{"id":130,"date":"2012-06-25T20:21:27","date_gmt":"2012-06-26T03:21:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.the59clubla.com\/?p=130"},"modified":"2025-05-23T19:20:01","modified_gmt":"2025-05-24T02:20:01","slug":"faq","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.the59clubla.com\/?p=130","title":{"rendered":"FAQ"},"content":{"rendered":"

Frequently Asked Questions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

We’ve received a lot of random questions to our club website email, The59ClubLA@yahoo.com<\/a>, \u00a0so we thought it would be a good idea to address the more frequent questions we get.\u00a0 Most of the questions we receive can be answered by simply reading our club history from England or the\u00a0history on this website.\u00a0 A great source of information about the Club is the\u00a0website for the London section, which is www.The59Club.org.uk<\/a>, as well as several books written on our subculture, The Ace Caf\u00e9 and the Club itself.<\/p>\n

We see a wide range of questions being asked; some appear to be from curious folk who really have no idea what our club is all about or even what a caf\u00e9 racer is. Other people seem to have a lot of knowledge about motorcycles, American, British or otherwise, and are familiar with being in a bike club.\u00a0 Some people\u2019s questions revolve around why we favor one style over the other, or why we don\u2019t do things the way they see on TV<\/em> shows.\u00a0 Rest assured that no matter how informed or stupid the questions are, we have no problem answering it here.\u00a0 And although no one here claims to be a ‘sociology sub-culture anthropologist’ in\u00a0this subject matter,\u00a0the information and answers below come from people who have\u00a0been in this scene for 20-30+ years, and have a vast knowledge of<\/em> and experience with<\/em> British motorbikes, the Club history, the Caf\u00e9 Racer scene, and the numerous music\/style\u00a0subcultures\u00a0in the US and the UK.\u00a0 Hope the following is helpful.<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 Your club was originally founded by\u00a0three parish priests, are you guys a religious organization or a Christian MC?\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Neither, we are a registered charity that started out as a church-sponsored youth group.\u00a0 We have no church or religious agenda,\u00a0we are simply a motorcycle club for riders of classic or vintage motorcycles and Caf\u00e9 Racers. Our club \u2018forefathers\u2019 were Reverend Fathers who rode motorcycles themselves and offered the bikers of\u00a01960s England a\u00a0clubhouse\u00a0for them to gather, socialize\u00a0and have fun at;\u00a0\u00a0they also made it\u00a0clear that if they wanted to join the 59 Club, religion and politics would never be forced upon them.\u00a0 Although\u00a0the club was never\u00a0an endorsement of any religion, Christian or otherwise, the priests did offer spiritual guidance to the young bikers if they ever needed it, and to have their bikes blessed if they wanted it.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0The original members of your club back in England during the 1960s were Ton-Up boys and Rockers; do I have to follow that music\/fashion style to join the 59 Club?\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

It is true that most of the original members of the club back in its heyday were Ton-Up boys,\u00a0Rockers\u00a0and Greasers, but dressing a particular way\u00a0or following a certain fashion is not a requirement\u00a0for joining our club or our section.\u00a0 We don\u2019t care what you look like or how you dress, as long as you can dress yourself and look like a responsible\u00a0person. In fact,\u00a0several of our members are actual Rockers (some from the UK), but it\u2019s not a requirement.\u00a0 Although if you ride up wearing a parka, Clarks desert boots and a Fred Perry, you might get a sneer or two.\u00a0 (Inside joke for all you former Mods)<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0Is your club a traditional brotherhood that only allows males to become members?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

No, our club is fully open to male and female bikers alike, and we do not discriminate against gender, race or ethnicity; those are our traditions. We value all of our members equally regardless of sex or that other stuff.\u00a0 We do have core values that we hope all our members will imbue like; honor, integrity, commitment, responsibility, a sense of camaraderie and pride in our club.\u00a0 The one tradition we value the most is the ability to\u00a0ride and have fun\u00a0on long rides, and then\u00a0enjoy a few rounds of beers\u00a0with your club mates afterwards.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0Does your club or\u00a0section have a president or a military-style structure like a lot of other clubs?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

No. \u00a0As is common in British culture, our rules are unwritten and\u00a0followed by tradition rather than strict adherence to codes, policies or by-laws.\u00a0 In fact we have very few rules at all, and we have no use for a rigid or\u00a0formal, military-style\u00a0structure.\u00a0 Even though the California branch has a chief administrator, and each sub-Section has a Section Leader,\u00a0we don’t need or use\u00a0typical\u00a0officer\u00a0roles like President, Vice President, Sgt. at Arms, Road Captain or Treasurer, but we do have a Council of Management in London that oversees the\u00a0Club, with Father Scott Anderson being\u00a0the current leader of the entire 59 Club.\u00a0\u00a0These practices worked for our founding members in the 1960s and this works for us today.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0Does your club have chapters in other cities or countries?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

We do have other officially recognized branches in Canada, Europe, and the U.S., but we do not refer to them as \u201cchapters,\u201d we follow British tradition by using the term \u201cSection.\u201d\u00a0 We have sections in Europe, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, California, Spain, Switzerland, and England.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0Is your club sanctioned by the American Motorcycle Association (AMA)?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

NO, we are a British club and therefore sanctioned by the British Motorcycle Federation, or the BMF.<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0I noticed that your club jackets have a small \u2018Los Angeles\u2019 patch on them, does this mean your club claims territory?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

NO, we do not “claim” any city, state, region, territory or colors, we are not an \u201cMC\u201d and have never been a 1% or outlaw club.\u00a0 Our club jackets are not gang colors or biker cuts (in fact they are Dickies work jackets).\u00a0 The\u00a0patch on the front of our jackets only signifies that we are members of the 59 Club of England and attached to the specific Section located in that town or county;\u00a0this helps\u00a0differentiate us from members in other countries or Sections.\u00a0 Furthermore we do not wear an MC patch or use a 3-piece top & bottom rocker design.<\/p>\n

8.\u00a0If I want to join your club, do I have to be a prospect before I am considered membership?\u00a0 How do you screen for the appropriate kind of person into your club?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

No, we do not use the lengthy \u2018prospect\u2019 system of recruitment into our club, anyone can join the 59 Club of England\u00a0as long as you pay your\u00a0membership and annual club dues to London.\u00a0 The members who run the club in London are unpaid volunteers and use your fees to keep the club running; provide us with\u00a0registered ID cards; club patches; news letters; and other merchandise.\u00a0 To join the California Section there is a small amount of hazing like record racing from caf\u00e9 to caf\u00e9, cracking the Ton, long-distance endurance rides, etc., but we do not use the \u2018prospect\u2019 system of initiation either.<\/p>\n

The vetting system we use for new members in the California Section is self-regulating and relies solely on your understanding of<\/em> and agreeing with<\/em> what our club represents, as well as having a likeminded passion for the kind of bikes we ride.\u00a0 The kinship you may feel with what we represent is enough of a filter to weed out people who would be happier in other kinds of clubs.\u00a0 Important to know is in order to join the California Section you have to consistently participate in club rides and events, showing up occasionally doesn\u2019t cut it.\u00a0 You also have to get to know the other members before you can join the California section, and more importantly we have to get to know you.\u00a0 Bottom line is we have zero tolerance for personal drama, egos, attitudes, drugs, violence or criminal activity.<\/p>\n

9.\u00a0I own a Harley-Davidson and a custom chopper, can I join?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Anyone can join the 59 Club of England.\u00a0 Important to remember is\u00a0this is a British club founded in the UK, so our primary focus has traditionally\u00a0been British, European,\u00a0Japanese, and Cafe bikes, so naturally the people who will feel most at home\u00a0in the California\u00a0section are people who share\u00a0our passion for these kind of bikes.\u00a0\u00a0We\u00a0do welcome all motorcyclists that\u00a0are supportive of our traditions and customs, hope that answers your question.\u00a0\u00a0We also have no requirement that your bike be\u00a0a specific engine size\u00a0to join our club; there are members with 500cc Hondas and Royal Enfield\u2019s, and members with 865cc Triumph\u00a0Thruxtons and a 1,000cc Thunderbird.<\/p>\n

10.\u00a0Does the club demand a lot of personal time, even over your family or job?\u00a0 Or will I get kicked out if I don\u2019t make a meeting or a ride?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

We all have significant others,\u00a0but the club never comes before\u00a0family,\u00a0our personal lives\u00a0or career, and we never have meetings just for the sake of having meetings.\u00a0\u00a0It is also not a secondary source of income, we are a non-profit club, although we do occasionally raise money for charitable causes.\u00a0 Once you have joined the 59 Club with an ID card registered in London, you are a member for life as long as you pay your\u00a0annual dues.<\/p>\n

We don\u2019t ‘kick people out’ for missing a ride or a club event,\u00a0there are\u00a0more important things than the club as mentioned before, but ‘flakiness’ or continued unreliablility\u00a0could be\u00a0viewed as\u00a0having lost interest in the\u00a0club.\u00a0\u00a0Also, any ‘conduct unbecoming’ of a club member or a violation of our basic “zero-tolerance”\u00a0rules, and a California member will be asked to leave the Section.\u00a0 But\u00a0the\u00a0only authority that can remove you from actual registered membership\u00a0resides in London.\u00a0\u00a0Really though folks,\u00a0if you’re just looking for a ‘cool<\/em> jacket’<\/em> with patches so you can brag to your non-biker buddies about ‘being in a motorcycle club’<\/em>,\u00a0then please look elsewhere.\u00a0\u00a0We want members who actually ride, believe in our club\u00a0and want to be friends.\u00a0 Bottom line is we ride whenever we feel like it and get together whenever we can, but it\u2019s not mandatory.<\/p>\n

11.\u00a0What are your views on law enforcement, and does the club have any problems with the police?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

As mentioned in question #7, we are not a 1% or outlaw club, so we have\u00a0no problems with cops or the law in general.\u00a0 We support the police the same way we support the military that bravely serves our country, in fact a few\u00a0of our members work in law enforcement, and we have former military in our section.\u00a0 So if you\u00a0have a problem with police or the law, we’re\u00a0probably not what you’re looking for.<\/p>\n

12.\u00a0Do you guys have a club house in Los Angeles or San Diego that you meet up and party at?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Although the 59 Club in\u00a0London does have a\u00a0clubhouse\u00a0that hosts bands,\u00a0has a room for billiards, and a dance floor, in Los Angeles and San Diego\u00a0we currently\u00a0do not.\u00a0\u00a0We don\u2019t see the need, plus it costs money to rent or lease a property, and there isn’t anything we would do in a clubhouse that we couldn’t do in a pub or dive bar.<\/p>\n

13.\u00a0Do\u00a0the\u00a0black & white colors of your patch have any significance, why those colors?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The original colors in 1959, \u00a0were black & silver, but later changed to the more popular black & white by 1962. These\u00a0colors\u00a0were chosen by our founding reverend fathers because\u00a0the checkered racing-flags of the day were black & white and racing motorcycles was a popular sport that members were involved in.\u00a0\u00a0There are\u00a0other historical patches with the colors of blue & white; maroon, black\u00a0& silver;\u00a0gold, red,\u00a0and green, that at one time signified roles in the Council of Management, but these are no longer used.<\/p>\n

14.\u00a0Does the name of your club, \u201cThe Fifty Nine Club\u201d have any special meaning?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Again no, the year that the church-sponsored youth club was formed in London was 1959, hence the name The 59 Club.\u00a0 Some have theorized that the name 59 is a salute to the original 1950s Ton-Up boys and to 1950s Rock\u2019n\u2019Roll and Rockabilly music, it makes sense based on the history of the Club, but again it is merely a rumor.\u00a0\u00a0 It was called the 59 Club before the association with the Rockers and Rock’n’Roll music began.<\/p>\n

15.\u00a0How many members are in the 59 Club worldwide?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

That info is readily available on the Wikipage dedicated to the Club.\u00a0 Important to remember is that the club has been around since 1959 and has members who were teenagers back in those crazy days in London.\u00a0\u00a0So we have\u00a0members ranging in age from 25 to 45 and original members living in Europe, Australia\u00a0and England that are now in their 60s and 70s. It\u2019s quite a broad range of diversity and experience that enriches our club history.<\/p>\n

16.\u00a0Is your chapter sanctioned and recognized by the 59 Club of the UK?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, we were in back and forth conversations with the Council of Management for about a year before we were granted permission to begin this new section here in Southern California.\u00a0 We had to show that we had the amount of members in the area to guarantee a successful start, and that we would closely follow the customs and traditions of the original club in London.<\/p>\n

17.\u00a0Are you familiar with Discovery Channels show Caf\u00e9 Racer? And have you ever been on it?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes we\u2019re excited about the new season of the Caf\u00e9 Racer program series, and think the show brings to light in a positive way a little-known subculture that has been around since the 1950s.\u00a0 In fact 59 Club members from Chicago and Dallas, Texas have been featured on the show a few\u00a0seasons ago and in the monthly magazine.<\/p>\n

18.\u00a0I\u2019ve been a card-holding 59 Club member for many years here in San Diego, I joined the club when I visited England 16 years ago.\u00a0 Are there other 59 Club members here in San Diego?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, there are numerous individual members of the Club living all over the United States, including San Diego.\u00a0 The key point here is that up until now there was never a unified\u00a0California Section for members to belong to, we are the newest section\u00a0in the U.S. behind Chicago.\u00a0 We are proud of our humble beginnings and look forward to representing a piece of British motorcycle history here in Southern California. \u00a0The California Section currently represents members in San Diego County, Los Angeles County, Bakersfield, Monterey Bay, and Orange County.<\/p>\n

19.\u00a0 Do I have to be a member of the club to ride with your club?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

No, non-members ride with us all the time, and the only way to join our section, if that\u2019s what you are interested in doing, is to ride with us and hang out.<\/p>\n

20.\u00a0 Are there other\u00a0clubs in Southern California with a similar focus?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Yes, not all of the clubs are exclusively Caf\u00e9 Racer or British, but it seems to be a common theme.\u00a0 Because of there being so many clubs with the vintage or classic focus, there are always events and rides to attend in L.A., Orange County, Bakersfield, Monterey Bay, and San Diego.<\/p>\n

21.\u00a0 I already belong to a club, can I still join yours?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

We have no problem with members belonging to\u00a0multiple clubs, in fact several of our members are also in Ton-Up, British Iron Association,\u00a0Brit Iron Rebels, etc., but\u00a0as a club we\u00a0have to ask you, do you have the time to commit to more than one club at the same time?<\/p>\n

22.\u00a0 Are you guys a motorcycle club or a riding club?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

In 1960s England there was no such thing as a \u2018riding club\u2019 unless you were referring to an equestrian club where you ride horses.\u00a0 Historically we have always been recognized as a motorcycle club within the British and European motorcycle communities here and abroad, but we are definitely\u00a0not an “MC” as in the American usage of the term.\u00a0 So yes we are a motorcycle club in the traditional sense that we\u00a0love and ride motorcycles\u00a0and that is the main purpose of our club, but we also enjoy the camaraderie and social aspects of belonging to an established\u00a0British club with a long and proud history.\u00a0\u00a0To put it simply, motorcycle clubs have existed for 100 years,\u00a0so you don’t need an RC or an MC patch on your back to belong to a motorcycle club today.<\/p>\n

23.\u00a0 Are you guys a “support club” in any way?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

If you mean supporting of outlaw or Harley\u00a0clubs, then the answer is\u00a0NO!,\u00a0\u00a0we have no association with any 1% clubs.\u00a0 Even though we respect all bikers, we don’t\u00a0run in the same social circles as\u00a0Harley riders\u00a0or outlaw clubs; we have our own motorcycle community.\u00a0 We only ride with and\u00a0support other Cafe Racer, Classic\/Vintage, British, Japanese or European bike clubs.<\/p>\n

24.\u00a0 Is your club here run by Americans or foreigners, and if you’re Americans why do you ride foreign bikes and not American bikes?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The California Section is run by proud Americans and ex-Pats from England.\u00a0\u00a0As to why we choose to ride the bikes we do; it’s\u00a0called ‘freedom of choice’ and ‘personal preference,’ two important universal concepts.\u00a0 We cherish the freedom to choose whatever we want and not having to go along with what’s trendy,\u00a0popular or mainstream (like choppers, cruisers, and sport bikes), and we value non-conformism.\u00a0 We have absolutely nothing against American motorbikes, we just prefer ‘foreign bikes,’ as you put it,\u00a0call it personal taste, in fact some of us grew up on these kind of bikes.\u00a0 We also love American hot-rod cars, but the whole ethos of this club is our passion for British motorbikes and Cafe Racers.<\/p>\n

25.\u00a0 How often do you guys ride and where do you guys have your rides?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

We\u00a0usually plan our official club rides\u00a0far in advance,\u00a0and try to get as many members and non-members together as possible.\u00a0 As far as unofficial rides,\u00a0we usually\u00a0get together\u00a0every weekend, but we don’t\u00a0plan or schedule these rides.\u00a0\u00a0Spontaneity and whim are usually the deciding factors as to when and where we’re gonna ride.<\/p>\n

26.\u00a0 Do I have to ride a vintage bike, a caf\u00e9 racer or a British bike to join the Los Angeles or San Diego section?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Even though our club roots lay in the British bike scene of the 50s and 60s, we are not exclusively a caf\u00e9 racer bike club; we also love Italian, Japanese and German bikes as well, and they don’t have to be vintage or in the caf\u00e9 racer style.<\/p>\n

27.\u00a0 I’m little confused about the Rocker subculture, they existed in\u00a01960s England\u00a0and were into 1950s music??\u00a0 I thought they were into Heavy Metal or Rock music, and I’ve never heard of them being into Caf\u00e9 Racers.\u00a0 I looked online for an answer with no help.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I can understand your confusion, so here is a bit of history; in 1950’s England young motorcyclists were known as “Ton-Up boys” and they rode British motorcycles, mostly in the Caf\u00e9 Racer style, and they got their name from riding at 100 mph on the motorways (freeways in the U.S.) around North London, hence the term ‘Ton,’ they were also very much into 1950’s American Rock’n’Roll music.\u00a0 Their particular style was mostly functional; leather trousers or Levi jeans, tall motorcycle boots, seaboot hose socks, goggles over open-faced helmets, black leather jackets, sheepskin flying jackets or wax-cotton jackets, and silk scarves to protect from the cold and rainy elements of England.\u00a0 Most of their chosen style was influenced by the Royal Air Force pilots (RAF) of WWII, but also from the Teddy Boys (another British subculture that existed in the 1950’s) who were also fans of Rock’n’Roll music.\u00a0\u00a0 Paralleling the whole scene was Rock’n’Roll which originated in the United States and was widely popular, but largely met its decline in America by 1959, and was followed by 60’s Love Ballads, Surf Rock, Garage Rock, Blues Rock, Folk Rock, and British Beat music.\u00a0 Yet in the United Kingdom, many British-born artists carried on the original formula and passion of Rock’n’Roll from the late 1950’s all the way thru to the mid 60’s in England.\u00a0 What has created some confusion is that the term “Rock’n’Roll” has become synonymous with Rock music in general, and people mistakenly refer to many bands from the 60s, 70s and up to today as “Rock’n’Roll bands,” which couldn’t be further from the truth.\u00a0 What is more accurate is that Rock (or “Classic Rock”) and Rock’n’Roll are actually two very distinct and different types of music, each with their own beginnings and cultural impact on society.\u00a0 Other than the original American and British musicians from the 50s and 60s that are still alive today, no one is playing new<\/em> or mainstream Rock’n’Roll music, although Rockabilly (an offshoot of Rock’n’Roll) is still very popular all over the world.<\/p>\n

Overlapping this cultural and music history in the early 1960’s was where the Ton-Up boys style evolved into the Rockers; the term Rocker was originally a term of insult leveled at the Ton-Up boys by yet another British subculture, the Mods.\u00a0 The Mods were a subculture into the idea of ‘Modernism’ and a complete rejection of the past; this is where the conflict arose between the Mods and the blue-collar Rockers.\u00a0 Mods wore the newest Italian fashions, including Italian-cut suits, rode Italian scooters such as Vespa’s and Lambretta’s, and listened to Jamaican Ska, British Beat music, and the newest American R&B, Soul and Motown sounds.\u00a0 Rockers, with their 50s-era style and music choice, were viewed as an antiquated, lower-class continuation of the 1950’s.\u00a0 In fact, the Rockers were not just a continuation of the old, but an evolution in style.\u00a0 The Rockers style evolved carrying with it the original look of the 50s Ton-Up boy, but also taking new influence from the 50s American Greaser subculture (as portrayed in the Marlon Brando film The Wild One<\/em>).\u00a0 This mixed style developed into a uniquely iconic British look with the adaption of patches (including a 59 Club patch), chains, studs, pin-badges, and painted artwork on their leather jackets.\u00a0\u00a0This specific style eventually became a uniform,\u00a0a rite of passage, and\u00a0matter of pride among Rockers, and\u00a0helped distinguish the Rockers style from the\u00a0Ton-Up boys before them, who generally preferred their leathers clean and undecorated. \u00a0Even though the Rockers were very much a product of 1960’s England, their roots were still deeply planted in British and American 1950’s biker culture and\u00a0Rock’n’Roll music.\u00a0 The\u00a0style of the British Rockers\u00a0was later copied by\u00a0several other subcultures that came along almost 2 decades later; both the Punk Rock and Heavy Metal scenes\u00a0borrowed heavily from the original Rocker style, especially the motorcycle jackets, the Engineer boots\u00a0and the Creeper shoes that were worn, but in the UK the term ‘Rocker’ would forever be associated with 1950’s Rock’n’Roll music and\u00a0British\u00a0Caf\u00e9 Racer motorcycles.<\/p>\n

In the U.S. the term ‘Rocker’ is used very differently and has an even shorter history.\u00a0\u00a0Since the 1970’s the term has been associated with long hair, head-banging, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, and musicians that play Rock music or fans that follow that particular style, but absolutely no association with 50s Rock’n’Roll, greased hair or British motorcycles.\u00a0 So, the confusion for most Americans comes from the fact that there are 2<\/strong> different subcultures\u00a0in 2 different countries using the<\/strong> same name<\/strong>.\u00a0 But the British usage of the term has had a growing fan-base here in the U.S., and\u00a0The\u00a0Fifty Nine Club’s purpose and existence here in America\u00a0serves as a promotion of this\u00a0uniquely British\u00a0subculture which includes the caf\u00e9 racer scene and the Rockabilly music that was the backdrop.\u00a0 We feel it is important to know and understand the history behind\u00a0the caf\u00e9 racer scene of today and the people that rode them over 60 years ago in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n

28.\u00a0 Is there a difference between a “Rocker” and a “Caf\u00e9 Racer”?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Yes, in the 1950’s and 60s the term ‘caf\u00e9 racer’ was not just a style of motorcycle,\u00a0it was\u00a0also\u00a0a nickname for the Ton-Up boys and later on the Rockers, other popular nicknames were ‘leather boys’ or ‘coffee-bar cowboys.’ The term was mostly a\u00a0derogatory one used sarcastically to\u00a0make fun\u00a0of the\u00a0young motorcyclists because they emulated the\u00a0Isle of Mann TT racing\u00a0heroes of the time, but didn’t actually race on the track,\u00a0only from caf\u00e9 to caf\u00e9 at 100mph which was known as ‘doing the Ton’.<\/p>\n

Today the term is used a bit differently, it refers\u00a0to the\u00a0thousands\u00a0of riders all over the world\u00a0who\u00a0prefer to ride caf\u00e9 racer bikes, vintage or new, but\u00a0who do not<\/strong><\/em> follow the\u00a0very specific\u00a0uniform style of the British Rocker or the love of 50s Rock’n’Roll\u00a0and Rockabilly music.\u00a0 These ‘new<\/em>‘ Caf\u00e9 Racers have created a look all their own mixing together\u00a0functional style elements of\u00a0Punk Rock,\u00a070s Biker, American Greaser, and the modern motorcycle rider.\u00a0 Today there is a very distinct difference between those who follow the rockers subculture and those who merely ride caf\u00e9 racer bikes<\/strong>.\u00a0 The bottom line (that most Rockers will tell you) is,\u00a0“<\/em>…..just because you wear a motorcycle jacket\u00a0and <\/em>ride a Triumph Thruxton on the weekend doesn’t make you a Rocker, that smart British look, that started with the Ton Up boys in the 50s and evolved in the 60s, is a full-time, working-class uniform that has maintained for over 50 years, and like any music & style subculture, be it Mod, Punk or Teddy Boy, it’s also a lifestyle that requires strict adherence to its original style elements, traditions, and details.”<\/em><\/p>\n

29.\u00a0 What makes a bike a “caf\u00e9 racer” bike?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Very simply,\u00a0changing the stock or factory parts with aftermarket parts to make it go faster and look\u00a0like a racing bike of that era, which\u00a0means changing carburetor settings; air-intake settings;\u00a0changing the petrol tank for a larger, higher capacity one; changing the foot-pegs for rear-sets; removing the restrictive factory\u00a0silencer for an open silencer (or less restrictive); replacing the stock seat for a single-rider racing seat, and lastly changing out the handle-bars for either clip-ons or a one-piece Ace bar or Club-mans.\u00a0 Modern factory caf\u00e9 bikes consist of the new Royal Enfield GT Racer, the new Norton 961, the 750cc Moto Guzzi V7 Classic, and the ubiquitous 865cc Triumph Thruxton, but traditionally meant a stripped down British or Japanese bike from the 50s thru the 70s.\u00a0 Today the most popular caf\u00e9 bikes are Japanese bikes from the 70s and 80s because they are cheap and easy to find, but\u00a0the quintessential caf\u00e9 racer\u00a0bike that most purists aspire to own\u00a0is the\u00a0Triton<\/strong>,\u00a0a\u00a0hybrid of the Norton Featherbed frame and a Triumph motor.\u00a0 Other bikes that were equally popular during the 1950s and 60s were the\u00a0Norton\u00a0Manx, the TriBSA, the Norvin (a Norton Featherbed frame and Vincent v-twin motor),\u00a0and BSA 646cc Road Rocket.\u00a0 Hope that answers your question Dave.<\/p>\n

30.\u00a0 Are Rockers part of the Rockabilly music scene, and if so, what other groups are part of that scene?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Although lesser known in the United States, yes Rockers are part of the worldwide Rockabilly community; what makes the Rockers unique is that they are not only a music & style subculture, but also a British biker subculture.\u00a0 Within the Rockabilly scene there are other subcultures as well, some that originated in the UK, like the Teddy Boys and the Rockers, and others that originated in the USA, like the Rockabillies, Greasers and Psychobillies.\u00a0 For this reason there are lots of similarities in style among the five different subgroups; for example greased hair styles, cuffed Levi 501 jeans and leather motorcycle jackets are common items worn by all five of the groups, yet each group has specific style elements that are unique to their specific sub-culture; for example only Teddy Boys wear Edwardian coats and bolo ties; only Rockabillies wear blue Suede shoes and 50s-style suits with shirt collars worn outside the coat lapel; only Rockers wear silk scarves, sea-boot hose socks under their boots, and heavily decorate their leathers; whereas bandanas, Dickies jackets, and Converse All-Stars are mainly worn by American Greasers, these are just a few examples.<\/p>\n

31.\u00a0 What is the difference between Rockers in the USA and Rockers in England?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I am going to do my best to answer this question within the parameters of the subject content in this Q&A forum because Question #27, paragraph 3\u00a0answers your question quite accurately, but I will again clarify;\u00a0 the usage of the term ‘rocker’ in this country, the USA, is a completely different scene or subculture than what is talked about\u00a0on this 59 Club ~ California website or in this Q&A\u00a0section.\u00a0 The term\u00a0‘rocker’ here in the States means a fan of\u00a0Heavy\u00a0Metal, Hard Rock, Classic Rock\u00a0or Rock music, and the long-haired fashion associated with that\u00a0particular scene;\u00a0other names for that fan-base would be a ‘Headbanger’ or\u00a0‘Metalhead.’\u00a0 The\u00a0music media in the US also uses the term ‘rocker’ synonymously with the terms\u00a0‘rock musician’ or music celebrity; for example: the\u00a0Rocker\u00a0Jon bon Jovi, the Rocker Marilyn Manson\u00a0or the Rockers from The Foo Fighters.<\/p>\n

In the United Kingdom the term ‘Rocker’ means something completely different and has a longer history dating back to the 1950’s.\u00a0 In the UK the Rocker subculture is not only a biker subculture revolving around British motorcycles and caf\u00e9 racers, it also is a music & style subculture revolving around 1950’s Rock’n’Roll and Rockabilly music.\u00a0 The particular style of the British Rocker originated in the UK during the 1950s with the Ton-Up boys, who’s style was influenced by the Spitfire pilots from WWII.\u00a0\u00a0RAF pilots at that time were known for their flare with the use of silk scarves, sea-boot hose socks, leather jackets, goggles, and Brylcream in their hair .\u00a0 The Rockers style evolved in the early 60s with influences from the American Greaser subculture (as in the film The Wild One<\/em> with Marlon Brando), specifically the Levi 501s that were worn cuffed.\u00a0 During the late 60s and early 70s the Rockers style evolved yet again when the passion for caf\u00e9 racers was replaced by ‘Western-style’ high-rise handlebars, chopped fenders and stretched front forks, and their look became more scruffy and less sharp, with longer hair and sleeveless denim jackets, as they were now known as Greasers (not the American Greaser style).\u00a0 With the virtual demise of the entire British motorcycle industry in the mid-70s, the Rockers subculture all but died out until the mid-80s when Rockabilly music had a revival, and Rocker Reunions hosted by Lenny Patterson (an original 59 Club member), were initiated to revive the original scene – the Caf\u00e9 bikes, the original 50s and 60s sounds, and the best style elements from all three phases (Ton-Up boy, Rocker, Greaser) of the Rocker subculture.\u00a0 Today all three names are used interchangeably in the UK, but primarily referred to as “Rockers,” although some original motorcyclists from the 1950s, who were the proud trailblazers of the subculture before the 59 Club came around, prefer not to be called Rockers, they proudly hold onto the Ton-Up boys title. – (Eric Manton)<\/p>\n

So, to answer the question I feel you are trying to get at; yes, there are several dozens of American motorcycle riders, from Southern California to Chicago, from Texas to Connecticut, who follow the British Rocker subculture and style.\u00a0 Call us purists or revivalists, we all meticulously adhere to the original British style like a uniform, on-or-off the bike, and yes we all love vintage Caf\u00e9 Racer bikes, Rockabilly, Rock’n’Roll, tattoos, greased hair, and that original style that originated in England 75 years ago.\u00a0 Hope this finally answers your question Susan, I can always go into more detail.<\/p>\n

32.\u00a0 What is the difference between Rock, Rockabilly and Rock’n’Roll?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I actually saw this one coming Susan so here goes; Rock’n’Rolls roots lay in the American music of the 1940s, it slowly developed from a lot of different Southern influences, mostly African American music of that era like the Blues, Jump Blues, Gospel sounds, Jazz, R&B, but also from Western Swing and the Big Band sound of WWII.\u00a0 This music evolved into what became known as Rock’n’Roll in the early 1950s with bands like Bill Haley & the Comets, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Buddy Holly.\u00a0 The saxophone and piano were two of the leading instruments in the music.<\/p>\n

Rockabilly originated from a fusion of Rock’n’Roll\u00a0and Country music, (which was known as ‘Hillbilly’ music at the time), it was the term ‘Rock<\/em>‘ from Rock’n’Roll, and the term ‘Billy<\/em>‘ from Hillbilly music that lead to the name Rockabilly.\u00a0 And of course we all know the most important figure in the development of Rockabilly was Elvis Presley, but he was certainly not alone in the rise of this music genre; Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Cash, Johnny Burnette, Billy Fury, Cliff Richard, Vince Taylor, and Carl Perkins to name a few American and British musicians, played a very strong hand in the evolution of the sound, and with keeping it alive into the mid 60s in the UK after it declined in popularity in America in 1959.<\/p>\n

Lastly, Rock music developed in the early 1960’s from the influences of Rock’n’Roll, the Blues, Electric Blues, R&B, Folk, Soul, the Surf Guitar sound, and Country music.\u00a0 The genre of Rock music would lay the foundation for numerous offshoots sounds and movements like Garage Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Glam Rock, Blues Rock, Folk Rock, and much later on Punk Rock.\u00a0 Some of the earliest Rock bands of the 1960’s were the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Animals, Small Faces, the Kinks, and the Yardbirds; this early Rock music had a large Mod fan-base, in fact the Who was exclusively known as a ‘Mod band’ due to their clothing style during the 1960’s.<\/p>\n

33.\u00a0 For Susan, David, and Jared, here are some books you might find interesting due to your curiosity about our club and our scene, these are ‘must-reads’ if you really want to learn about this scene:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Glory-21st-Century-Rockers-Horst-Friedrichs\/dp\/3791348213\/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389693032&sr=1-14&keywords=rockers<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Cafe-Racers-1960s-Lifestyle-Motorcycles\/dp\/1872004199\/ref=pd_sim_b_2<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Rockers-Kings-Road-Johnny-Stuart\/dp\/0859651258\/ref=pd_sim_b_35<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Ace-Times-Thrills-Spills-Culture\/dp\/0955527864\/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389693469&sr=1-11&keywords=the+ace+cafe<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Streetstyle-Sidewalk-Catwalk-Ted-Polhemus\/dp\/050027794X\/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390790179&sr=1-1&keywords=street+style%3A+ted+polhemus<\/a><\/p>\n

34.\u00a0 I noticed you guys changed your website from “Los Angeles Section” to “California,” how come?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

That is correct, we felt that as our Section has grown in the last 5 years beyond its original base with new members in different counties, it was important to recognize where<\/em> we have grown specifically and acknowledge this by renaming our\u00a0section.\u00a0 We now have officially recognized sections in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, Monterey Bay, and Bakersfield,\u00a0with\u00a0each autonomous sub-Section having its own leadership, rides and events.<\/p>\n

\u00a035.\u00a0 I was wondering if there were any other motorcycle clubs from England founded by parish Priests\u00a0or based on what years they were founded?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, there were actually a few others, but only two that I can remember specifically, there was the ’64 Club started by Father Bill Garnall, and there was also a\u00a0’69 Club coincidentally also started by Father Bill Shergold.\u00a0 The Sixty Nine Motor Cycle Club still exists today,\u00a0but even though it was begun by Father Bill Shergold, it never had the popularity or iconic\u00a0association with the Ace Caf\u00e9, the Rockers,\u00a0or Rock’n’Roll music that the 59 Club did.\u00a0 Important to note\u00a0is\u00a0there are currently two\u00a0separate\u00a0clubs in the United Kingdom referring to themselves as the “69 Club,” one that is exclusively a gay\/lesbian club started in 1965, and the other\u00a0started by Bill Shergold, that is not.\u00a0 Here is their URL:\u00a0http:\/\/www.69motorcycleclub.co.uk\/<\/p>\n

36.\u00a0 What’s this news of the 59 Club being merged with the Ace Caf\u00e9?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

For the last year or so the Council of Management of the 59 Club UK has been in talks with the Ace Caf\u00e9 management staff to look into the possibility of merging the administrative duties and functions of the Club with the staff functions of the Ace Caf\u00e9.\u00a0 For many years now the 59 Club has been hampered by an antiquated indexing and membership renewal system that was further affected by the fact that unpaid volunteers from the Club have been trying to handle the insurmountable task of responding to emails, taking-in international money orders, answering subscription and membership requests arriving by regular mail, and filling orders for Club patches and regalia, all on their own without the help of modern computers.\u00a0 Because of the modern business practices of The Ace Caf\u00e9 and their computerized Admin system, the decision was made to merge those aforementioned Club functions and duties with the Ace for the betterment of the Club and to lessen the stress and workload on the Clubs’ unpaid volunteers. As of now (February 2015) Club members can now go to the Ace Caf\u00e9 website and use their home computer for all Club-related business; new memberships, renewals, purchase of new patches, etc., and credit cards can now be used for any purchases made by international customers or Club members living in the North America or Europe.<\/p>\n

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37.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 Update to Question 36. As of September 2023, the Ace Cafe no longer has control over the membership functions or the administrative duties of the 59 Club.\u00a0 These responsibilities and functions are now back in the hands of the 59 Club staff and members.<\/p>\n

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Frequently Asked Questions: We’ve received a lot of random questions to our club website email, The59ClubLA@yahoo.com, \u00a0so we thought it would be a good idea to address the more frequent questions we get.\u00a0 Most of the questions we receive can be answered by simply reading our club history from England or the\u00a0history on this website.\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-creating-the-los-angeles-section"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.the59clubla.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.the59clubla.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.the59clubla.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.the59clubla.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.the59clubla.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=130"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"http:\/\/www.the59clubla.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1109,"href":"http:\/\/www.the59clubla.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130\/revisions\/1109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.the59clubla.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=130"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.the59clubla.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=130"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.the59clubla.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}