BSA

 The Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited, BSA was a major industrial combine, a group of businesses manufacturing military and sporting firearms; bicycles; motorcycles; cars; buses and bodies; steel; iron castings; hand, power, and machine tools; coal cleaning and handling plants; sintered metals; and hard chrome process.

At its peak, BSA was the largest motorcycle producer in the world. Loss of sales and poor investments in new products in the motorcycle division, which included Triumph Motorcycles, led to problems for the whole group.

A government organized rescue operation in 1973 led to the takeover of remaining operations by what is now Manganese Bronze Holdings, then owners of Norton-Villiers, and over the following decade further closures and dispersals. The original company, The Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited, remains a subsidiary of Manganese Bronze but its name was changed in 1987.

Manganese Bronze continues to operate former BSA subsidiary Carbodies, now known as LTI Limited, manufacturers of London Taxicabs and the largest wholly British owned car manufacturer.

Motor bicycles were added to bicycle products in 1910. The BSA 3 1/2 HP was exhibited at the 1910 Olympia Show, London for the 1911 season. The entire BSA production sold out in 1911, 1912 and 1913.

In November 1919 BSA launched their first 50 degree vee-twin, Model E, 770cc side valve (6-7 hp) motorcycle for the 1920 season^. The machine had interchangeable valves, total loss oil system with mechanical pump and an emergency hand one. Retail price was £130. Other features were Amac carburettor, chain drive, choice of magneto or Magdyno, 7-plate clutch, 3 speed gear box with kickstarter and new type of cantilever fork 

Models

Models introduced before World War II:

• 3 1/2 HP
• Model E
• Model A28
• C10 sidevalve 250 cc 1938 on design by Val Page
• G14 1000 cc V-twin
• Blue Star
• Empire Star
• Silver Star
• Gold Star
• Sloper
• M20 (500cc):as the WD (War Department) M20 the motorcycle of the British Army in World War II
• M21 (600cc): the big brother of the M20, also used by the British Army in World War II

1935 BSA Blue Star

                                                                  

Models introduced after World War II:

• A series Twins (four-stroke, pushrod parallel twins)
  • A7
    • A7 Shooting Star - 500cc pre-unit construction
  • A10 - 650cc pre-unit construction
    • A10 Golden Flash
    • A10 Super Flash
    • A10 Road Rocket
    • A10 Super Rocket
    • A10 Rocket Gold Star
  • A50 - 500cc unit construction
    • A50R Royal Star
    • A50C Cyclone
    • A50W Wasp
  • A65 - 650cc unit construction
    • A65 Star Twin
    • A65R Rocket
    • A65T Thunderbolt
    • A65L Lightning
    • A65S Spitfire
    • A65H Hornet
    • A65F Firebird Scrambler
  • A70L Lightning 750

• Triples (four stroke, pushrod, three-cylinder engines) - The BSA Rocket 3/Triumph Trident were developed together. The Rocket 3 shares a majority of engine components and cycle parts with the Trident T150, but has forward-inclined cylinder barrels, BSA frame and cycle parts.
  • A75R Rocket3 750
  • A75RV Rocket3 750 - 5 speed
  • A75V Rocket3 750 - 5 speed

• Singles (Four-stroke single cylinder)
  • C25 Barracuda
  • B25 Starfire - 250cc unit construction
  • B25FS Fleetstar
  • B25 SS Gold Star
  • BSA B31 single
  • B32 Gold Star
  • B33
  • B34 Gold Star
  • B40 350 Star - 350cc unit construction
  • B40 SS90
  • B44 Victor
  • B44
    • B44SS Shooting Star
    • B44VS Victor Special
  • B50
    • B50SS Gold Star 500
    • B50T Victor Trials
    • B50MX Motocross

• C series (Four-stroke single-cylinder unit construction).

• • C10

• • C11/C11G: 12 hp (9 kW) - 70 mph (110 km/h) - 85mpg - weight 250 lb (113 kg).

The C11 used a C10 motor fitted with an overhead valve cylinder head. The C11 frame was almost unchanged until 1951 when BSA added plunger rear suspension. Early gearboxes were weak and unreliable. The C11G was available with a three ratio gearbox and rigid frame or a four ratio gearbox and a plunger frame. Both models had better front brakes than earlier models. This model was a common commuter motorcycle, and many survive today.

• • C12

(1956–1958). 249 cc OHV

Used the C11G engine, fitted with an alternator and swinging fork (known as swinging arm) rear suspension.

• • C15 Star - 250cc unit construction
  • C15T Trials
  • C15S Scrambler
  • C15SS80 Sports Star 80
  • C15 Sportsman

• D series (Two-stroke single cylinder. See BSA Bantam for details)
  • D1 Bantam - 125cc unit-construction
  • D3 Bantam Major
  • D5 Bantam Super
  • D7 Bantam Super
  • D10 Silver Bantam, Bantam Supreme, Bantam Sports, Bushman
  • D13
  • D14/4 Bantam Supreme, Bantam Sports, Bushman - 175cc
  • B175 Bantam Sports, Bushman

• Others (may include some export versions of models listed above)
  • B31 Twin (350 cc). B31 frame fitted with a Triumph 3T motor to produce this BSA B31 Twin. Very few units were produced, probably prototypes.
  • BSA Barracuda
  • BSA Beagle
  • BSA Boxer - 1979 - c.1981 the sports version of the boxer-GT50, beaver, brigand (or 50cc) range
  • BSA GT50 (renamed from the boxer)
  • BSA beaver the standard road version
  • BSA Tracker 125/175 - late 70s moto-cross style product by NVT with Yamaha two stroke engine.
  • BSA Dandy 70
  • BSA Sunbeam (Scooters, also produced as Triumph TS1, TW2 Tigress)
    • 175B1
    • 250B2
  • BSA Starfire
  • BSA Rocket Scrambler
  • BSA Rocket Gold Star
  • BSA Fury
  • BSA Hornet
  • Winged Wheel (auxiliary power unit for bicycles)
  • T65 Thunderbolt (essentially a Triumph TR6P with BSA Badges)
  
  
  
  

  

  1969 BSA Royal Star