'BSA Bantam'

[Panther_99FS]

Who remembers this :ques: :jump:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5014/5547553210_9932ee4877_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/32299138@N08/5547553210/)
P3200139 - 'BSA Bantam' (http://www.flickr.com/photos/32299138@N08/5547553210/) by RedTail_Panther (http://www.flickr.com/people/32299138@N08/), on Flickr

[Willy]

Not that particular model, but my first motorcycle was a 1970 BSA 441 Victor. Much like this one:

33692

[wombat666]

Bantams were the backbone of 'Everyman' motor cycling before the rise of the Japanese makes.

The Honda Benley was a good example of why, and we still own the one my Father purchased in the early 1960s, and plan to restore it this year, nostalgia aside, a one owner 'original' is worth a lot of money on the collector market.

http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/7478/1961hondabenleyjpg.jpg By (http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/7478/1961hondabenleyjpg.jpg%20By%20wombat666%20at%20201 1-03-22)wombat666 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/wombat666) at 2011-03-22

[Meshman]

...a one owner 'original' is worth a lot of money on the collector market.


Wish I could find some one who thought a "one family owned" 1967 Honda 90 with 21 miles on the odometer was worth a lot of $$$! Don't really want to pack it into the U-Haul and take it up north.

[wombat666]

Wish I could find some one who thought a "one family owned" 1967 Honda 90 with 21 miles on the odometer was worth a lot of $$$! Don't really want to pack it into the U-Haul and take it up north.

For some strange reason the Benley Sport is highly sought after.
Or maybe not that strange, 125 OHC four stroke and quite a good handling little bike.
FWIW, I'm part of a trio of 'Olde Phartes' who spend a few days each week rebuilding and re-selling 'Exotic' Insurance Co write-offs, so we have good contacts in the collector world.
:kilroy:

[Daveroo]

my neibhor allways had BSA's and i remember one had the "chicken" on it..he allways told us it was a "C..........rooster" cause he was the C _ _ _ of the walk....on his BSA...he had many of them though..he and his father rode speedway bikes at sacramento back in the day and ran the mile at sacramento many times...also a friend of mine..now gone ,Steve Bast,was a 7 time national champion speedway rider..he collected BSA's as well,was allways trading and selling

[wombat666]

Willy,
That Victor looks to be their US Market 'Scrambler' unless I'm mistaken (again!)?
:kilroy:

[Willy]

I bought mine from another sailor in Holy Loch Scotland when I was stationed there. It was a US specs version that was purchased to be exported by a US military member, but ended up just going from sailor to sailor. The only difference between the pic and mine that I can figure out is the exhaust. My exhaust pipe was chrome and I had the stock muffler in the same location.

Yep, it was a scrambler. Street legal version of a factory racer and really was way too much motorcycle for a beginner. Big thumper with gobs of torque. Wish I still had it.

[brad kaste]

Yep, it was a scrambler. Street legal version of a factory racer and really was way too much motorcycle for a beginner. Big thumper with gobs of torque. Wish I still had it.

Willy,...........Willie G. Davidson, who's the senior vice president and chief styling officer of Harley Davidson,....has either a photograph or a BSA 441 Victor itself displayed in his office. (Don't remember which) He stated once how he's pulled inspiration cues from the bike. Can't give a higher compliment than that.