If you’re under the age of 60 and you’re not clued up on the ins and outs of classic bikes, it’s probably quite difficult to imagine the importance of BSA. But back in the 1950s, when British bikes still reigned supreme, Birmingham Small Arms was one of the biggest and best names in the game.
Despite now being best known for its bikes, BSA (or Birmingham Small Arms) was first founded in 1854 by 14 Birmingham-based gunsmiths, making a name for itself as a producer of firearms and ammunition. It wasn’t until 1878 that it first began to make cycle components – and it took another 27 years to build its first prototype motor bicycle in 1905, another five to finally reveal it to the world in 1910, and another nine to establish the BSA Motorcycles name in 1919.
That was the start of a long and turbulent journey which saw the Midlands firm cement its place in the motorcycling history books – and there was one particularly important bike which helped them to do it. The BSA Gold Star.
History
Starting life as a development bike, the first ‘Goldie’ came about after four-times TT winner Wal Handley thrashed the competition at Brooklands in 1937 riding
