The New BSA Gold Star Motorcycle - Would I Own It? 

I remember the old American biker joke that asked why Brits drank warm beer. Answer was, "Their refrigerators are made by Lucas."

@@heisenberg19989 To be taken with a healthy pinch of salt.

Agreed. My Continental GT 650 is a superb, albeit slow machine. It handles and brakes well and is generally an absolute joy to ride. Would love to straddle a new BSA should it be viable.

If you buy the same motorcycle in India, it's 90 HP!!! This is 45 HP. I don´t know what they did to it, and even more, I don´t know why they did it, but they can keep their goddamn bike. As far as I´m concerned, it´s just a lot of cosmetics.

@@mwbright 90hp out of a (STREETABLE) 650 single? Doubtful...From your comment: I think you are the wrong demographic for this bike; as a U.S. back road/state highway cruiser...It's about perfect. (even at 45 hp). But I'm not street racing and happy with my 500 royal enfield single.

Strangely enough my 61 AJS lights have never let me down' never replaced a bulb in the three years ive used it. So lucas lekkys weren't all bad.

Lucas electrics always got a bad rap, but I don't think it was so terrible. I think a lot of the problems were really the fault of owners that didn't understand positive ground systems and the need for basic maintenance. I think Lucas was a cut above WIPAC IMHO.

The lights on my 1955 Norton Dominator (500 twin) are not bright enough to be safe at speed at night. Above 60mph, 36W does not give enough light to see where I am going, even with a halogen bulb. The generator is only 60W, so can not push a bigger bulb. The system is actually ok and reliable. When I first got the bike going, it took a little sorting out. There was an intermittent short in the brake lamp lead, the commutator was dirty causing no output, and the regulator had been set incorrectly by the PO. None of these issues were actually the fault of Joe Lucas - and I fixed them myself. Since then, reliable lights - and I have just fitted a full set of LED lights to it. With any luck, I should be able to see better at night.....

@@moosey62 I remember that one too. LOL

Not many will remember the connectors on the Old Lucas voltage regulators designated by letter (1) F (2) A (3) D and (4) E. all together now... FADE

Hm..... Yes I agree *but* 56 BHP ain't enough for that weight unless you are going to stay one up. Mrs Baboon has a BMW CS 650 ..... which is actually pretty comparable 4 stroke (Rotax) Single, 50 BHP (And if I'm nipping into town I'll nick that instead of my elderly R1 as the CS is like a squidgy supermoto that can wriggle through tiny gaps). One up it'll spin up to over 80 quite respectably too so no worries mixing it with cagers. After that it keeps building but a lot less swiftly. Put a 55kg pillion on it and its just too much for anything sporty 'though. Clearly the 90+ BHP Goldie is the one to aspire too.

Exactly. Nobody rode it yet but many know it doesn't have enough power. If you need 100+ hp, this is not your bike. Look elsewhere.

@@PrimoStracciatella You don't have to USE...All the 'power' it might have. Yeah, I'd Like a Goldie, and I'd REALLY like one with 99hp! I have a Fiat-Abarth 500, car, and I'm not always into it's Turbo.

He is a bsa man, but also a journalist and the honest appraisal will only come when he rides the bike...

@@soaruk3697 yep the whole thing was full of glib statements and inaccuracies. Pretty poor really. But there will be those who fall for it.

Anthony. Nope, nothing of the sort.

@@G58 Yep. We don't all fall for 'the Emperor's new clothes'. Though there are plenty of people who will believe the hype.

what are your comments on 250cc FZ Yamaha?, I own one FZ25 and totally disappointed (considering it as a Japanese bike, the refinement levels are almost none except braking)

@@thestone3849 While bikes in my country traditionally are expensive, I am the person who keeps motor vehicle for many years. The majority of my few bikes were Yamahas (from the days of 2-stroke power). After selling the R1150RT (P.O.S) last year, along with the Honda Nighthawk 250 (The Lifesaver) I bought the Indian-made FZ25. This is a modern budget-bike.......no frills. 1. Manual indicators. They have one idiot light on the dash that you see only in the night. 2. The dash itself is so budget ! A 66-year old has problems seeing anything, unless you are parked. Of course it is cheaper to make that piece of junk rather than traditional displays. 3. The brakes lack. I am planning to get a pair of steel-braided lines to replace the rubber hoses that say "Brembo". 4. The silencer works well. Well enough to highlight the noisy engine, especially on acceleration. 5. The gearing should have been a little more linear.......possibly a 6th gear. 6. I do not have excess padding on my butt. The seat shows its lack of padding after about an hour-and-a-half of sitting. 7. The handlebar was too forward and low. I got a pair of rearset risers. 8. Too much plastic cladding if you have to get at anything. 9. No kickstand switch. You can accidentally ride off with it down ! 10. Too tall for a 250cc. I have a 30' inseam, 5'8" height. Learners can topple over easily. Because of this, the turning radius is plenty. 3-point turn on narrow streets. 11. Poor headlight range. 12. No ABS. I think current models have it. The bike is now doing about 3,000kms, purchased in July 2021, so it is relatively new. 1. Good fuel consumption. 2. Good cornering and handling. 3. Good clutch, throttle feel. 4. Good suspension. Handles the rough pretty good. 5. Not too much vibration for a single. 6. Pretty to look at. In retrospect, I would have preferred a twin-cylinder bike. There is a Suzuki V-Strom 250 sold here. I paid equivalent US$4,400 for the FZ. The Suzuki was $5,300 with ABS, water-cooled etc. I was even contemplating importing the Honda CB300, but the cost was prohibitive. Regards. Ramish. Trinidad & Tobago, West indies.

@@ramishrambarran3998 Thanks bro for your exhaustive reply, I am 62 yrs with height of 5-4 ,medium built, and was thinking that i would have been comfortable if i was 5-6 but since you too(5-8) feeling it tall then, OK. Regarding your cons points I fully agree with point no.2-6-7-9 and 10, I got it in almost half the price (mine is BS4- June 2020), Initially till first 3000 kms it was too much vibrating (not able to see anything in the mirrors) which got slightly better with service and running till now around 4500 kms. Wanted actually to tour on it with speeds around 80-100 comfortable-stress free but has not happened till today as it is reluctant to go from 75 to 90 without efforts and determination. Anyways thanks for your views... India

@@thestone3849 Oh ! One more thing. The old Honda Nighthawk 250 that I had for many years has a better engine feel than the FZ. It is twin cylinders. Ramish. Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies.

😢😮 I hate the new BSA it's not abusive BSA joke 🤣 joke 🤣 junk is in my

@@G58 called “British”but all the work is done elsewhere. What could possibly be more “British”than that?

I found HIM! Beautiful bike the bad boy version be glorious.🏍️👍🇳🇿

@@ruahinesrider Frank gave a spirited and passionate talk about the bike. I wonder if Smiths will import them.

@@johnmartin7158 56 HP is getting up near T100 HP be the one to get no wonder it has whopper radiator it makes sense now & being a dug dug single be awesome you'd be the talk of the town on that & being a single be real Tourqie.

@@ruahinesrider The T100 is a good all rounder I have to admit.

@@johnmartin7158 looks good to pity it went water cooled in 2016.If I was to get one I would get a second hand 2012-2016 air cooled model.

I agree, my last was BSA was a racing bantam.

Always loved the Yamaha XT & SR 500….just sayin. Pastiche? I don’tthink so…

Yamaha xt 500, what a bike 👌👌

gouri487. Honda CB250 RS, Yamaha XT500 & SR500, Suzuki SP400, Suzuki DR650, to name just a handful. These were all excellent singles and were modern when they were released. Yet you use the words plodding-pastiche to decribes previous manufacturer's efforts. There's only one pastiche in this story and it's the one in the video.

Yes the radiator spoils it for me.

Brough Superior is in still in production.Shows you how much you know.

@@racheltaylor6578 There is a motorcycle being sold under the name "Brough Superior". It has no actual connection to the old Brough company and nothing in common with the old Brough Superior. Like the new BSA, somebody bought rights to use the name and is using it on a completely new and different product. So, no, the Brough Superior is not "still in production". A machine is a physical thing, a name is just a word. That's why we now have Ford front wheel drive electric compact pickup trucks that say "Maverick" on the tailgate. The original Ford Maverick is not "back", or "still in production".

We should not allow any government to dictate.

@@michaelfirth1075 They already have legislation in place, to stop people demonstrating against their dictatorship.

@Alfred Wedmore Hi Alfred. I fear at 74 years old, i will not be around to worry, and i guess the younger generations, will be content with their electric scooters!

It's because YOU let them....time to stand up and stop this marxist takeover😏

@@randersson3672 And THEY will still be getting around in their kerosene burning business jets and filthy fuel oil burning cruiser boats. 😣😆

Dear Sleaz: I think you'd maybe like the Enfield with the S&S 870cc Stroker kit. Enfield's in the major US cities, plus 870cc'll show your tail-light to many stockers. And the price of the Kit will cost, combined with purchase of the 650, like a stock-Triumph! Triumph$ are thousand$ more for No advantage other than the Name. Stu W did a Vid on Triumph tranny "issues", and Triumph just laid-off maybe a quarter of their Thai workforce! What's UP with that? I think if Triumph had two brain cells to rub-together, it'd use Prisoners to assemble them in Great Britain. Of course, I'd want the Chenai-Enfield plant to be moved back to Reddich, and have prisoners build them, there. I don't CARE who owns them. Prisoner-builds, because prisoners get very little money in wages here. I once met "Lal" {--1st CEO of Royal Enfield India}, and that A-H got angry @ me when I'd said I wanted RE to build a 650cc Single{--like the New Goldie}, as the bikers ride 80mph on the freeways of the US, and the 500 {and 535 } Bullet couldn't keep up and would Break down. Enfield later LEFT the 'States until the 650cc twin appeared! Enfeld Marketing back then, was SO STUPID, we had a dealer selling Bullets ONLY via credit-card! Of COURSE, they only lasted a year in Phoenix, Az. Mahindra is HUGE in the 'States--among the largest sellers of garden tractors. Rush Limbaugh sold them on his show before he died of Cancer. He should've gone to get treatment in Mexico, Austria, & Japan, as "traditional" Ca treatment wore him out & killed him, imho. Although Stage-4, if he'd gone non-traditional, he might be alive today. Just because you've got 3 corporate jets & can "afford" the Be$t doctors, doesn't mean the Docs are any "Good."

Agreed. I’ve been thinking about buying one of the Enfield twins, but if the price is right, this may pull me away.

Price approximately 5 lack and above

Is it really about price? Is that the best way to choose a bike?

@@A65Bill Of course it’s not all about price? But the royal Enfield interceptor 650 is so good for its price! Would people buy the BSA if it’s price is 2-2.5 thousand over the Enfield?? If it’s near the royal Enfield price? Then for me it depends how it rides, and if you prefer a big single or the twin! It’s being made in India same as Enfield and the build quality looks about the same! I will be test riding one ASAP

@@johnterry804 I have heard somewhere that it will be priced around ₹4,00,000 to ₹4,50,000. RE Interceptor 650 costs ₹3,00,000 to ₹3,75,000 here in India. They said BSA's price will be little higher because it will be made in UK. But still the price is not confirmed tho.

rotax derived engine they do aircraft stuff

If the engine's Rotax-derived, you will NOT have a problem getting spares! A New/existing "Goldie" club will be formed in Britain, and they'll have a "Spares-scheme" started, PLUS you could buy John Fitch's "One-off" and get Spares, because of the increasing proliferation of Metallic-substrate "3-D" replicated parts. Want a titanium connecting-rod? 12 firms in the US can do it now, with others in Britain, France, & Germany. What Penske does daily for his racing teams, can be done, soon, in your neighborhood, by a "parts Hobbyist."

LOL!

The pricing just has not been confirmed until their dealer network is established. All manufacturers do this. You’ll pricing in February it’s expected.

@@MotoTingle Thanks for taking the time to reply, In the vast global world of manufacture 60 days is nothing. Everything is already planned, or it should be. This isn't some cheapo, fly by night, let's build it in a shed at the bottom of the garden manufacturer. It's only 60 days to February.

@@barnsleybiker5441 Agreed

@Alfred Wedmore or need to slip the clutch under 30mph due to crazy tall first gear.

@Alfred Wedmore yes, there's a reason why the cub series has sold in the tens of millions.

Bharat Small Arms

It doesn't have 90 hp.