The fourth annual Mods V Rockers ride in Brisbane on Sunday (May 28, 2017) is raising money for Youngcare to get homeless youth out of aged care homes.
The ride will be one of many being staged around the world on the last weekend in May to commemorate the famous 1964 clash between the Mods and Rockers in Brighton, UK.
Brisbane’s ride kick starts at Harry’s Diner in Windsor at 8am (for a 9am departure) and rides through the city under police motorcycle escort to the Brighton Hotel, Redcliffe, where there will be suitable mod and rocker music.
The police escort isn’t to ensure there is no fighting between the greasy Rockers and smartly dressed Mods, but to ensure a smooth passage through the city and Fortitude Valley without the ride getting split up.
It has worked well over previous years and delivered all riders in one swarm at the Redcliffe seaside.
59 Club members at the 2016 Mods V Rockers rideOrganiser Matt Jones of Rocker Classic Motorcycles in Samford expects the usual line-up of classic motorcycles and scooters with clubs such as the 59 Club (Rockers) and the Cane Toad Scooter Club (Mods).
Join their FB page for specific ride details and rules.
The ride is free, but participants are asked to donate to Youngcare and to wear appropriate period costumes on the day.
Mods typically wear drainpipe pants, green parkas and ride outlandishly decorated scooters while Rockers wear blue jeans, black Brando leather jackets and ride cafe racers.
Rockers and modsWhile all bikes are welcome we expect to see a lot of cafe racers, scooters, scramblers, bobbers and brands such as Vespa, Norton, Triumph, BSA and Royal Enfield.
The Mods and Rockers clash in Brighton in 1964 was immortalised in the film Quadrophenia based on the rock operas by British rock band The Who.
Rockers surround a mod in the film QuadropheniaMatt says the riots were the culmination of months of bad blood between the two groups.
“This came as a shock to a post-war British establishment who had never seen anything like it,” he says.
“So, each year, we come together to celebrate our mutual love of two wheels and the rebel in all of us they represent.”
