[1] [2] This is a list of British manufacturer 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.
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
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.
| 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 & 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 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. 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
This page was last edited on 9 January 2024, at 23:45