Got my 71 Thunderbolt in 1985. It was imported into Canada by a tourist to your country who bought it new to see the sights and he liked it so much he took it home with him. Mine is green and white. I put a Jawa sidecar on it when the kids were young to give them rides. I changed the headlight to an automotive halogen headlight so you could see at night.
So this one of the late oil in frame models, what are these bikes like to ride and live with? Do they have any inherent problems? I have been looking at one of these recently. But don’t know much about them yet. Also adores anyone know any good forums for BSA’s? Thanks!
For some reason, oil in frame BSA and Triumph machines are less sought after than their predecessors, yet, as they came later, their mechanicals, electrics and so on are more developed as a result and they ride and handle fine. They are also cheaper than the earlier models - a good buy for someone who wants to ride one, rather than keep it as an 'investment'.
Thanks for the reply Paul, it’s been helpful. I am looking to buy a bike but don’t have the champagne money for one of the earlier BSA’s. Regardless the bike I get would need to be a riding bike not an investment piece. Would it be unrealistic to expect a bike of this era to do a short daily commute?
@@DomesticImplications You would need to get one that hasn't been messed with by incompetent people - this is their biggest downfall, the designs are pretty sound in themselves, but there are good and bad ones out there these days. iIwould try and find a low mileage original, or one known to have been sorted by a competent restorer.
Unfortunately it's not that simple, I connected a pressure gauge where the oil light switch fits and the readings were not that good. Incidentally, I fitted a new oil light switch to a Triumph not that long ago and it lasted all of half an hour before the diaphragm burst.
What is that ticking, something is not. right, it’s there under power but worse when coming off power, almost like top end who knows as it will show its self, just a thought.
BSA was a great manufacturer. If only he had better balanced the crankshaft. And if he had installed a roller bearing on the right with other oilfed, the oil control device would not light up.
Hey Paul, when ever I see a video with an A65 in it trundling along a road or a highway, I think to myself that needs a fifth gear, a wonder if that is an option. Is a five speed gear box option, available for these, or as I have heard other people mention over the years just use a racing gear box. As a British Bike officiando I thought this might interest you all the way from down-under. This is Doug Fraser who among other things is a dyed in the wool BSA man. He has made a few as he has an engineering workshop. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fGW8TJBzf4s.html And this video is his pitch to Mahindra (the new owners of the BSA Name) for what a BSA may look like and perhaps touting his expertise. - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_GTCEiBOsu4.html
