A plus B2
It was during the 1930s that BSA cemented their reputation for building dependable motorcycles. Of course this was largely through design, but also a significant part was due to necessity: the 1929 market crash and the global depression that followed would hit both supplier and customer hard – long gone were the extravagance, optimism and technological leaps of the 1920s and in their place came the need for simplicity, low cost and reliability.
At the dawn of the decade BSA offered one of the largest and most varied ranges of any manufacturer, but the economic downturn forced a rapid rethink of the entire operation and output. The inevitable belt-tightening began, production at Redditch ceased and the remaining workforce was sent back to Small Heath.
A survival strategy was quickly implemented with the emphasis on low cost, lightweight models and supply to Police and Post Office – the large order books and guaranteed income offering a much more reliable revenue stream than showrooms.
The brakes were put on R&D – no OHC engines, rear springing or other fancy frippery here – instead the order of the day was just simple, rugged designs that would be cheap to
