List of BSA motorcycles
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. This is a list of Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) motorcycles from the 1930s until the end of the marque in the 1970s. The list is tabulated by engine type and period.
Contents
V-twins
Model | Engine | First year | Last year | Notes |
Model a | 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
The B-series were single cylinder models of 250 cc, 350 cc and 500 cc. After the Second World War only 350 cc and 500 cc overhead valve models were continued.
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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 overhead valve and side-valve models. During and after the 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
The C-series were 250 cc single-cylinder models
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 |
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
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All Bantams were single cylinder two-stroke machines
Model | Engine | First year | Last year | Notes |
D1 Bantam | 125 cc | 1948 | 1963 | Early examples had rigid frames; later models had plunger suspension |
D3 Bantam Major | 150 cc | 1954 | 1957 | All-welded swinging arm frame |
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
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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 | Short-lived high-compression model | |
B25 Starfire | 250 cc | 1968 | 1970 | Similar to the C25 but with slightly reduced compression |
B25FS Fleetstar | 250 cc | 1968 | 1971 | Made with low-compression engine to increase reliability and fuel economy for police and civilian fleet use |
B25SS Shooting Star | 250 cc | 1971 | ||
B25ST | 250 cc | 1971 | ||
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 parallel twins were pushrod operated 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 |
A7ST | 500 cc | 1949 | 1954 | |
A7SS | 500 cc | 1954 | 1962 | |
A10 Golden Flash | 650 cc | 1950 | 1962 | BSA's first 650 cc parallel twin |
A10 Super Flash | 650 cc | 1953 | 1954 | Limited edition for homologation for production racing in the USA |
A10 Road Rocket | 650 cc | 1954 | 1957 | |
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 |
A50 | 500 cc | 1962 | 1970 | Called "Royal Star" from 1966 onwards |
A50C Cyclone | 500 cc | 1964 | 1965 | Also A50 cc "Cyclone Clubman" for 1965 only |
A50 Wasp | 500 cc | 1966 | 1968 | |
A65 | 650 cc | 1962 | 1966 | Sometimes called "Star Twin" |
A65R Rocket | 650 cc | 1964 | 1965 | Sports model with 9:1 compression, separate headlight, and sports mudguards |
A65T Thunderbolt | 650 cc | 1964 | 1972 | Single carburettor. From 1971 had oil-bearing frame |
A65L Lightning / Rocket | 650 cc | 1964 | 1972 | Twin carburettors. From 1971 had oil-bearing frame |
A65S Spitfire | 650 cc | 1964 | 1968 | High performance model produced in Mk I, Mk II, Mk III and Mk IV versions |
A65 Hornet | 650 cc | 1966 | 1967 | Sometimes called "Hornet Scrambler" [1] |
A65F Firebird Scrambler | 650 cc | 1968 | 1972 | Twin carburettors. From 1971 had oil-bearing frame, high level exhaust pipes on left hand side[2] |
A70L Lightning | 750 cc | Limited edition for homologation for production racing in the USA | ||
Fury | 350 cc | 1971 | 1972 | Prototype only (never produced) |
Triples
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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 |
S31 'Sloper' | 491 cc | 1927 | 1935 | By 1935 there was an overhead-valve and a sidevalve, both of 595 cc |
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 with Italian 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
- 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
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