Ace Cafe London Special Operations Bikes 2009

DateTimeEvent

01.01.0911.00The Hangover Meet
18.01.09All DayRockers Day
01.02.0909.30Ride Out to London Motorcycle Show
01.02.09All Day59 Club Renewal Day (59 Club 50th Anniversary)
08.02.09All DayOverland Adventure Bike Day
15.02.0910.30Ride Out to High Beech Speedway Reunion
15.02.0913.00MAG Fred Hill Memorial Ride-Out
15.02.09All DaySingles Sunday
22.02.09All DayMud Pluggers Off-Road Special
01.03.09All DayTrike Day in aid of N.A.B.D
08.03.09All DayBusy Bee Club Day
15.03.09All DayAuto Scoot Sunday
22.03.0908.00Ride Out To Sunbeam MCC Pioneer Run
22.03.09All DayHonda CX & GL Meet
29.03.0910.00Raleigh Cycle Chopper Meet
29.03.09All DayScooter Sunday
04.04.0909.00Sidecar Saturday
05.04.09All DayBMF Day
12.04.09All DayBritish Bike Day
13.04.0910.30SOUTHEND SHAKEDOWN RUN
19.04.0909.00Ride-Out to BMCRC Centenary – Brands Hatch
19.04.09All DayKawasaki Sunday
23.04.0918.00St. George’s Mods n’ Rockers Special
26.04.09All DayYamaha Day
03.05.09All DayItalian Bike Day
04.05.0908.00Ride-Out to Battle of Hastings Run
10.05.0909.00Ride-Out to North Weald Test & Tune
10.05.09All DayBMW Bike Day
17.05.0910.30Ride-Out to BMF Show – Peterborough
23.05.0909.30Ride-Out to London International Custom Show
23.05.0919.00London International Custom Show party
25.05.0909.30Ride-Out to London International Custom Show
24.05.09All DayHonda Bike Day & Monkey Bike Special
25.05.0910.30MARGATE MELTDOWN RUN
31.05.09All DayClassic Bike Day
07.06.09All Day70’s Bike Day
14.06.09All DayTriumph Bike Day
21.06.0908.00Ride Out to Gaydon for VMCC Banbury Run
21.06.09All DayGixer Sunday
28.06.09All DayTriton & Cafe Racer Review
29.06.0918.00Ride-Out to Cassington Bike Night
04.07.09All DayDiamond Day – NCC Custom Bike Show
05.07.09All DayShaft Drive Sunday
12.07.09All DaySV & Bandit Bash
19.07.09All DayLaverda Day
26.07.09All DaySuzuki Sunday
02.08.09All DayVintage Japanese Day
09.08.09All DayVintage Day with VMCC
16.08.09All DayLadies Day – Bring What Ya Run!
23.08.09All DaySports Bike Special
30.08.09All DayHarley & Buell Bash
06.09.09All DaySpeedway Sunday
11.09.0919.00ACE CAFE REUNION Continental Run Ride-In
12.09.0912.00Ace Cafe Reunion Weekend Party
13.09.0910.30BRIGHTON BURN UP
20.09.09All DayCruiser Bike Day + VRCC
27.09.09All Day59 Club Day (59 Club 50th Anniversary)
04.10.09All DayHonda Hornet Swarm
11.10.09All DayBrit V’s – Vincent & Velocette
18.10.09All DayRed Oktober – Eastern Bloc Special
25.10.09All DayRat Bike Review
01.11.09All DayTwo-Stroke ‘Blue Haze’ Day
08.11.09All DayPoppy Day Parade – Military Bike Meet
15.11.09All DayTon Up Day
22.11.09All DayNorse Bike Meet
29.11.09All DayFS1-E & Sports Ped Sunday
06.12.09All DayAce Cafe Club Day
13.12.0911.00Xmas Toy Run
20.12.0910.30Paws n’ Claws Pet Food Run
20.12.0919.00Xmas Carol Service
26.12.0911.00Cold Turkey Meet

Congratulations to 'The Ace Cafe', 'The Stonebridge Motor Company' and S&S on the creation of 'The Ace Cafe Racer'! This is one very cool project and we couldn't be happier for all involved if we had done this project ourselves!

British culture is littered with icons. From the monarchy to the Mini car, white cliffs of Dover to The Beatles, the English pint and cricket, these icons are known and loved by the British and recognised around the world as representing the drive, imagination and passion of the British people.

One such icon is Ace Cafe London, because to the hundreds and thousands of enthusiasts from every nation, who love motorcycles and the spirit of rock n’ roll rebellion, the Ace represents their cultural roots, indeed The Ace Cafe is where it all began.

The cafe at Ace Corner was originally built in 1938 as a roadside stop to cater for traffic using the new and fast North Circular Road. The building was badly damaged in World War II but was subsequently rebuilt in 1949 as one of the first purpose built roadside cafes and notably one of the first venues to use, the then novel neon signage.

With its proximity to the national arterial road network and its round the clock opening hours, the Ace soon attracted young motorcyclists from London and its environs looking for a place to call their own, meet friends and talk bikes – they found it at the Ace, together with rock n’ roll.

From this powerful fusion of motorbikes, music and a reckless disregard for road safety, come the legends of record racing. Dropping a coin into the jukebox, then racing to a given point and back before the record finished, turning the North Circular Road into an unofficial race track. The antics and deeds of the patrons of the Ace swiftly became famous, legendary and somewhat notorious.

In 1963 the Ace took a leading role in the cult British film “The Leather Boys”, based on the novel of the same name, telling the story of teenage Ton Up boys and their live fast, love hard youth culture of rebellion. From that time the legend of the Ace was assured and the constant need for greater speed by this new and fearless generation of riders, seeking to achieve the then magical speed of 100mph, The Ton, brought about the creation of a special type of motorcycle, the cafe racer.

Manufacturers of motorcycles at the time did not cater for this new generation of riders, for whom speed and looking cool were all that was important.

They took it upon themselves to re-engineer their machines to be fast, agile and minimal, anything that did not make the bike go, stop or turn, was rejected. They were built for maximum performance with either clip-on or ‘Ace’ handlebars, rear-set foot pegs, swept-back exhausts, all uniquely combining to make a taut, dynamic and fast riding experience. Pure fun.

Like the Ace itself the cafe racer was destined to become an automotive icon. It came from the same creative period of British history when rock n’ roll was played at 78rpm and leather jackets only came in black. A cafe racer can be raced, but it is not a race bike. With its fifty years of evolution, it is still about basics, it must look good and it must look fast, turning heads and corners with ease, seducing all with its power, beauty and soul.

With its 70th anniversary looming in 2008, the legacy of the cafe racer lives on at Ace Cafe London. Mark Wilsmore, who has been the guiding inspiration behind the Ace since 1993, has totally restored the site that was reopened in its current form in September 2001.

Whilst the Ton Up boys may no longer burn up the North Circular Road at speeds of 100mph, the jukebox is still there and so are the riders and their bikes. Visitors to the cafe today are just as likely to have travelled from as far afield as Berlin, Cape Town, Sidney, Tokyo or New York as they are from John O’Groats to Land’s End.

Ace Cafe London has come of age and gone global. The famous site now regularly hosts motoring television
programmes for all the major channels and overseas broadcasters and is frequently the subject of documentary producers looking for an angle on teenage youth culture. Literally thousands of riders drop by to enjoy a cup of tea or a meal with likeminded people. With passion remaining constant, the talk is still about motorbikes.

One problem that faced Mark in early 2007 was how to celebrate the cafe’s 70th anniversary in 2008, what would be fitting for such an occasion? During a visit to the cafe in June 2007 by the President and a colleague of his from S&S Cycle, the world renowned American V-twin manufacturer, Mark learnt that 2008 was also going to be a big year for S&S Cycle with it being their 50th anniversary.

To celebrate the occasion, S&S Cycle is planning an international bike competition to be held in Wisconsin, USA, in June 2008. Mark viewed a relationship with S&S Cycle and their invitation to build an Ace bike as the ideal opportunity to turn his cafe racer dream into reality. The question now was how to build the bike that is to be powerful, beautiful and to represent the epitome of what cafe racing is all about. The answer was literally on his doorstep, Nick Gale.

Regular visitor to the Ace and European champion motorcycle builder and customizer, with premises located less than half a mile from the cafe, Nick and Mark started to hatch a plan to build the bike. This was not going to be just any bike, nor even one of the masterful creations that Nick has stunned the world with. It would be one of a kind, hand built and drawing on only the best materials and components available.

This bike will be the finest cafe racer ever built.

Further meetings took place which resulted in the S&S Cycle invitation to build an Ace bike being undertaken by the now newly formed Stonebridge Motor Company, to build an S&S engined Ace Cafe Racer to compete at the S&S Cycle 50th anniversary event, an offer and challenge that Mark and Nick have accepted.

Stonebridge Motor Company is building motorcycles based on the speed thrills and burn up legacy, the very core essence of Ace Cafe London, its culture and heritage, with the proven performance of the S&S Cycle 100ci SB V-twin engine at its heart. The machines will be the ultimate light, powerful, agile, go fast motorcycles.

The engines for the competition bikes are serial numbered from 1958 – 2008 as a tribute to the 50 years of S&S Cycle and represent the only engines built for this unique anniversary occasion. Judging to be undertaken by the builder’s themselves, key media members, S&S personnel, show attendees and internet voters.

With S&S Cycle very keen to be part of the Ace Cafe Racer project, it was decided to look beyond the immediate anniversary. A plan was developed with a view to the production of a Limited Edition series of 100 S&S powered Ace Cafe Racers to be sold in Europe, USA and Japan.

The S&S Cycle 50th anniversary competition machine, a very special bike dubbed ‘Little Miss Dynamite’ is to be kept under wraps until it appears in Wisconsin. From there, the bike will continue to tour America to include at the custom Bike World Championship in Sturgis, S. Dakota, USA, in August 2008. The bike will then be showcased at prestigious events in Japan. Additional to the competition bike, two identical production models will tour shows in the UK, Europe and USA.

With the Ace Cafe Racer, an iconic British motorcycle, and with Ace Cafe London being recognised as a worldwide brand, the team at Stonebridge Motor Company is dedicated to showing that Cool Britannia is alive and well.

Mark Wilsmore (left)

Injected at a young age, petrol and bikes flow through Mark Wilsmore’s veins in equal measure. Early influences of revving bikes and rock n’ roll music began a lifelong love affair with motorcycles, the culture, clothes, music and the myths that surround them, making his knowledge and attention to detail legendary. His particular passion is for classic British bikes.

Time passed, as did the glory days of the British Motorcycle Industry and the rock n’ roll scene, but the dream lived on and in 1994, driven by his passion for the bikes and the music, Mark staged an event to mark the cafe’s closure in 1969. 12,000 people attended this first Ace Cafe Reunion, which has since been held every year, attracting over 100,000 visitors.

It was Mark’s vision that brought Ace Cafe London, back from dereliction to the point where today it is the world’s most famous and charismatic gathering point and destination for the global motorcycling community.

For Mark, to be involved with building cafe racers is the ultimate expression of his creativity and with the advent of Stonebridge Motor Company and the rest of the team, he rejoices in the challenge of bringing back the legend of the cafe racer to its ancestral home.

George Tsuchnikas (centre)

Athens born George arrived in the UK, aged 22, in 1980, leaving behind five years as a chef, travelling the world on cruise liners and two years military service as a Marine Commando.

It did not take him long to be working with the two leading food and drink companies in the UK, Scottish & Newcastle and Grand Metropolitan Retailing. By the late 1980s George was in a senior position within the Special Operations Division of Grand Met, developing new ideas for restaurant and bar chains, where he acquired a wealth of expertise in this field. In 1990, he was awarded the title ‘International Honorary Citizen’ of New Orleans, USA, for his services in the industry.

The early 1990s saw George create his own privately owned group of restaurants in the North West of England. Rising to this new challenge, he joined the Sefton Chamber of Commerce & Industry as a Director from 1992 – 2004, serving as Chairman from 1994-1995. He also set up G&SM Consultants Ltd, a company dedicated to providing assistance and advice to businesses old and new.

George, Ace Cafe London Ltd’s Operations Director, who assisted in realising ‘The Dream’, the full reopening of the
Ace in 2001, brings with him to Stonebridge Motor Company a vast wealth of experience in the business world. With his direction and acumen the team is sure to succeed.

Nick Gale (right)

Recognised as leading in the European custom bike world, in 2005, Nick Gale turned his back on the textile company that he had run for eighteen years, to pursue his passion for unique motorcycles.

Specialising in Harley-powered machine’s, Nick Gale Custom Cycles was created following ‘Best in Show’ awards at both the 2004 and 2005 European Harley Custom Bike Shows. Best in Show awards also followed in the 2006 and 2007 events, with Nick dominating the European stage with an extraordinary accomplishment of sixteen class and overall wins, in just four years of competition.

Added to the array of domestic and international show wins over the last four years, Nick is one of the most successful competitors in the European custom bike industry, with two of his award winning creations, Memphis Belle and Rosso Corsa (the Ferrari bike), receiving global acknowledgment.

Subsequent to competing in the Custom Bike World Championships in Las Vegas, Rosso Corsa was purchased by Jean Todt, CEO of Ferrari. The bike now resides in the Ferrari Museum, Modena, Italy.

With the continued success of Nick Gale Custom Cycles, and now as Managing Director of Stonebridge Motor Co., Nick relishes the prospect of both building Ace Cafe Racers and competing with the machine at shows and events around the world.

Peter Williams

Stonebridge Motor Company is delighted to have the renowned Peter Williams, with his tremendous and invaluable experience as motorcycle engineer and successful race rider (1973 Isle of Man TT winner) on board as mentor and to assist in ensuring that Ace Cafe Racers are the best motorcycles available and that they win!

Craig Vetter

Also fired up about the Stonebridge Motor Company’s upcoming plans and a source of inspiration to the team, is USA’s renowned motorcycle designer, AMA Champion Cafe Racer and inductee of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, Craig Vetter, who after seeing the proposals remarked “I can’t wait to ride one of these S&S powered cafe racers”.

We really appreciate the folks at 'The Ace' ( Linda ) sending us the pictures of this project and look forward to seeing it in person. Visit 'The Ace' on line at www.ace-cafe-london.com and have a look around and get an idea of what 'The Ace' is all about. 'The Ace' is a dream realized and a great team of people helping Mark pull it together. I get the feeling the pavement vibrates on bike or cruise night.