So why a California branch of the 59 Club of England? Well after being a member of the 59 Club for many years, I, along with friends from Los Angeles and San Diego who are also members, noticed a disparity that we felt needed to be addressed, there was no unified 59 Club representation in Southern California for members to belong to. So began the yearlong email inquiries to London about creating a new section, and having their authorization and guidance to do so. After many, many months of communication we were given the green light to move forward with this new American section, we first created a Facebook page for current members and supporters with plans for an official website to come later. Secondly we sought approval from the Ton-Up/Rockers community in England who needed to know we were doing this with respect and the strictest adherence to British 59 Club customs and traditions. This was not going to be a rip-off of the name or a mockery of 50 years of British motorcycle culture, we wanted to do it right; we eventually got a nod of approval from a large number of Rockers new and old from England. And here we are now 5 years later with new members in Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Orange County, Monterey Bay, and San Diego; a gathering site for Southern California members who were already in the club, and a new website to respectfully promote the original 1950s/1960s British motorcycle subculture here in So Cal.
Personally, having spent time in England and Europe, and being a biker for the better half of my adult life, as well as being a Rocker for over a decade, I would like to dedicate this website to my brother and sister Rockers in England, Australia, Europe and the very, very few of us that exist here in the States. I’m proud to be a Rocker and a member of the 59 Club of England. I want to thank some important people in the Rocker/59 Club community for all their support over the last 5 years; Larry Fletcher of 59 Club – Chicago, Shadow from 59 Club – Australia, and friends from England Heather C. and her husband Max from the former original 59 Club – Italian Section. I also want to thank the Council of Management in London, specifically Sandra Hall, for their blessings and support of this new American section. Lastly, I want to dedicate this new section to the growing Café Racer scene here in the U.S. and to the hundreds of American bikers in Southern California that choose to ride vintage or classic British, Euro or Japanese motorcycles. So ride with the wind at your back and the warm sun on your face, we’ll be riding up the North Circular to the Ace Café,…in spirit at least.
Chief Administrator,
California Section ~ 59 Club of England
November, 2011.