BSA Gold Star First Ride Review: The Enfield Interceptor Killer? 

So one thing that gets me is that RE isn't a brand that was just revived from the dead for the sake of the name, but an actual ongoing concern since the entire time rather that a name being revived for the marketing.

Kudos to the bigwigs in India for resurrecting these Legends - RE, BSA, Jawa and Yezdi❤️ Otherwise today's generation would've never come to know them Edit: and Norton

Having ridden both, I went for the Interceptor. Better position and more comfortable for me. Both exceptional looking bikes though.

I'm afraid this bike shows just how good the RE is.

To be honest, I can't help thinking that this is going to be a bit like getting a date finally, with the girl you fancied at school 40 years ago! She sort of looks a bit like you remember, but the reality of the situation now, doesn't quite live up to the fantasy.

Very good side by side comparison at the start. BSA still has a lot to prove, while RE are cheaper and coming out with great bikes all the time.

If BSA made a 650 twin, like the old lightning or thunderbolt, then I might be interested. I would pick the RE 650 twin over a single 650. But that's just me. I like the dual pipe look.

Great stuff MB! It will appeal to enthusiasts & for those wanting something different than an RE. However, it won’t kill RE. Slightly dent it’s sales but not enough to worry them. The Interceptor is an incredible motorcycle & the sales are still strong.

The chassis geometry is very different from the Enfield more like a cruiser with the BSA. The whole BSA is really an outsourced project including a warmed over Funduro engine. Compare that to the Enfield with a brand new power plant and chassis from Harris. The handling of the Enfield is incredible for a retro

I am impressed that BSA went with a 650 single . Lot's of room for aftermarket goodies . Like RE and my Interceptor 650 .

There's something about big single. It would remind me of my old Panther and Matchless. I always avoid job 1 products and hang back in the queue a bit to allow others to find the gremlins. I will keep an eye on this bike though. Thank you for the video.

The RE kills it in my opinion. Genuine heritage and a class machine at a great price. I’d rather have and Interceptor over a Triumph Bonnie too. Be good to see a video with a shoot out of all 3 bikes.

I really love that they went with single cylinder and it overall looks good but as others have said they simply raised the brand from dead for marketing reasons unlike RE. It's not a real BSA, it's just bike with BSA branding. There's no guarantee if the owners will continue to support the motorcycles since they revived lots of old brands in India and wouldn't mind closing one or the other. There's no long term security here. We don't anything about the factory. It's similar to Chinese corps making Italian bikes.

I want one but I'm coming at it from a different angle than most. You see, the best bike I've ever owned, the one that was the most versatile & the most fun to ride was a 2001 BMW 650 Dakar & this seems to be pretty much the same engine. Useable power everywhere & totally bulletproof. The nostalgia is nice but that engine alone makes it worth the asking price to me. I want one!

Aesthetically more pleasing to me. The engine compartment looks cleaner, too. Going to follow up more on this one.

I my opinion BSA missed the mark on this. They went after Royal Enfield when they should have gone after Triumph. They had a golden oportunity to undercut Triumph on price with 750 to 900cc liquid cooled twin, 60 to 70 bhp, simple tech, just a cable throtle, no ride by wire or modes, maybe just switchable abs, so you could have some fun on a dirt road. Plus the BSA name carries a lot more weight than Royal Enfield, so if they priced it just bellow the Street Twin they would sell like hot cakes.

I am tempted, but will wait until I can get a test ride. Also that radiador! so poorly integrated that I would seriously consider having it replaced with a custom made one (ooh dear more expense).

I really like the look, and big singles have a nice 'feel' about them. . . . The radiator isn't pretty but could be a bonus for the hotter climats. I'm seriously considering one for the daily commute. Nice review

Needed to be at least £500 cheaper than the RE to even stand a chance. Looks great, but money talks.

I really like the idea behind the gold star and that they chose a single cylinder bike. This is the gap in the retro market and can probably find it's buyer's. What really disappointed me was the sound. A big 650 single and it sounds pretty similar to a 125cc Cruiser. That turned me off. I hope that aftermarket slip ons will fix that issue. The RE 350cc Engines sound bigger.

Looks lovely and getting good reviews, as our Bob says, a worthy competitor for RE, maybe snatching some Triumph sales as well? Will come down to personal preference, dealer access and service etc. but definitely a competitor and nice to see it take it’s place in the market.

I was really surprised you never mentioned the radiator Bob?

Thumper guy here. This ticks more boxes for me than anything in recent times. Love the look. Like a big thumper with 40+ hp. Good good. Waiting for U.S. release.

Great review as always. Looks wise I love it. I'm a fan of big singles too. I'm happy with my current bike (Triumph Street Scrambler), but I'll be very interested to get a close up look and a test ride at some point. Price wise they should probably have tried to match the Interceptor, but I'll reserve judgement until I get a closer look.

I used a 500 Gold Star in my mid 20's, a nice bike that I had loads of fun with. Only 40 years ago.

I really like the looks of the bike. I ride a 1978 Triumph Bonneville and there aren’t many retro bike that get me excited but this thing is really cool

The Goldstar was my first bike decades ago so the sight of the new one really pulled my heart strings!

Looks wise, is better than the Enfield. The mudguards are beautiful with that fork. The color balance is also pretty well sorted out and love the clocks.

I sure hope it comes to the states. RE is here and I like their 650. I had a '68 BSA Starfire around '71, '72. I hope they come here to the states, I want to test ride one.

I moved from sports bikes to nakeds and adventure bikes, then stumbled across the Meteor 350 and loved it, so bought one. Very happy with it. Only issue is it could do with more oomph. Don't want to loose the light weight or simplicity if I change. I think the single cylinder is for me as I tried the interceptor, and it was fine, but didn't really press all the buttons for me like the Meteor did. So, the BSA is certainly in my sight. Only issue is it has spoked wheels, and as I'm not nuts on all this chrome everywhere and cleaning the bike every 5 mins, would prefer standard cast wheels - but you can't have everything ! Thx for the vid 🙂

Just ridden the interceptor/GT650, I’m impressed. Nothing like the 411cc. They were Responsive.

Love this bike! I'll be getting one for sure. I already have an interceptor and I won't be selling that. Trouble is, I'm in Brisbane Australia so will have to wait until next year to get one. Patience grasshopper!

Like the silver and chrome, £7000 is a fair price but it has to be well finished and reliable. I've had singles, KLR 650, and twins, W650, both Kawasaki's and both different. Great to have a choice.

RE 650 twins any day! 🥱

With that Rotax engine straight out of an old BMW G650GS I really doubt it'll even dent Enfield's sales. No matter what they do with a single, It doesn't beat a 270 degree parallel twin.

Sounds and looks very interesting! I agree with you 100 percent! I will need to see, feel, and listen to one of these bikes! Yes, I’m in the market for buying a bike … Like this one, within the next five to six months. Thank you for the video!

Love it for its looks & the fact its a big single & the name BSA is back, not a bad price either.

Great video. Looks great to start with. I hope classic legends learn from their earlier mistakes when they launched the Jawa and get this one right.

Air cooled over liquid cooled when it comes to retro, RE wins easily

I think I'll keep my Interceptor for the foreseeable future. The BSA does look really good tho

It seems a lot smoother and flush down the sides.

BSA Lightning was my first love. Wish they built another line of those. Complete with a seamless tank.

Great review. Just one question. What is the cylinder bore and stroke Cheers

I totally want one ... when will they come to australia

Have been waiting at least a year to see a review of this bike. Am glad it looks the same as it did in the pics, just like the original DBD34. Just a glimpse of it and you know it's a Gold Star! At 52 bhp it makes double that of the 34's 26, and more than that of even the Rocket Gold Star 646cc twin's 50. Astonishing! If I buy one it'll be for my commute here in Hyderabad. I wish you'd mentioned her top speed. The 34 did 177 kmph. And as the lineup expands to include maybe a 1000 cc twin and a long stroke single that sounds like a classic British single, I'm sure BSA will prove a worthy competitor to Enfield.

Looking forward to this coming to the States and would love to have one in the stable.

Nice detailed review

I would wait a while before I get one. That way any gremlins should be sorted

Beautiful bike. When will they launch a twin???

As age takes it's toll I'm looking to "downsize" from my 20 year old Bandit 12 and still undecided between the RE and the BSA, I had a B50 in a previous life and loved it (When it wasn't trying to break my leg while starting it). Love the looks of the BSA but where did they get the radiator from? A 1970's Ford Transit?? It's an abomination.

They are different as they kind of both have different vibes and a different direction; the re twins are fun and more for differnt crowds, I feel.

I think the gold star will sell well at first, But then people will remember Royal Enfield’s three-year unlimited mileage warranty and free roadside assistance along with a much more developed dealership network, and turn their attention back to the more refined Interceptor.

This is ok but I wonder if there are any plans to add another cylinder to it and make a ~1300 twin? Now that I would be interested in.

Lovely looking bike, good luck to em

Fair play to them for bringing the (Goldstar) thumper back. Might we see a BSA Royal Star to go up against the RE?

ARE THE BRAKES AND SUSPENSION BETTER OR WORSE THAN THE ENFEILD?

It would make a cracking scrambler!

Does the BSA have Bosch ABS and slipper clutch like RE?

Seen a couple of reviews and am surprised at the comparison with the Enfield. An air cooled twin vs a water cooled single... I think the Bsa should be compared to the Mash 650 range. That would be a good shoot out.

Motobob was this a BSA sponsored vid? You didn't mention the fugly radiator that so many people point out ??

Please can you do a video review on the Meaving RM1 EV

So far the supply could be its biggest problem. Given RE’s established set up might be the deciding factor for a lot of buyers. I think it looks great and hope it’s a success. If they revive the Bantam then I might look at BSA.

The video that Visordown did while testing showed the suspension being so soft that the bike was visibly wallowing in corners. That is really, really dangerous and would mean either a hard no from me or a costly suspension upgrade.

Classic Legends of Mahindra Group who bought the license of BSA had failed in bringing back Jawa to compete with classic. Jawa failed big time. Now they are trying with BSA. I hope they make quality bikes befitting BSA heritage.

Nice to have so much bike choice at the moment .. . ..same but different to interceptor...wont effect sales of that... indeed they could sit next to each other in any garage👌

I've seen in another video that the engine is made by Rotax.I own 2 Rotax powered vehicles so I would completely trust the engine.I would however like to see a new Lightning twin.

Like the look of it but would have to ride the Enfield as well

If BSA didn’t trade on nostalgia, and built a Speed Triple competitor, I’d be interested

Will it be available in the states? Would love to get my hands on one

Suzuki made a 650 cc single cylinder bike between 1986 and 2019. It was called the Savage, and was renamed the Boulevard S40 shortly before production ended. Other than the name, Suzuki 'didn't change a thing' on the Savage over the 33 year production run. I rode my used Savage for 4 years and loved it. It's a lightweight cruiser, a bit smaller than a Harley Sportster. Top speed of about 90 mph, and it has 'loads' of torque (thanks to the single cylinder). An excellent bike for beginners .. the bike is really 'flickable' thanks to its light weight, abundant torque, and low center of gravity. The BSA Gold Star, being a brand new design, is of course more technologically advanced than the Savage. However if you want to experience a large displacement, single cylinder, four stroke bike 'on the cheap', .. a used Savage is the ticket. BTW: The Savage has about the same horsepower and torque as the Gold Star, and it has a 'belt' drive (sweet!).

Any bit of information regarding the possibility of this bike making it’s way to America..???

Nice looking and sounding bike.

shiny ! I'll have to get a test ride sometime , doubt I'd buy one, i prefer having a couple more cylinders . But for those who are into retro singles, it could be really good !

I own a Suzuki S40 Boulevard single 652. It is lower horse power to the BSA, because of the learner license approved tagged to it. But I find it fun and easy to ride. It is light and has great engine breaking. It will do highway speeds. But being a cruiser set up, the suspension is a little harsh. I will keep an eye on this one. First years are the settling time for the brand.

What are the service interval differences & fuel efficiency/range etc...???

Everyone is complaining that you can’t see the digital display in bright sunlight on the headlight.

Just a question. Is it that much cheaper to build a seamed tank over a seamless? Maybe it's just me but it just looks a little classier with a seamless tank.

The Mash SixHundred has a 650cc Single Air/oil cooled its also a Classic, i would be interesting to see a vs between this last thumpers and then a figth between the Mash , BSA and Royal because they are the cheapest classic motorcycles on the market

Great review of an interesting bike, but, with its price and weight over the Enfield, I'll keep my Duke 690 as my gromono for now... 🙂

Thank you for sharing

any hope we can find bsa in indian market ?

A bit off topic but I don’t think you’ve done a video reviewing bike sales in the UK in 2021 - did the RE650 do as well as in previous years?

Are these tubeless spoke wheels? Or it have tube in them

It may or may not be it’s in own camp….but I see I do have choices….and this one is compelling!

How is the handling on small country roads and 2 up

"A well-tuned British big single turns over lamp post to lamp post." They used to say. But for this beauty they'll have to say 'fence picket to fence picket.'

How do you get a Single to be heavier than a Twin, and more expensive? Water Cooling maybe? I'm looking forward to a good review of the JAWA?

It's going to be My first bike! Maybe next year will come to NZ!

The downpipe needs to be slanted back more and the silencer needs to be upswept, similar to the original styling.

Rode both . Bought the bsa .

I know it doesn't have the name and the charisma but I'd love to see this matched against the Mash 600 Classic (which is a 650 single despite the name) to see how much more premium it is than the Mash.

There are 650 thumpers on used market, Yamaha MT03(the old one) and Husqvarna Vitpilen/Svartpilen 701 come to mind.

The BSA liquid-cooled , Royal air-cooled . The Royal is a huge advantage.

well it's august now when are the real test rides going to begin?

Can it support a bigger fuel tank After market available...??? When it is expected in India and at what price range

Very nice and affordable,they both have theire place in the market. I believe it's a great bike

It’s a good looking bike. Idk if they will be sold in the states but they should. Dealers near me are selling loads of cfmoto’s and they are everywhere. I have one RE dealership in my state and of course they sell a lot of RE’s being the only dealer in the state. These dealers that sell these kinds of bikes were known for selling their premium brands (triumph, bmw, Ducati, ect..). They are now know for selling all the other cheaper alternatives, that won’t break the bank and that are reliable. I really hope they do bring the bsa to the states, I’d think It would do very well. Very very cool bike.

And who makes the engine? Hm ...

Head interceptor, heart this beauty all day long…… and we all know when it comes to motorcycles the heart always wins! And it’s a BSA that you can actually ride all day without anxiety kicking as soon as you set off! Amazing loveliness that will definitely give smiles for miles

First off those stickers on the engine need to be engraved! The weight you talked about, but not a mention of the huge great radiator with liquid pipes and pump which will add a few pounds to the said weight, that big dozy looking usb box on the bars, the rather small warning light dial, which some said made seeing the indicator light hard in bright light, its also a fair question to ask if royal enfield can make a 650 air /oil cooled why is BSA using liquid, or is it simply the case that all rotax engines are liquid cooling so there ya go!