Retirement road ahead as couple bid farewell to motorcycle trade (From Western Telegraph)

Retirement road ahead as couple bid farewell to motorcycle trade

IT WILL BE the end of an era when Pembrokeshires oldest motorcycle business closes its doors.

Ellis and Valerie Mason, of Mason Motorcycles in Fountain Row, Haverfordwest, are calling it a day after 40 years in the business, and this popular couple will be greatly missed.

Ellis started work in Central Garage, Narberth, in 1945, but, fed up with doing little else but fit tyres, he took an apprenticeship at Bowens, Llawhaden, two years later, cycling the eight miles from his home in Cold Blow.

During the heavy snow of 1947 he walked to work along roads so deeply drifted with snow that he could have touched the telephone wires.

He and his wife and lifetime working partner Valerie met in school and celebrated their Golden Wedding last year.

In his younger days Ellis was a well-known motorcycle racer, trialist and scrambler and one of his proudest moments was beating BSA record holder Fred Wrist in a one mile sprint on Pendine Sands, travelling at 100 mph plus on his BSA 500.

He took part in motor cycle scrambles at Stepaside, Deep Cwm, Llanllwch and Brynamman, winning many trophies, and when he retired he travelled widely for many years as a steward for the ACU (Auto Cycle Union).

He worked for nine years for Greens at their motorcycle garage on The Track at Haverfordwest, then moved across the road to Arnolds Tunnel Motorcycles showroom. When Mr Arnold closed, he set up on his own at 12/6d a week rent in an ice-cold shed near the Bristol Trader in Quay Street.

He became the agent for Raleigh and Vespa and, after buying his current premises in Fountain Row (The Drang) in 1969, he wrote to Suzuki and Yamaha and secured further dealerships. He is now one of the oldest Yamaha dealers in the country.

He also sold Lambretta, Indian, Enfield and BMW machines. The bikes arrived in crates and he assembled them, often working from 7.30 am until 10 pm.

I could build two bikes in the evening when it was quiet, said Ellis. It took me about two hours to build a bike and I would often sell eight on a Saturday. We would have 50 to 100 numbers at a time from the County Offices road tax department.

Bikes cost from around £100 when he started, but now some of the big machines cost more than a car - a 1000cc Yamaha selling at £12,000.

Ellis won a trip to Japan in 1976 for selling 91 bikes in 31 days and in 1980 he and Valerie enjoyed another free holiday there as a dealership prize.

Valerie has looked after the books and, despite their hard work, the couple have enjoyed their time in the trade, still maintaining many friendships with customers and dealers.

They plan to enjoy their retirement gardening and in their caravan at Aberaeron.