List of BSA motorcycles
Appearance
marque
in the 1970s. The list is tabulated by engine type and period.
V-twins
Model | Engine | First year | Last year | Notes |
Model E | 770cc cc | 1919 | 1924 | side-valve V twin |
G30-G35 | 985 cc | 1930 | 1935 | side-valve |
G14 | 985 cc | 1936 | 1940 | side-valve |
J34, J35, J12 | 499 cc | 1934 | 1936 | overhead valve
|
Y13 | 748 cc | 1936 | 1938 | overhead valve |
B series
Second World War
only 350 cc and 500 cc overhead valve models were continued.
Model | Engine | First year | Last year | Notes |
B33-1 - B35-1, B1 | 249 cc | 1933 | 1936 | side-valve |
B33-2 - B35-2, B2 | 249 cc | 1933 | 1936 | overhead valve |
B33-3 - B35-3, B3 Blue Star | 249 cc | 1933 | 1936 | overhead valve |
R33-4 - R35-4, R4 | 349 cc | 1933 | 1936 | overhead valve |
R33-5 - R35-5, R5 Blue Star | 349 cc | 1933 | 1936 | overhead valve |
W32-6, W33-6, W34-7, W35-6, W6 | 499 cc | 1932 | 1936 | side-valve |
W32-7, W33-7, W34-8, W35-7 | 499 cc | 1932 | 1935 | overhead valve |
W33-8, W34-9, W35-8 Blue Star | 499 cc | 1933 | 1935 | overhead valve |
W33-9, W34-10, W35-9 | 499 cc | 1933 | 1935 | overhead valve |
B20 Tourer | 249 cc | 1937 | 1938 | side-valve |
B21 Sports | 249 cc | 1937 | 1939 | overhead valve |
B22 Empire Star | 249 cc | 1937 | 1938 | overhead valve |
B23 Tourer | 348 cc | 1937 | 1939 | side-valve |
B24 Empire / Silver Star | 348 cc | 1937 | 1939 | overhead valve |
B25 Competition | 348 cc | 1937 | 1939 | overhead valve |
B26 Sports | 348 cc | 1937 | 1939 | overhead valve |
B29 | 348 cc | 1940 | overhead valve | |
B30 | overhead valve | |||
B31 | 348 cc | 1945 | 1959 | overhead valve |
B32 | 348 cc | 1946 | 1957 | overhead valve |
B33 | 499 cc | 1947 | 1960 | overhead valve |
B34 | 499 cc | 1947 | 1957 | overhead valve |
M series
In the 1930s the M series was a mixture of
Second World War
only the side-valve models of this series were continued, typically for use by the armed forces or in sidecar combinations.
Model | Engine | First year | Last year | Notes |
M33-10, M34-12, M35-10, M10 | 596 cc | 1933 | 1936 | side-valve |
M33-11, M34-13, M35-11 | 596 cc | 1933 | 1935 | overhead valve |
M19 Deluxe | 349 cc | 1937 | 1938 | overhead valve |
M22 | 496 cc | 1937 | 1939 | overhead valve |
M23 Silver Star/Empire Star | 496 cc | 1937 | 1940 | overhead valve |
M24 Gold Star | 496 cc | 1938 | 1939 | overhead valve |
M20 | 496 cc | 1937 | 1955 | side-valve. Thousands of this model were supplied to the British Army |
M21 | 591 cc | 1937 | 1963 | side-valve. The UK's Automobile Association used this model in sidecar combinations
|
M33 | 499 cc | 1947 | 1957 | B33 overhead valve engine in M series plunger frame for civilian sidecar work
|
Pre-unit C series
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/1956_BSA_C10L_motorbike%2C_Wirral_Transport_Museum%2C_Birkenhead_%28geograph_4533742%29.jpg/220px-1956_BSA_C10L_motorbike%2C_Wirral_Transport_Museum%2C_Birkenhead_%28geograph_4533742%29.jpg)
The C-series were 250 cc single-cylinder models & a 350 cc side-valve model for 1940 only
Model | Engine | First year | Last year | Notes |
C10 | 250 cc | 1938 | 1953 | side-valve engine |
C11 | 250 cc | 1939 | 1953 | overhead valve engine, dynamo electrics |
C12sv | 350 cc | 1940 | 1940 | side-valve engine, dynamo electrics, girder Forks, ridged rear, |
C11G | 250 cc | 1954 | 1956 | overhead valve engine, alternator instead of dynamo |
C12 | 250 cc | 1956 | 1958 | overhead valve engine, swinging arm suspension |
C10L | 250 cc | 1953 | 1957 | side-valve engine |
Bantam series
All Bantams were single cylinder
two-stroke
machines
Model | Engine | First year | Last year | Notes |
D1 Bantam | 125 cc | 1948 | 1963
Bantam De Luxe 1949 starting March 24th becomes the BD1 in 1950 BD1 bantam 1950-1953 |
Early examples had rigid frames; later models had plunger suspension
|
D3 Bantam Major | 150 cc | 1954 | 1957 | All-welded swinging arm frame - some had plunger rear suspension
|
D5 Bantam Super | 175 cc | 1958 | 1958 | All-welded swinging arm frame similar to D5 |
D7 Bantam Super | 175 cc | 1959 | 1966 | Swinging-arm frame with separate rear subframe bolted on |
D10 Silver Bantam, Bantam Supreme, Bantam Sports and Bushman | 175 cc | 1966 | 1967 | Some models had four-ratio gearbox
|
D14/4 Bantam Supreme, Bantam Sports and Bushman | 175 cc | 1968 | 1969 | All models had four-ratio gearbox |
D175 Bantam Sports and Bushman | 175 cc | 1969 | 1971 | With C15 front forks and centrally-located spark plug
|
Unit-construction singles
Model | Engine | First year | Last year | Notes |
C15 | 250 cc | 1958 | 1967 | |
C15T | 250 cc | 1959 | 1965 | |
C15S | 250 cc | 1959 | 1965 | |
SS80 | 250 cc | 1961 | 1966 | High-performance version of C15 |
B40 | 350 cc | 1960 | 1965 | |
SS90 | 350 cc | 1962 | 1965 | High-performance version of B40 |
B44 GP | 441 cc | 1965 | 1967 | the first unit single with oil-bearing frame. Used super strong/lightweight Reynolds 531 tubing aimed at competition use |
B44 VE "Victor Enduro" | 441 cc | 1966 | 1970 | |
B44 "Victor Roadster" | 441 cc | 1966 | 1970 | From 1968 to 1970, called "441 Shooting Star" |
B40WD | 350 cc | 1967 | 2,000 for Ministry of Defence | |
C25 Barracuda
|
250 cc | 1967 | Original UK designation for the Starfire | |
B25 Starfire
|
250 cc | 1968 | 1970 | Higher performance model developed from the C15 |
B25FS Fleetstar
|
250 cc | 1968 | 1971 | Made with low-compression engine to increase reliability and fuel economy for police and civilian fleet use |
B25SS Gold Star 250
|
250 cc | 1971 | Oil-in-frame model developed from the Starfire | |
B25T Victor Trail 250
|
250 cc | 1971 | Off-road oil-in-frame model developed from the Starfire | |
B50SS Gold Star | 500 cc | 1971 | 1972 | |
B50T Trail | 500 cc | 1971 | 1972 | |
B50MX Motorcross | 500 cc | 1971 | 1972 | In 1974 sold as Triumph TR5MX for US |
Post-War twins
All BSA
overhead valve machines. The A7 and A10 models were semi-unit construction until about 1953 and pre-unit construction thereafter. All A50, A65 and A70 models were unit construction
.
Model | Engine | First year | Last year | Notes |
A7 | 500 cc | 1947 | 1962 | BSA's first parallel twin. Called "Flash" in the US after 1954 |
A7S Star Twin | 500 cc | 1949 | 1954 | Tuned version of the A7 |
A7SS Shooting Star | 500 cc | 1954 | 1962 | Tuned A7 in swinging arm frame |
A10 Golden Flash | 650 cc | 1950 | 1962 | BSA's first 650 cc parallel twin. Known as "Royal Tourist" in the US from 1960 |
A10 Super Flash | 650 cc | 1953 | 1954 | Limited edition for homologation for production racing in the USA |
A10 Road Rocket | 650 cc | 1954 | 1957 | Tuned version of "Golden Flash" |
A10 Spitfire Scrambler | 650 cc | 1957 | 1963 | Tuned off-road racer (US only) |
A10 Super Rocket | 650 cc | 1958 | 1963 | Amal TT 'racing' carburettor and new "357" full-race camshaft |
A10 Rocket Gold Star | 650 cc | 1962 | 1963 | Special - tuned Super Rocket in a Gold Star frame. Known as "Gold Star Twin" in the US |
A50 Star
|
500 cc | 1962 | 1970 | Also called "Star Twin" and "Royal Star" Called "Royal Star" in all markets from 1966 onwards |
A50C Cyclone Road | 500 cc | 1964 | 1965 | Tuned version of A50 Star (US only) |
A50C Cyclone Competition | 500 cc | 1964 | 1965 | Tuned off-road version of A50 Star (US only) |
A50C Cyclone Clubman | 500 cc | 1965 | Special for production racing | |
A50 Wasp | 500 cc | 1966 | 1968 | Replacement for off-road Cyclone Clubman and available in all markets |
A65 Star | 650 cc | 1962 | 1966 | Sometimes called "Star Twin". Called "Royal Star" in the US |
A65R Rocket | 650 cc | 1964 | 1965 | Sports model with 9:1 compression, separate headlight, and sports mudguards. Known as "Thunderbolt Rocket" in the US |
A65T Thunderbolt | 650 cc | 1966 | 1972 | Single carburettor. From 1971 had oil-bearing frame |
A65L Lightning | 650 cc | 1964 | 1972 | Twin carburettors. Known as Lightning Rocket in the US before 1966. From 1971 had oil-bearing frame |
A65 Spitfire Hornet | 650 cc | 1964 | 1967 | Twin carburettor off-road racer.(US only) Known as "Hornet" from 1966 |
A65LC Lightning Clubman | 650 cc | 1965 | Special for production racing | |
A65S Spitfire | 650 cc | 1966 | 1968 | High performance model produced in Mk II, Mk III and Mk IV versions |
A65F Firebird Scrambler | 650 cc | 1968 | 1971 | Twin carburettors. From 1971 had oil-bearing frame, high level exhaust pipes on left hand side[3] |
A70L Lightning | 750 cc | 1971 | Limited edition for homologation for production racing in the USA | |
Fury | 350 cc | 1971 | 1972 | Prototype only (never produced) |
T65 Thunderbolt | 650 cc | 1973 | Rebadged Triumph TR6 Trophy |
Triples
See Triumph Triples for corresponding Triumph models)
Model | Engine | First year | Last year | Notes |
A75R Rocket Three | 750 cc | 1969 | 1972 | |
A75RV Rocket Three | 750 cc | 1971 | 1972 | 5-speed gearbox (only three produced in 1972) |
Miscellaneous
Model name | Engine | First year | Last year | Note |
Model L | 349 cc | 1923 | 1935 | Overhead-valve, sidevalve & sloper versions |
Slopers | L 349 cc - S 493 cc - H 557 cc | 1927 | 1935 | L 27-28 only, S 27-35, H 28-33, various configurations, OHV, SV & Twin Exhaust |
A30-1, A30-2 | 175 cc two-stroke | 1929 | 1930 | Unit-construction model in two-speed and three-speed versions respectively |
Winged Wheel | 35 cc two-stroke | 1953 | 1955 | In-hub engine for bicycle |
Dandy | 70 cc two stroke | 1956 | 1962 | Lightweight scooter |
Sunbeam
|
175 cc two-stroke or 250 cc four-stroke | 1959 | 1965 | Scooter |
Beagle | 75 cc four-stroke | 1963 | 1965 | Lightweight motorcycle |
Brigand/Beaver/Boxer/GT50 | 50 cc two-stroke | 1979 | British frame designed by B.J. "Bertie" Goodman, with Italian Franco Morini engine |
See also
- List of AMC motorcycles
- List of Ariel motorcycles
- List of Douglas motorcycles
- List of Norton motorcycles
- List of Royal Enfield motorcycles
- List of Triumph motorcycles
- List of Velocette motorcycles
- List of Vincent motorcycles
References
- ^ Book of the BSA Vol I & II
- ^ BSA Sales Cataogues 1927 to 1935
- ^ Robert Smith (May–June 2006). "BSA Firebird 650 Scrambler". Motorcycle Classics. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
- Bacon, Roy BSA Gold Star and Other Singles Osprey Publishing, London 1982
- Bacon, Roy BSA Twins and Triples. The Postwar A7 / A10, A50 / 65 and Rocket III. Osprey Publishing, London 1980