Mahindra BSA's

Just as an aside (and risking accusations of: 'thread derailment'), why is this a bike phenomenon?
Is there a major car manufacturer out there offering 'old' designs? Would you buy a 'new' Model T ? (okay, drastic comparison, but hopefully you'll get my drift)
Yes, I know Aston Martin do (and who can blame them?) and BMW have something called a Mini (let's not forget the Beetle, either)but...
I like 'old' bikes... I like 'new' bikes.... but 'new old' bikes??? Why? Not for me, really...
Each to their own, of course...
 
I can tell you why I went for a retro, the Thruxton R.
1. I have been going to the new motorcycle shows for the last 20 years and , up until 2016 saw mostly unattractive motorcycles that appeared to be styled to resemble Transformers toys.
The only bikes that were somewhat appealing in appearance, Triumph Bonneville 865, Kawi W650, were heavy and down in performance from my old bikes.
Finally in 2016 Triumph built a bike that looked right to me , didn't weigh a ton and had modern performance with a torque line much like an old Norton Commando, except damn near doubled.
So now you can get on it and go a couple of thousand miles without packing tools and spares, enjoy the ride and not hate looking at the bike when it's parked.

Glen
 
EstuaryBoy said:
Just as an aside (and risking accusations of: 'thread derailment'), why is this a bike phenomenon?
Is there a major car manufacturer out there offering 'old' designs? Would you buy a 'new' Model T ? (okay, drastic comparison, but hopefully you'll get my drift)
Yes, I know Aston Martin do (and who can blame them?) and BMW have something called a Mini (let's not forget the Beetle, either)but...
I like 'old' bikes... I like 'new' bikes.... but 'new old' bikes??? Why? Not for me, really...
Each to their own, of course...
Click to expand...
Chevy Camaro
Ford Mustang
Dodge Charger
etc...
 
oldmikew said:
what does anyone think otr uk price for the new Goldie will be?
Click to expand...
If Google is correct a new Intercepter is over £6k.
The Beezer is trying to position itself as more premium than that. So I’m gonna guess closer to £7.5K, maybe £8k for the shiny DBD replica ?

The whole retro ‘boom’ is interesting. I think Glen nailed the case ‘for’.

IMHO the case ‘against’ is really a case against modern design. It seems to me that it’s partly
the absence of satisfactory modern design that drives retro.

But it’s a fine line (and a very subjective one) between classy and tacky caricature at times.

And the Goldie is definitely gonna get called both!
 
I do a hundred mile ride on my old crates frequently (in good wx) twice that now and then.
So if I decided that I wanted to do longer rides I would get a nice low mileage R100
and I'd have an older bike and a reliable one.
Just cannot get on with the retro bikes, they don't look right and they are way too heavy.
Harumph.
 
grandpaul said:
Chevy Camaro
Ford Mustang
Dodge Charger
etc...
Click to expand...
In name only? Rather than truly retro, perhaps, though not overly familiar with them all I will admit...

And I think the 'classic' Commando is in the enviable position of being (with work, upgrades and care) capable of satisfying most of the 'modern' criteria. If you have the funds and a sympathetic riding style.

Possibly :-)
 
Onder said:
I do a hundred mile ride on my old crates frequently (in good wx) twice that now and then.
So if I decided that I wanted to do longer rides I would get a nice low mileage R100
and I'd have an older bike and a reliable one.
Just cannot get on with the retro bikes, they don't look right and they are way too heavy.
Harumph.
Click to expand...
Im pretty sure the Triumph offerings are as light or lighter than a BMW r100.
I'm just going by listed weights for the BMW. I have weighed the Thruxton r on a hanging scale. It was 477 full of fuel.
The Speed Twin is about 15 lbs lighter, cast wheels and Li battery gets some weight off.

One site shows 59 hp and 474 wet for a 1978 BMWR100.
Another shows 69 HP and 530lb dry for an 84 r100rt.
Do those numbers sound about right for the R100?



Glen
 
Fast Eddie said:
If Google is correct a new Intercepter is over £6k.
The Beezer is trying to position itself as more premium than that. So I’m gonna guess closer to £7.5K, maybe £8k for the shiny DBD replica ?

The whole retro ‘boom’ is interesting. I think Glen nailed the case ‘for’.

IMHO the case ‘against’ is really a case against modern design. It seems to me that it’s partly
the absence of satisfactory modern design that drives retro.

But it’s a fine line (and a very subjective one) between classy and tacky caricature at times.

And the Goldie is definitely gonna get called both!
Click to expand...

I think around 8K..butno figure upto 10k would surprise me.Have this dejavu feeling about the aesthetics.. Japanese bikes of the 70s never looked right atthe time then one day they did and it was the late british iron that seemed out of place. Somaybe itwill be the same the BSA What i really donotlike at the moment is the exhaust...Yes doubtless there will be aftermarket slimmer versions,but fi is notoriously difficult to remap or adjust fuelinjection A life of poor throttle responseand popping for gearchanging does notappeal. My Enfield classic efi had been fitteed with an after mkt silencer and this was a real issue. Only resolved by going back to stock.

And 103seems very conservative for topspeed given it is a 4valve head and allegedly pumps out morethan a Thruxton . British motorways arefast and potentially dangerous. You really doneed get upand go at around ther very point where the BSA willbe runningout of steam.

Shame because it looks tohave the making of being an outstanding bike but probably not one to go on the motorway with.
 
The whole reason I got in to motorcycles less than 7 years ago was b/c I came across a modern Bonneville sitting in a Starbucks coffee parking spot....all gleaming and wonderfully blued pipes. Could not stop looking it over. got my first bike, another Bonneville, less than 1 year later after taking safety courses and acquiring my license. Had never been interesting in any motorcycles prior to that day. Got the Commando as I was wanting something authentically classic. Still have the bonneville for when Commando wrenching needs to be done.
 
Mike said "And 103seems very conservative for topspeed given it is a 4valve head and allegedly pumps out morethan a Thruxton . British motorways arefast and potentially dangerous. You really doneed get upand go at around ther very point where the BSA willbe runningout of steam."

I've not heard of a Thruxton that had less rated BHP than this BSA 650 Goldstar.(45bhp)
The original Triumph Thruxton was rated at 54 bhp. The Hinckley 865 was 69bhp and the Hinckley 1200 is 97-104bhp.
Is there another Thruxton?
The numbers could be deceiving. I've talked with a couple of RE 650 owners, both said Freeway speeds were no issue at all.
The RE seems to have a good amount of zip, more than the numbers might indicate. I've seen on takeoff at full bore and it went quite well, haven't ridden one yet.
Hopefully this BSA will be similar.
An honest 103 might be faster than a back in the day magazine test 115!

Glen
 
Last edited:
worntorn said:
I've not heard of a Thruxton that had less rated BHP than this BSA 650 Goldstar.(45bhp)
The original Triumph Thruxton was rated at 54 bhp. The Hinckley 865 was 69bhp and the Hinckley 1200 is 97-104bhp.
Is there another Thruxton?
The numbers could be deceiving. I've talked with a couple of RE 650 owners, both said Freeway speeds were no issue at all.
The RE seems to have a good amount of zip, more than the numbers might indicate. I've seen on takeoff at full bore and it went quite well, haven't ridden one yet.
Hopefully this BSA will be similar.
An honest 103 might be faster than a back in the day magazine test 115!

Glen
Click to expand...
My apologies Glen, i was refering to the Velo Thruxton which I think gave about 40to 42bhp and had a topspeed of 110-115 mph. TheVenon for which Velo claimed 36 bhp was good for just about the magc ton. DBD34 had slightly more claimed.

As regards freeway speeds well my Enfield will hold 70mph but that is not for me the point.. The weekend my Dad was dying in hospital I had to ride my Commando from London up to Derbyshire in a hurry.. Going round the M25 at 90 in the rain in the fast lane i suddenly go this premonition that i was not alone. And sure enough one of our 4wheeled friends was tryng to edge past by pushing me out of the way . His car must have been hard up against the outer crash barrier. It was about 12inches waya from me and moving over!!!!! At 90 the Commando willof course accelertate but wouldit have got me out ofharms way.?
I very much doubt the BSA would , the ZZR is of course a different issue blink and the offending car would be a dot in the mirror, but not so the Norton .

Given the BSA's lowdown torque I daresay it would be an absolute delight toride on anywhere but in really fast traffic
 
Last edited:
There you go, I forgot all about the Velo Thruxton.
We rode on the M1 a few times in 2007, two up on the Vincent. Each time it was a big relief to get off the motorway, The speeds were just a bit higher than the freeways here, but the traffic was much heavier in the UK.
Not a good feeling at all!

Glen
 
Worntorn, you are probably unaware that the UK has a licence class that the BSA, and Enfield , are aimed at.

For 19-year-olds, an A2 motorcycle licence is the quickest and most effective way of progressing onto an unrestricted licence.

The A2 licence is like an intermediate motorcycle licence. Only people aged 24 or over can get their full A category bike licence. Therefore, if you’re aged 19 to 24, you will first have to obtain your A2 motorbike licence.

The A2 offers essentially the same benefits as the full category A motorbike licence, but with one exception: it limits the rider to bikes with a power output of no more than 35 kW (approx. 46.6 bhp).
 
Good point about the A2 licence Dogsbody.

Do you know how the rating / certification works?

Obviously if you buy a new bike here, it’ll say so. But I’m thinking if someone wanted to ride an old bike.

Is the BHP the manufacturers claimed number? Is it crank or rwhp? Can you use a vintage bike with dyno proof that it’s under the limit ?
 
Fast Eddie said:
Good point about the A2 licence Dogsbody.

Do you know how the rating / certification works?

Obviously if you buy a new bike here, it’ll say so. But I’m thinking if someone wanted to ride an old bike.

Is the BHP the manufacturers claimed number? Is it crank or rwhp? Can you use a vintage bike with dyno proof that it’s under the limit ?
Click to expand...
A few years ago , maybe 4 or 5 years I saw a spotty teen riding a D1 125 bantam with L plates up
I did wonder how you stand as a learner with a vintage bike? How is the bhp rated?
I'm pretty sure that engine wasn't standard either the way it sounded and the way it exellerated!!
It was great to see
 
some bikes that qualify
bikerrated.com

Every A2 motorcycle

If you're new to motorcycling, you have a few hoops to jump through. The new(ish) category A, A1 and A2 motorcycle licence structure can be a bit confusing at first. It used to be that you either rode a 125cc bike on L-plates and then you did your test and rode a big bike but these days, it's...
bikerrated.com bikerrated.com


assets.publishing.service.gov.uk

List of motorcycles that can be used for riding tests - GOV.UK

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
 
Last edited:
Fast Eddie said:
Good point about the A2 licence Dogsbody.

Do you know how the rating / certification works?

Obviously if you buy a new bike here, it’ll say so. But I’m thinking if someone wanted to ride an old bike.

Is the BHP the manufacturers claimed number? Is it crank or rwhp? Can you use a vintage bike with dyno proof that it’s under the limit ?
Click to expand...

Presumably in the case of oldbikes it will come down to MOT inspection. Actually historic vehicles are currently exempt from london congestion charges so itmay well be of importance forthe impecunious riderwhohas just passed a test
 

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