BSA is back! Almost exactly 50 years after the final machine rolled off the lines of its Small Heath factory in central Birmingham in the summer of 1973, thus marking the end of 63 years of non-stop production by Britain’s largest motorcycle company (and at one time, the world’s biggest), BSA has finally been revived. Very appropriately, at Birmingham’s Motorcycle Live Show on December 4 the new 2022 BSA Gold Star was unveiled, named after the company’s most illustrious sporting model, and the product of five years of planning and development by giant Indian conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra/M&M, after it purchased the rights to the historic name in November 2016 from British holder BSA Regal.
Since then, Classic Legends – a subsidiary of M&M in which it holds a 60% stake – has been working under the leadership of its CEO Ashish Joshi, a 15-year former Royal Enfield key executive before heading up Triumph India, to develop a range of products bearing the BSA badge. The first of these is the 650cc Gold Star displayed at Motorcycle Live, which Joshi says is scheduled to be available in BSA’s British dealerships from April onwards, before deliveries commence later this year to various European countries, with the USA, Australasia and South Africa coming up next. Initially, production will take place at Mahindra Two-Wheelers’ ultra-modern factory in central India, where the bikes displayed at Birmingham were built. But Ashish Joshi has declared that he’s intent on bringing BSA production to the UK as soon as possible [see Interview].
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A Ladies Perspective What a Surprise Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
I’m sure as everyone knows by now there is little that compares to my BMW K1200S and out of the 13 different bikes I’ve been lucky enough to ride over the 18 months I’ve been riding, I finally came across one that I’m almost certain I’d swap my bike for…
Goodwood's 79th Members Meeting - Hunting, Shooting and - Racing
For that’s what marked the 79th Goodwood Members Meeting aka 79MM, held this year on April 9-10, which this time included two thrilling motorcycle races, each with a blanket finish which in Race 1 saw less than a second covering the first four bikes home.
MIDWEIGHT PUNCH - TRIUMPH TIGER SPORT 660
The Triumph brand seems to be going from strength to strength worldwide. New models are seeing the light of day in various sectors, and here in South Africa there is a carefully planned dealer expansion program in action.
Isle of Man TT-winning ABUS NORTON NRS588 GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Exclusive track test of the last British bike to win the Isle of Man Senior TT in 1992, after what's widely considered to be the most exciting race ever held in the Island
NORTON ROTARY RACERS HISTORY - Rotary Race Record
For eight successive seasons the world’s first - and so far only - Rotary-engined racebikes swept to serial success on British racetracks. Here’s a timeline on their ebb and flow.
MOTO MORINI'S Alberto Monni - INTERVIEW
Exclusive interview with Moto Morini's CEO Alberto Monni, responsible for directing its ride along the comeback trail since its 2018 takeover by Zhongneng Vehicle Group/ZVG
KAWASAKI NINJA 1000SX - Surprise Package
I’ve recently written in my Editor’s note bemoaning the lack of available Sports-Touring motorcycles nowadays.
DRYSDALE HISTORY PART 4/5: 25 YEARS ON FROM CREATION OF FIRST 750-V8
2002 1000-V8 Bruiser mega-Monster was a Naked roadster with added muscle - the answer to the question of how to out-max a Yamaha V-Max!
GODIER & GENOUD KAWASAKI 1000 - Enquring Excellence
Exclusive track test at France's Carole circuit of what's arguably the first motorcycle of the modern era - the title-winning Kawasaki Endurance racer built in 1975 by Frenchmen Georges Godier and Alain Genoud
Unnecessarily Fast, or Unnecessarily Dangerous?
“The bigger they are, the harder they fall.” This truism comes from boxing, but applies to all walks of life. Innovative MotoGP superstar Marc Marquez, however, adds a new twist.
