Who were the "Mods & Rockers"

This blog is named after a subculture movement that occurred in Britain during the 1960’s. Traditional motorcyclists at the time wore protective clothing and styles made popular by American rock & roll artists and actors. They were known as "Rockers".  These riders were motorcycle enthusiasts from the café racer movement and I have always admired their motorcycle's designs. Their bikes were customized to race from café to café and were modified for performance. Café racers are in vogue today showing the longevity of their movement.

In the mid 60’s the Rockers were countered by a scooter riding group called the "Mods". They were a clean cut suit wearing bunch of fellows. Like a page out of a “B movie” the two groups came into conflict with one another and riots commenced. A collision of cultures, so to speak, ensued. Why a group of suit wearing scooter riders would want to fight a bunch of leather wearing bike racers is beyond me but it actually happened. From what I understand they held their own pretty well against the tough guys. I will not rewrite the story here but check it out on Wikipedia.  It’s a good read.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mods_and_rockers

One reason I prefer motorcycles over cars is the mechanical beauty of their design. As you can tell by my blog I am also a fan of the bikes that were a part of the “Rocker” movement. The pure performance aspect of the café racer appeals to me. I have modified my Norton Commando to reflect the café movement with rear-sets, lower bars, and the removal of non-essential bits such as the turn signals (which kept falling off anyway). “Keeping the Rockers Rolling” is named as a tribute to these bikes and the people that made them classics. Although I admire all two wheeled vehicles, including scooters, you won’t see me restoring a scooter any time soon. Enjoy!