New member with a recently acquired '59 A10 Golden Flash in New Jersey.
A bit of background - ~4 years ago, I sold 3 of my 4 bikes to buy a new Morgan 3-wheeler. Love the Morgan, but have continued to be interested in bikes, although most of my collection has 3+ wheels. The Morgan joined a number of brit cars, '55 MG TF, '73 Innocenti Mini (not strictly British), and an '07 Lotus Elise.
This old BSA must have been destiny however. Through a curious series of oddly timed events, I stumbled into a friend who I had not seen for quite some time. He told me his recently widowed 80yr old neighbor might be looking to sell her husband’s old motorcycle. I told him I’d be interested in at least looking at it. I found a ’59 BSA 650 A10 Golden Flash that her husband had bought new. Yep, the original owner… He had restored the bike seemingly to a high standard some 10 years back, new chrome and paint, and had ridden it quite a bit up to his advancing health issues forced a stop. It came with a large crate full of every part he had ever replaced on it, and a stack of paperwork 6” thick. Odometer shows a bit over 15k miles, which I believe to be original.
Needless to say, it followed me home... when do you have a chance to buy a on-owner 60yr old bike?
And a bit of karma - the bike was purchased new by her husband on 12/2/1960, exactly 60 years ago to the day I bought it from her. He paid a grand total of $358.60 for it according to the original bill of sale.
One other curious story is that reportedly the only accident he ever had with it was a few years back when he was hit by a black bear. Yep, the bear ran out from the side of the road and ran into him! Some minor damage, scrapes and bruises, but owner and bike recovered fine, as did the bear apparently.
It hasn't run for 4 years or so. I have to drain the old gas, clean the carb, then I'll see if it fires up. I don't expect any issues, but I'm new to Amal carbs :-)
