bsa a7 star twin or a10 golden flash ?????

[spanersc]

Hi Chicago. Felt I had to chip in with my 2pence worth.  Your bike obviously started life as an A10 (the highest percentage of all plunger bikes were A10) It is a 1954 YEAR MODEL which was manufactured in 1953. The factory started production of the next years model when they restarted after the summer break/shutdown which is why the number is over BA7.S. 8950. (I have a 1954 year model A7 Star-Twin, frame number BA7S 1162* that was despatched late 1953) The factory despatch records are the only way to tell which model the bike started life as, as the same frame number sequences were used for the standard A7, The A7 Star-Twin and the A10. The UK reg number is an age related re-issue (which often use Scottish registrations) The original reg number has either been lost or sold off. You would be a brave man to accuse Annice of being wrong as her Knowledge of the factory records is amazing! So to sum up, You have a 1954 model year A10, despateched in 1953 that is currently fitted with an earlier A7 engine, sadly not the Star-Twin you were hopeing for. Regards, Spanersc

[bikerjohndavies]

Hi Chicago, slightly off theme but I was wondering what front engine plates your bike has as the earlier long stroke A7 had a different shaped engine plates than the later short stroke A7 and A10 ? To add to the mix, the ones for 47/48 A7 did not have a hole for the dynamo in the drive side one as they used the shorter LUCAS E3HM dynamo (see pic). As a note if anybody has a 47/48 drive side plate spare then please let me know.

[Topdad]

Hi Chicago, sorry but you  aren't the first person and I'm sure you won't be the last to be confused by the way BSA worked ,not for nothing were they nicknamed a " B it S tuck A nywhere " seems that included there marking system. In truth it must have something to do with the old way they used to plan out there production and marketing ,new models ,really upgrades  were worked on/tested during the current production year ie 1953 but as they always showed off the next years models etc in november at the motor shows at earls court etc from about june they considered they were working on next years bikes. Also has the US was the main market and it was a very short peak marketing period they were always working to advance dates . I worked for  2 main dealers in Liverpool during the mid sixties and after march in a year if you reordered the bikes could come through in a different spec than the earlier ones ,who said continual development was new , shame it was only cosmetic and important things like new models ,triples etc  took forever to appear . In fact one dealer wouldn't reorder for themselves after may to avoid having NOS bikes , an absolute shambles . best of luck BobH

[chicago]

Hi Chicago. Felt I had to chip in with my 2pence worth.  Your bike obviously started life as an A10 (the highest percentage of all plunger bikes were A10) It is a 1954 YEAR MODEL which was manufactured in 1953. The factory started production of the next years model when they restarted after the summer break/shutdown which is why the number is over BA7.S. 8950. (I have a 1954 year model A7 Star-Twin, frame number BA7S 1162* that was despatched late 1953) The factory despatch records are the only way to tell which model the bike started life as, as the same frame number sequences were used for the standard A7, The A7 Star-Twin and the A10. The UK reg number is an age related re-issue (which often use Scottish registrations) The original reg number has either been lost or sold off. You would be a brave man to accuse Annice of being wrong as her Knowledge of the factory records is amazing! So to sum up, You have a 1954 model year A10, despateched in 1953 that is currently fitted with an earlier A7 engine, sadly not the Star-Twin you were hopeing for. Regards, Spanersc

bsa certainly didnt make things easy to work out,
"You would be a brave man to accuse Annice of being wrong as her Knowledge of the factory records is amazing"
im sorry it wasnt quite clear on my post, i wasnt saying annice was wrong, i was saying maybe the bsaoc was wrong saying it was a 1953 .
"The UK reg number is an age related re-issue (which often use Scottish registrations) The original reg number has either been lost or sold off"  nice one, please dont try and sugar coat it for me , if i said i wasnt a little dissapointed i would be lying. but at the end off the day i'm still happy with the bike and at least i didnt pay a fortune for it and i'm sure when i get to use it all this wont matter at all. cheers for the info fella, all the best, chicago

[chicago]

Hi Chicago, slightly off theme but I was wondering what front engine plates your bike has as the earlier long stroke A7 had a different shaped engine plates than the later short stroke A7 and A10 ? To add to the mix, the ones for 47/48 A7 did not have a hole for the dynamo in the drive side one as they used the shorter LUCAS E3HM dynamo (see pic). As a note if anybody has a 47/48 drive side plate spare then please let me know.

hi there bikerjohndavies, not sure to be honest, but heres a photo of the one on my bike.......

http://i438.photobucket.com/albums/qq110/chicargo/SDC17550.jpg

i did have a quick look on ebay for you but didnt find anything, all the best fella, chicago

[chicago]

Hi Chicago, sorry but you  aren't the first person and I'm sure you won't be the last to be confused by the way BSA worked ,not for nothing were they nicknamed a " B it S tuck A nywhere " seems that included there marking system. In truth it must have something to do with the old way they used to plan out there production and marketing ,new models ,really upgrades  were worked on/tested during the current production year ie 1953 but as they always showed off the next years models etc in november at the motor shows at earls court etc from about june they considered they were working on next years bikes. Also has the US was the main market and it was a very short peak marketing period they were always working to advance dates . I worked for  2 main dealers in Liverpool during the mid sixties and after march in a year if you reordered the bikes could come through in a different spec than the earlier ones ,who said continual development was new , shame it was only cosmetic and important things like new models ,triples etc  took forever to appear . In fact one dealer wouldn't reorder for themselves after may to avoid having NOS bikes , an absolute shambles . best of luck BobH

hi there BobH, i thought bsa stood for Bloody Sore idiot  . good bit of knowledge that, i just wonder what the situation in a couple of decade's or so will be regarding such info as most of the people around the bsa factory ect are sadly no longer around and i doubt if every bit of info has been documented. it makes you wonder. all the best fella and thanks for the info, chicago

[bikerjohndavies]

Hi Chicago, you have the later one as used on the 1949 onwards long stroke engines as it has a hole to allow the dynamo to poke out. I have scanned the autojumbles and the internet for the last year or so but no luck. What is really annoying is that I had a couple of them a while ago but decided I would never need them so moved them on. Lesson learnt, never sell anything.

[chicago]

Hi Chicago, you have the later one as used on the 1949 onwards long stroke engines as it has a hole to allow the dynamo to poke out. I have scanned the autojumbles and the internet for the last year or so but no luck. What is really annoying is that I had a couple of them a while ago but decided I would never need them so moved them on. Lesson learnt, never sell anything.

i must tell you the number of time's ive done exactly the same thing and lived to regret it. the problem is now though that my garage looks like a hoarders garage with all manner of things packed to the rafters and hardly enough room for the bike.
i will keep on looking on ebay for you though as im on there quite a lot. all the best fella, chicago

[fido]

.....the problem is now though that my garage looks like a hoarders garage with all manner of things packed to the rafters and hardly enough room for the bike.....

If you have already reached that stage and you've not yet got your full bike licence I dread to think what your place will be like in 20 years time! Have you got room to build an aircraft hangar?

[chicago]

.....the problem is now though that my garage looks like a hoarders garage with all manner of things packed to the rafters and hardly enough room for the bike.....

If you have already reached that stage and you've not yet got your full bike licence I dread to think what your place will be like in 20 years time! Have you got room to build an aircraft hangar?

hi there fido, thats if im still around in 20 years, i'll prob be found crushed to death under a pile of junk in my garage  , all the best fella, chicago