BSA is back! more rejuvanated old stuff to spend money on!

[p6x]

 

[p6x]

My preferred engine architecture always was the three cylinders, but I am also a big fan of "big" mono cylinders!!!!

[Scud]

Big thumpers!  A 650 single would be cool.  

I think Kawasaki or Suzuki tried that about 10-15 years ago, but they weren't well received. They state 45hp for the BSA 650. That's enough to make an enjoyable, competent standard bike. I expect plenty of nostalgic buyers who will put around town and do some lazy-Sunday back-roads tiddling. It won't encourage any hooliganism (for comparison, my 700cc Husqvarna single makes 75hp and weighs about 70kg (150 pounds) less.

and hey... if Phil can be we the "ringing bell" for Royal Enfield, I'll do it for Husky. (and for the record, I'd get a RE before a BSA).

[po18guy]

As to the revival of English brands, it seems that Brexit is the result of a rekindled nationalism. The BSA is a go, simply because Mahindra is a huge company and accomplishes what it sets out to do. The India/UK design and manufacture indicates that one can take the best of the past and build on it - whether technology or culture. 

[p6x]

21 hours ago, Scud said:

Big thumpers!  A 650 single would be cool.  

I think Kawasaki or Suzuki tried that about 10-15 years ago, but they weren't well received. They state 45hp for the BSA 650. That's enough to make an enjoyable, competent standard bike. I expect plenty of nostalgic buyers who will put around town and do some lazy-Sunday back-roads tiddling. It won't encourage any hooliganism (for comparison, my 700cc Husqvarna single makes 75hp and weighs about 70kg (150 pounds) less.

and hey... if Phil can be we the "ringing bell" for Royal Enfield, I'll do it for Husky. (and for the record, I'd get a RE before a BSA).

Ah, but you are not telling us why you would go with an RE before you go with a BSA...

I would say the BSA offers more charm, because it has that different engine architecture than the usual twin cylinder that you can find elsewhere, UK or Japan (I am thinking the twin CB's)

 

[p6x]

21 hours ago, Scud said:

Big thumpers!  A 650 single would be cool.  

I think Kawasaki or Suzuki tried that about 10-15 years ago, but they weren't well received. They state 45hp for the BSA 650. That's enough to make an enjoyable, competent standard bike. I expect plenty of nostalgic buyers who will put around town and do some lazy-Sunday back-roads tiddling. It won't encourage any hooliganism (for comparison, my 700cc Husqvarna single makes 75hp and weighs about 70kg (150 pounds) less.

and hey... if Phil can be we the "ringing bell" for Royal Enfield, I'll do it for Husky. (and for the record, I'd get a RE before a BSA).

I know it is just one more opinion; and the video cannot be embedded by choice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzfW5bvu-Js

[billgreenman1]

Now if they could sell it for around $10  per cc. ....

[p6x]

1 hour ago, billgreenman1 said:

Now if they could sell it for around $10  per cc. ....

I would not keep my hopes too high.... this is a direct competitor to RE, so it will be priced competitively. I expect it to be sold for about 7k USD. As the modern retro bikes are gaining momentum, the pricing does too.

If they would price it around 6k, it would certainly make headway... like this guy, I would have preferred it air/oil cooled.

 

 

 

[billgreenman1]

I imagine that it is difficult to pass Euro emissions on a big single without water cooling. I'd prefer air/ oil also. 

[billgreenman1]

Of course, if I had a boatload of disposable money and I wanted a kooky neo-retro I'd go a couple hours north of me to Goshen Indiana and get a semi-custom Janus! I  sat on one at a show pre-covid and it took quite a while for me to shake off the idiotic grin on my face! (And that's enough hyphens for one post.)😁

[docc]

This BSA totally nails it, IMO.  The GoldStar, especially. What an icon.

[p6x]

2 hours ago, billgreenman1 said:

I imagine that it is difficult to pass Euro emissions on a big single without water cooling. I'd prefer air/ oil also. 

I think it would not have been impossible, after all, it is a single cylinder; but why take a risk since Euro 6 is already looming and certain major cities are going to restrict access to non zero emission vehicles as early as 2030.

What is unfair, is that Euro 6 does not have a specific standard for motorcycles, the applicable standard is for light duty vehicles.

I think the major hurdle is that motorcycles injection system are never directly into the cylinder head.

Of course, once you factor the largest emission are still power plants fueled with coal, the concentration of efforts on reducing personal vehicles' emission seems derisory. But I am not going to criticize.

Even if I think Mahindra could have done a better job integrating the radiator, the Gold Star is still nice to look at!

 

[p6x]

2 hours ago, billgreenman1 said:

Janus!

I looked them up!

Yes, they look nice, but they are not in the same category as the Mahindra/BSA Gold Star. I feel they are more for show than for the day to day ride, and I may be wrong here.

Look at this RE Continental GT from 2014 with an SC 535

4,000 USD debatable... air/oil single cylinder...

7706 km!

I am glad I don't have room to park anything more in my garage....

 

 

[billgreenman1]

Who is next, Velocette? Does anyone know who owns the branding?

[Scud]

Maybe a $50,000 modern Vincent Black Shadow. I bet those would sell. Somebody tried to bring back Henderson a while back and failed. Indian failed at first, now the reboot is working.

And as for my earlier comment about getting a Royal Enfield over a BSA - my reasoning is based on brand familiarity and admiring what RE have been doing for a while. Also, Phil seems happy with his and I trust his opinion.