Mahindra BSA's

MikeG · Dec 7, 2021

grandpaul said:
Chevy Camaro
Ford Mustang
Dodge Charger
etc...

Big difference here is that any of these newer iterations of the old versions are way more comfortable, better handling and POWERFUL than the originals if you buy the right version. Not sure if you can say the same about the bikes?

74ok · Dec 7, 2021

The rep said more power was on tap, prob this one is aimed at a2.

Mike40M · Dec 7, 2021

About retro bikes. Seat height is usually lower, making them more attractive to us with short legs.
Did a comparison between my 1970 B44 and a 2022 Honda CRF300L. About same weight and power. But the Honda seat height almost 3" higher. So it is possible to add electric start,water cooling, ABS and cat and keep a decent weight.

Fast Eddie · Dec 8, 2021

Yes manufacturers can produce light bikes today, sports bikes and enduro type bikes prove that.

What bugged / perplexed me was retro bikes. It came to a head when my Dad who sold his Hinckley Bonnie due to it getting too heavy for him was amazed how light my ‘68 Bonnie felt. He liked it so much I have t seen it since…!

But having pondered it a bit, I’ve concluded it all comes down to money. I think the manufacturers could easily build much lighter retro bikes, but that would require materials and effort that would bump up the price, and folk wouldn’t buy them.

Modern bikes do have a lot more stuff in them, so manufactures have actually reduced weight in order to keep the weight where it is with the added stuff.

Manufacturers work to targets. Target power, target weight, target sales price, target manufacturing cost, etc. To do this they find out what the market really demands in terms of that balance, then make something which fits the requirements.

Folk are often keen to talk about what they want in a bike… but when it puts the price up, the conversation changes…

Dogsbody · Dec 8, 2021

Less chance of building a special these days with the lack of frame builders. Seeley, Harris, Spondon, Egli, Bimota, Vendetta and a couple of French ones have all but gone although Rickman could probably do a frame for a Triumph. Perhaps they will do a frame for the Royal Enfield Interceptor again.

Fast Eddie · Dec 8, 2021

I don’t think the frame is where the weight is on the RE.

In fact the RE has a Harris frame as standard !

baz · Dec 8, 2021

Dogsbody said:
Less chance of building a special these days with the lack of frame builders. Seeley, Harris, Spondon, Egli, Bimota, Vendetta and a couple of French ones have all but gone although Rickman could probably do a frame for a Triumph. Perhaps they will do a frame for the Royal Enfield Interceptor again.

I hate to be a cynic but I doubt there is any future in being a special frame builder
Not with new anti tampering laws around the corner
And talk of them also being retro!
Nobody will be changing hand grips or god forbid handlebars or different tyres and so on that aren't manufacturers OE

74ok · Dec 8, 2021

baz · Dec 8, 2021

74ok said:

I have heard people say that w650 is more of a bonniville than the hinkley one?

grandpaul · Dec 8, 2021

baz said:
I have heard people say that w650 is more of a bonniville than the hinkley one?

NO.

baz · Dec 8, 2021

grandpaul said:
NO.

I've never ridden the kwak
I have ridden two Hinckley Bonneville's so I can't make a judgement

grandpaul · Dec 8, 2021

I think the Hinkley Bonneville has strayed too far from it's original, perfect, niche.

It is now nearly double the engine capacity, and with way too much weight coming along for the "upgrade" ride.

The 1200 should have used a different model name and left the Bonnie & Thruxton at 865 max. In fact, 750 max, to keep it in that class. I don't give a flip what they do with the "America", nor the "scrambler".

I miss my '02 already. It was a PERFECT modernization of the classic Bonnie, in my opinion, WITHOUT water cooling, AND NO CAST WHEELS.

worntorn · Dec 8, 2021

You are aware that the 900 and 1200 w.c. bikes, excepting the T120, are much lighter than the previous aircooled 865 s? Those bikes on the scale topped 500 lbs.
The t120 is still a tank but t100, Thruxton R, Speed Twin, and Street Twin are all about 40-50 lb lighter than the older low power 865 bikes.

I thought Triumph did quite well to add w cooling, much better braking and suspension, gobs of power, abs and ride modes while chopping about 40-50 pounds off.

Of course I would like the bike to weigh less than its 448 dry, but it's quite reasonable given what's there.
Li battery, decat and tubeless tires are easy to do and get it down to around 430 dry, getting close to a stock kickstart 750 Commando?

Glen

prince of darkness · Dec 8, 2021

Tornado said:
I'd add the New Beetle was one of the first retro cars out the gate back in '98. It was a huge seller and prompted a lot of retro inspired designs, like modern Mini.

Porsche

grandpaul · Dec 9, 2021

worntorn said:
You are aware that the 900 and 1200 w.c. bikes, excepting the T120, are much lighter than the previous aircooled 865 s? Those bikes on the scale topped 500 lbs.
The t120 is still a tank but t100, Thruxton R, Speed Twin, and Street Twin are all about 40-50 lb lighter than the older low power 865 bikes.

I thought Triumph did quite well to add w cooling, much better braking and suspension, gobs of power, abs and ride modes while chopping about 40-50 pounds off.

Of course I would like the bike to weigh less than its 448 dry, but it's quite reasonable given what's there.
Li battery, decat and tubeless tires are easy to do and get it down to around 430 dry, getting close to a stock kickstart 750 Commando?

Glen

I was not aware that the bigger/newer ones are lighter, they look very "piggy" to my eye.

If they could do so well with larger displacements, it would have been some fun to see a 750 done 'right' with lighter weight, etc. To me, a 1200 Bonneville just doesn't make sense.

Dogsbody · Dec 9, 2021

There was a mention of a 500 Tiger Cub some time ago. I hope BSA do something similar and produce a smaller than a 650.

baz · Dec 9, 2021

Dogsbody said:
There was a mention of a 500 Tiger Cub some time ago. I hope BSA do something similar and produce a smaller than a 650.

Why do you hope they produce a smaller version?

worntorn · Dec 9, 2021

grandpaul said:
I was not aware that the bigger/newer ones are lighter, they look very "piggy" to my eye.

If they could do so well with larger displacements, it would have been some fun to see a 750 done 'right' with lighter weight, etc. To me, a 1200 Bonneville just doesn't make sense.

For people who want lower performance and lower cost there is the 900 in two styles, the T100 (spoked wheels) and the Street Twin.
Both are fairly light bikes.
If you ride one of the new WC bikes back to back with the older AC bike the difference is staggering.
The old bike ( 2015) feels like a heavy old lump. Some of the difference is the weight but there's more to it than that. The new bikes are very light in handling, comparable to the Featherbed 650ss. Power and acceleration of the current 900 is about that of a hotrodded Combat 850 or Dreer 880, but handling is better than a Commando. And it should run 100,000 miles easily enough. Hard to hate that.

No 750 available though. Maybe some day.

Glen

Dogsbody · Dec 9, 2021

baz said:
Why do you hope they produce a smaller version?

I don’t need anything bigger than a 500. Priority nowadays is lightweight and manoeuvrability, under 200 kg, a sensible seat height say 800mm. I have a 400/4 that would be ok but it’s now over 40 years old.

worntorn · Dec 9, 2021

To stay in business these manufacturers have to build models that a large number of people will like. Everyone has a different version of their dream machine, you can see that in this thread. They can't possibly build everyone's ideal bike, but there is sure a lot of choice out there now.
Good to see BSA add one more.
Within months there will be a decat and " offroad" pipe offering that will do away with the offensive faux exhaust.

Glen

Mahindra BSA's

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