So, if BSA were to be restored to production in the next couple of years, what motorcycles would they be most likely to produce?
A brief BSA History
The Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) Company commenced business in 1863. The the bicycle division starting in 1880 but it was not until 1905 that a small Minerva engine powered bicycle was released in 1905. With the rise of the motor cycle trade in 1902 the B.S.A. Company had marketed special fittings and frames suitable for use with low power petrol engines. Development in the design of BSA motorbicycle frames in 1905 was followed by the spring frame,introducing significant advances towards riding comfort. The spring frame was designed to suit inclined engines from 2 h.p. to a 4 h.p. Sets of motorbicycle fittings were also supplied for vertical engines up to 3 1⁄2 h.p. or inclined engines up to 2 3⁄4 h.p.
Motor bicycles were added to bicycle products in 1910. The BSA 3½ hp was exhibited at the 1910 Olympia Show, London for the 1911 season. The entire BSA production sold out in 1911, 1912 and 1913
BSA produced motorcycles including the popular S27 or Sloper Model which was available in 350cc, 500cc and 595cc over the ten years which it was produced.
BSA Motorcycles in Warfare
In addition to the large quantities of weapons needed Army, there was also strong demand for B.S.A. motorbikes, supplied in very large numbers to the British and Allied Governments. By World War 2, BSA had 67 factories producing guns and ammunitions. BSA supplied 126,000 M20 motorcycles to the armed forces from 1937.
At that point, BSA was the largest producer of motorcycles in the world.
(BSA M20 500cc (1939).)
Post-War
BSA continued it’s expansion, purchasing Triumph motorcycles in 1951. They then went on to acquire Ariel, Sunbeam and New Hudson. By 1965, competition from Japan (Honda, Yamaha & Suzuki) and from Europe (Jawa, CZ, Bultaco & Husqvarna) was shredding BSA’s market share. The BSA and Triumph range were no longer meeting the changing markets expectations. At the same time, failed projects such as the production of the Ariel 3 also harmed the company.
(Ariel 3 at Bourton On The Water Motor Museum - Flickr - mick - Lumix.jpg:, CC BY 2.0, File:Ariel 3 cropped.JPG - Wikimedia Commons)
To tackle competition head on, a new range of singles, twins and the new 3 cylinder Rocket 3 was launched in 1968/69. A company reorganisation in 1971 centred motorcycle production in the Triumph Meriden plant, whilst component and engine production was left in the BSA plant in Small Heath. Production upgradescontinued until 1972 but the flood of more reliable Japanese motorbikes had long since flooded the market.
After the merger with Norton Villiers in 1972, a Norton B50 based on a 500cc unit-single engine but few were sold. The BSA single unit B50’s were improved by the CCM motorcycle company, so this basic BSA design continued until the late 1970s across Europe.
In 1972 bankruptcy was inevitable and the BSA motorcycle businesses were absorbed into the Manganese Bronze company, Norton-Villiers, becoming Norton-Villiers-Triumph. The express intention was production and sales of Norton & Triumph motorcycles. BSA shareholders confirmed the merger, and although the BSA name was omitted from the new company's name, 4 BSA motorcycles continued production until 1973:
- Gold Star 500 (B50)
- 650 Thunderbolt
- 650 Lightning
- 750 Rocket Three
Both Norton and BSA factories were closed around 1973, and Triumph folded 4 years later.
Post War BSA Motorcycle Motorcycles
This is not an exhaustive list of every model or its variant - just a "rough guide" for quick reference. For more details, see:
A series Twins (four-stroke, parallel twin)
A7 - 1947-62
A7 Shooting Star = 1949-54
(By Thruxton - Own work, CC BY 3.0, File:BSA A7 1949.JPG - Wikimedia Commons)
A10
A10 Golden Flash - 1950-62
A10 Super Flash - 1953-54
A10 Road Rocket - 1954-57
A10 Super Rocket - 1958-63
A10 Rocket Gold Star 1962-63
(By Swainys-Boy - Own work - Own Motorcycle, CC BY-SA 4.0, File:Late BSA A10.jpg - Wikimedia Commons)
A50 - 1960 - 1970
A50R Royal Star - 1966-70
A50C Cyclone 1964-65
A50W Wasp 1966-68
(By Mfhutchins at English Wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Common Good using CommonsHelper., Public Domain, File:1969 BSA A50.jpg - Wikimedia Commons)
A65
A65 Star Twin - 1962-70
A65L Lightning - 1964-72
A65R Rocket - 1964-72
A65T Thunderbolt - 1964-72
A65H Hornet - 1966-67
A65S Spitfire - 196468
A65F Firebird Scrambler - 1968-72
(By Ken from London, England - BSA A65 Unit Twin, CC BY 2.0, File:BSA A65 650 twin.jpg - Wikimedia Commons)
A70L Lightning 750 (production racing bike)
Triple Cylinder: the BSA Rocket 3 and the Triumph Trident were joint products and share a majority of engine components and cycle parts. The BSA has “slanted” engine cases, plus a BSA frame and fittings.
A75R Rocket3 750 - 1969-72
A75RV Rocket3 750 – 5 speed - 1972
A75V Rocket3 750 – 5 speed
(By TR001 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, File:BSA Rocket 3 motorcycle.JPG - Wikimedia Commons)
C Series Four-stroke unit singles - Unit Construction
C10
C11/C11G: 12 hp (9 kW) – 70 mph (110 km/h) – 85mpg – weight 250 lb (113 kg).
The C11 used a C10 motor fitted with OHV top end. The frame on the C11 was almost unchanged until 1951 when BSA fitted a plunger rear end making only a little improvement to the quality of the ride. Early gearboxes were weak and were known to explode. The C11G was available as a 3 speed with rigid frame or 4 speed with the plunger frame version. Both models had better front brakes than earlier models. This model was a popular all round commuter motorcycle, and many can still be seen around today.
C12 - 1956–58 - 249 cc OHV - C11G engine fitted with an alternator
C15 250cc 1958-65
C15 Star
C15P Star Police
C15T Trials
C15S Scrambler
C15SS80 Sports Star 80
C15 Sportsman
(By Mick from England - BSA C15 250cc 1960, CC BY 2.0, File:BSA C15 250cc 1960 - Flickr - mick - Lumix(1).jpg - Wikimedia Commons)
So, there are some iconic BSA models for Mahindra to pick from, and one wonders which of those will make production in modern form...