BSA Motorcycles – 2022 BSA Gold Star

Birmingham Small Arms Company or BSA as it was commonly known was a corporate trend setter after World War II. It was a conglomerate of various manufacturers and brands.  One of those parts was BSA motorcycles and one of the leading models of that era was the BSA Gold Star. In 2022 BSA is owned by the Indian conglomerate Mahindra that makes many types of automotive vehicles including scooters at reasonable price points.

I wasn’t around for the heyday of the BSA motorcycles and don’t have access to to the publications and motorcycle history of that era but according to contemporary PR the BSA Gold Star model was one the fastest and most popular models of the time. 

In terms of design the 2022 BSA Gold Star may be based on the original design but it is missing the touches that make the Royal Indian Classic as an example look like a true retro motorcycle. Due to BSA also making Triumph and Norton motorcycles at the same time also reveals the generic ‘British’ design template of the day. I recall many print magazines and publications deriding the Japanese manufacturers have having similar designs since the 1970’s including my self but going back further into history it is also clear that every other brand was doing very similar designs. 

In terms of engine and technical specification the 2022 BSA Gold Star is just like any other EFI equipped single cylinder engine. It is a modern retro styled motorcycle rather than one with retro tech which is just what the markets wants. But is the rest of the world ready for another revival British motorcycle brand?

Since BSA have only started making them again the Gold Star has not been released worldwide. While Mahindra does have a presence in Australia the BSA brand has not been released yet.