960s
492:
335:
296:
249:
346:
950:
Cafe Racers: Rockers, Rock 'n' Roll and the Coffee-bar Cult
837:
Nuttall, Jeff. Bomb Culture Paladin, London 1969. pp. 27-29
328:
151:
During the 1950s, they were known as "ton-up boys" because
968:
Café racers of the 1960s: machines, riders and lifestyle,
409:
Their dislike of anyone connected with drugs was intense.
349:, leather trousers, tall motorcycle boots (often made by
932:
Welte, Sabine, Cafe Racer. Bruckmann Verlag GmbH, 2008.
357:. Also popular was a patch declaring membership of the
513:
In 1994, Mark Wilsmore and others organised the first
244:
originated in the 1950s, when bikers often frequented
230:
built in a street legal racer style with single seat,
636:. 2nd ed. (1989); online version December 2011. <
170:, motorcycling youths became more commonly known as
323:their use of skull and crossbone-type symbolism.
1249:
452:. The rocker subculture has also influenced the
27:Biker subculture members in the United Kingdom
1054:Cycle World: The Ace Café. Riding the Reunion
1088:Motorcycle News (MCN), UK. 17 September 2008
1079:(scroll down page) Retrieved 26 January 2014
98:. Their Japanese counterpart was called the
1283:Working-class culture in the United Kingdom
849:"The return of motorcycling's cafe racers"
520:
373:hairstyle, as was popular with some 1950s
260:, which was a custom motorcycle made of a
897:. Rocker to Racer. Breedon Books. 2010.
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1020:by John Stuart, Plexus Publishing Ltd.
14:
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234:low handlebars and megaphone exhausts.
1182:. Thames and Hudson / V&A museum
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691:
467:or full-length motorcycle boots, but
463:Many contemporary rockers still wear
847:McCallum, Duncan (8 February 2014).
787:
369:, was usually a tame or exaggerated
1258:Youth culture in the United Kingdom
1151:. Wild Palms 1968, Chronicle Books
803:
638:http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/81098
24:
624:
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306:
90:have become synonymous within the
25:
1299:
1235:
400:Originally, many rockers opposed
159:image of motorcycling in the UK.
1075:Brighton and Hove City Council.
355:brothel creepers/beetle crushers
197:called "screw and smash" music.
61:) are members or followers of a
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1077:Ace Cafe Reunion, Madeira Drive
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686:Glossary of Japanese Neologisms
1222:Or Glory: 21st Century Rockers
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404:. According to Johnny Stuart:
200:
13:
1:
1242:The 59 Club: London's outlaws
952:. London: Osprey Publishing.
562:
1220:Horst A. Friedrichs (2010):
7:
1278:Counterculture of the 1960s
1273:Counterculture of the 1950s
621:" Accessed 20 February 2014
579:(Plexus Publishing, 1996).
550:
426:, seated on motorcycle, at
223:twin-cylinder engine in a
219:motorcycle consisting of a
10:
1304:
1018:Rockers! Kings of the Road
855:. Herald & Times Group
577:Rockers! Kings of the Road
204:
117:
113:
29:
1208:The Café Racer Phenomenon
1163:The Ace Cafe then and now
1134:. Plexus Publishing Ltd.
633:Oxford English Dictionary
181:music by artists such as
76:music. By 1965, the term
1206:Alastair Walker; (2009)
1161:Winston Ramsey; (2002).
545:: Behind the Ton-Up Boys
104:Thunder Tribe/Clan/Group
1263:Motorcycling subculture
1130:Johnny Stuart; (1987).
612:, 24 June 1965. p.836.
521:Films and documentaries
388:motorcycle jacket with
32:Rocker (disambiguation)
1192:Steve Wilson; (2000).
1001:. Redline Books, 2004
688:(Arizona Press, 1962).
431:
411:
393:
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1244:article on Visor Down
1210:. Veloce Publishing
421:
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402:recreational drug use
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1165:. After the Battle,
667:(Rogan House, 2007)
318:Pudding basin helmet
30:For other uses, see
997:The Bsa Gold Star,
948:Clay, Mike. (1988)
428:Enfield Motorcycles
684:Bailey, Don C.A.,
596:14 February 1961,
432:
394:
320:
269:Triumph Bonneville
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96:Coffee Bar Cowboys
48:
1288:Music and fashion
1230:978-3-7913-4469-0
1216:978-1-84584-264-2
727:. pp. 3, 65, etc.
614:On the Four Winds
598:The Daily Express
43:Three rockers on
18:Rocker subculture
16:(Redirected from
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543:Look at Life
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103:
99:
95:
87:
83:
77:
58:
55:leather boys
54:
50:
49:
36:
1268:Subcultures
1145:Danny Lyons
999:Mick Walker
970:Mick Walker
914:Seate, Mike
895:Mick Walker
859:29 December
776:Routledge.
610:Motor Cycle
536:Home Truths
458:psychobilly
436:The Beatles
384:Customised
377:musicians.
288:café racers
201:Café racers
191:Chuck Berry
164:moral panic
70:motorcycles
59:ton-up boys
1252:Categories
1224:. Prestel
1178:; (1994).
1171:1870067436
1147:; (2003).
1115:; (1972).
772:; (1972).
563:References
473:Teddy Boys
454:rockabilly
293:Moto Guzzi
241:café racer
238:The term
215:A vintage
207:Café racer
132:Until the
118:See also:
108:Thunderers
66:subculture
1196:. Haynes
444:punk rock
440:hard rock
371:pompadour
367:Brylcreem
286:The term
281:Matchless
1132:Rockers!
600:(London)
557:BĹŤsĹŤzoku
551:See also
508:Brighton
504:piss-ups
495:and the
481:flat cap
390:Ace Cafe
344:Wrangler
153:doing a
134:post-war
651:The Sun
493:hippies
424:59 Club
392:details
359:59 Club
332:gas man
316:Aviakit
301:Rickman
232:clip-on
221:Triumph
172:rockers
114:Origins
84:greaser
79:greaser
51:Rockers
1228:
1214:
1200:
1186:
1169:
1155:
1138:
1123:
1040:
1024:
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744:p. 137
740:
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475:), or
340:Levi's
336:helmet
297:Ducati
267:and a
262:Norton
258:Triton
250:petrol
225:Norton
217:Triton
145:credit
88:rocker
347:jeans
106:, or
63:biker
1226:ISBN
1212:ISBN
1198:ISBN
1184:ISBN
1167:ISBN
1153:ISBN
1136:ISBN
1121:ISBN
1038:ISBN
1022:ISBN
1003:ISBN
983:ISBN
954:ISBN
934:ISBN
918:ISBN
899:ISBN
879:ISBN
861:2014
818:ISBN
795:ISBN
778:ISBN
755:ISBN
738:ISBN
721:ISBN
702:ISBN
669:ISBN
640:>
581:ISBN
534:BBC
442:and
329:Esso
279:and
189:and
86:and
72:and
342:or
295:or
273:BSA
155:ton
110:).
57:or
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863:.
851:.
828:^
805:^
712:^
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510:.
483:.
303:.
283:.
275:,
185:,
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675:.
587:.
102:(
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20:)
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