Resurrecting former motorcycle brand names has been done many times and occasionally, it works out. BSA, which slid under the waves in the early 1970s, has been fished out of the water. In 2016, Mahindra purchased the brand and all rights to the BSA motorcycle business and for 2022, they plan to begin producing the new 2022 BSA Gold Star looking much like the original, but brand new.
The Gold Star is powered by a 652cc, liquid-cooled, DOHC single cylinder, with 4 valves and twin spark plugs, a far cry from the old Gold Star, but necessary to make it in today’s motoring world. It develops 45 horsepower, running through a 5 speed transmission and there’s Brembo discs front and rear. Price isn’t mentioned.
The new Gold Star is a fine looking bike and I’m sure they’re counting on nostalgia to fuel sales of the updated version, though the demographics of riders who remember the original Gold Star is ageing out of the market. I like the looks of it, but how many riders in their 20s or 30s will find it appealing? Possibly a lot of them, maybe just a few, I have no idea.
On the other hand, I noticed this on their website:
Earlier this year, BSA Company Ltd. was also awarded a £4.6 million grant by the UK Government for the development of zero-emission motorcycles, as part of the low-carbon automotive initiative.
Zero emission motorcycles translates to electric motorcycles and I’m not sure if nostalgia for BSA will carry over into the electric world. It also makes you wonder what Mahindra’s long term plans are for the BSA brand and whether grants like this one and electric incentives figure into their planning. Is the gas powered Gold Star a one and done before switching to electric?
Whatever the case, we’re in a strange place right now and what works in the motorcycle business is anyone’s guess. Will the new BSA have the magic? Stay tuned.
DWolvin says
Honestly it’s a handsome bike, and if I was in the market for new I’d put it on the ride list. It’s nice to see general purpose bikes coming back. For all of the fun of my K1200r, the most usable bike I ever owned was an ’84 or ’85 Suzuki GS550e…
Brian Downing says
Good looking bike! Just wish it was a air cooled twin…
noahzark says
Stance is dead-on, weight a little porky! Surprised to see a CR of 11:1, my own Suz single 650 is only 8.5:1 Suzuki could match the BSA without even breathing hard as they already have 3 engines, Dr400, DR650, and S40.Just need a decent frame.
Honda too. Time will tell
Cheers!
noahzark says
just remembered, Suzuki GR650 twin !
James D. McGinn, Jr. says
Difference between air and water cooling and carb and efi.
kevin taylor says
Net work dealer ship is always a big unknown. If that is solved and a dealer is close to me I will jump at the chance to get a Gold Star or a 441 victor if developed. Yes I am from that generation (nearing 70) and remember those glory days of the Brit Bikes. 6 Motorcycles at the house currently—- yeah I will find room for 1 more.
Doug says
I will be watching too. I would love one of these beautiful bikes in my stable
MYRON DUANE BUTT says
I to love the 441 Victor. With yellow tank and chrome sides. I’ve had several bikes most were single cylinders.
JP Kalishek says
Mahindra competing for some of the Royal Enfield custom?
Paul Crowe says
As I mentioned in the article, I do like the looks of the Gold Star, as you guys do, too, and if you think about it, Royal Enfield is a former British bike, now built in India and doing quite well with bikes that, for a very long time, were practically identical to the original. Perhaps Mahindra, another Indian company, wants to emulate their success and has the intention of building a series of updated versions of multiple BSA models. They may well succeed. The Royal Enfield has the same vintage look as the BSA, so maybe the demographics of the potential buyers is wider than it might seem. If so, BSA might take off. The Gold Star would, in my eyes, be an enjoyable ride by all appearances. I do wish them well. Price will be a big factor, though, so we’ll see where that goes.
— Ah, I see JP was writing his comment as I was writing mine. Great minds and all that.
Buck Pilkenton says
BSA vs RE? No Royal Enfield single ever looked as good as almost any BSA single. If Mahindra owns both names, why not revive the looker?
Joseph p Purshock says
Made in India ?
Stop it.
Paul Crowe says
The new BSA Gold Star will be built in England.
JP Kalishek says
Dug in a bit deeper. Mahindra also owns Jawa.
GusVenezia says
BUILT IN BRITAIN? HOPEFULLY A RETURN TO BIRMINGHAM.
Dam says
And this is better than the electric motorcycle.
Ron Bohm says
How about that, 40 years too late. I owned and raced several of the Goldies from the early ZB series to the last DBD34 series. The later ones were fun, fast, and could be difficult to live with. With a bit of head work they could be made to fly especially on the oval tracks. This new one will have all the quirks ironed out, or will it? Let’s wait and see what happens. It looks good, will not leak oil, starts with a push button, may even idle but will it have the same Goldie sound. But get real, it’s not a real Gold Star, just a compliant copy of what used to be the ultimate big single.
Pat says
Arguably the ‘Ultimate big single’ was a Manx Norton. The new Goldie has a Rotax designed engine and they have produced several of the best modern 650 singles. I owned a water cooled, 5 vavle rotary head 650 Pegaso back in ‘94-2000, it was unbreakable and very reliable and punchy, the new Goldie should be a good machine. Can’t wait to try one.
Pronzwin Felchkirk says
Nah, the “Ultimate big single” was the Matchless Typhoon!
Kabeer says
Should I say, a cocktail grand child of DBD34…!! through the blood lines of Austrian Rotax engine, disguise with a British parent’s heritage, under the care of an indian owner uncle-mahindra…!! Still looks more closely to the original gold star. We still have to wait for how it runs on the road, until then, hold your cheque.
Buck Pilkenton says
Four years ago I bought another 650 single, a KLR, specifically to hang a sidecar from. It works real well. Anyone else see a sidecar tug in this model?
Joseph Guarneri says
If it has a rotax powerplant it will run good. Its all the other stuff you might have to worry about. But it sure is a good looking bike, aside from the raditor in the front. Mahindra is a big name in India so it might be solid.
philip caron says
I can’t wait to see it and ride it. I am highly interested. My main bike is a 3 cylinder, 2500cc but I’m craving a big mono like this one. I owed 2 BSA in the past; I want one again!
Buck Pilkenton says
Now that I’ve had time to gaze at the photos, a question comes up – what is all that stuff hidden by the bash plate? I see an oil filter, a bunch of hoses, and a black lump of something, all supported/surrounded by frame tubes which look like they could have been wrapped more tightly around the lower front of the engine. Is this stuff that is needed, but so bulky it could not be otherwise “hidden” somewhere else? The exhaust, which had me wondering why it was less steeply swept, obscures this lump from the right side, but from the left it appears unfinished. They did follow one trend, installing the oil filter so that it will be a very tricky job to avoid a mess when changing it. That said, it’s still a lot prettier machine that all the tupperware lookalikes that hide their powerplants.
Mark says
It looks like the large black lump at the lower front may be the catalytic convertor.
The exhaust enters from the header on the right, flows through the convertor, does a 180 degree turn, then back into the rest of the exhaust on the right side. There’s a chrome cover over the exhaust running down past the footpeg, so that you can’t see it going in and out of the convertor.
Joe says
Hope they develop the dealer network and that it is not another Norton. I have a 2019 Royal Enfield and it is an excellent motorcycle, does the highways and twisties with ease, only wish the engine was in a T140 frame.
Frederick G Miller says
Are there any plans to market the new gold star in the USA. I live in Great Falls, MT. We have one Triumph dealer in Missoula, about 130 miles away. Do you think they would sell or at least service BSA’s ?
We have a Harley dealer and a dealer that sells numerous Japanese bikes here in Great Falls.
Do you think they would service BSA’s ?
Russell hall says
I would rather see a BSA air cooled instead of water cooled I have a BSA Lightning Rocket and have had one 1965 that style is the coolest everything about it. I have 20 motorcycles and the BSA is the coolest.of them all . and make avalable taller cruser handlebars like buck horn bars like the Harley Sportster of 1965 . but with longer pullbacks with 10″ rise . width 28″ end to end . With not so much Black . people have a hard time seeing bikes so make them with more white and chrome . make them stick out. like the great red paint and chrome tanks like they use to have. that is what gave them class and people liked them . When the Japanese bikes cam out and BSA followed their style that is what runnined the BSA sales in 1970. There was not very much that peopled liked about that style on the Lightning A65.1971-1972
Russell hall says
Black is very ugly for a motorcycle and makes the biker who rides them very hard to see and more riders are killed or crippled in wrecks caused by not being able to see them . That is the worst thing in the world is when a driver that has just ran into or over a biker says as he looks down at the person while they are bleeding all over the street. Oh I didn’t see you are you all right . Just brighter colors over the whole Bike with just small amounts of black on them. not
90% like you have here. I have been riding sense I Bought my first BSA lightning Rocket in 1965 . I have owned and ridden 24 motorcycles of all kinds and have never wrecked in all that time I have bright paint and a lot of chrome. on them. I have one that has a lot of black on it and every time I ride it people are always trying to hit me or pull out in front of me’ .I don’t like to ride it for that reason. Just think about it Black and gray and dark colors gets lost up against most back grounds. Like the black on the pavement and dark backgrounds of the woods. If you are bring out this new product make it so people can see it really great well you have all most got it right you have a little more work to do on it.
kevin taylor says
It is May 10, 2022, no Gold Star and it may 18 months before the BSA shows up in the USA.. Received this news from a motorcycle dealer close to where I live. Come on Mahindra, I am tired of waiting!!! KHT .
Paul Crowe says
I hadn’t heard that. The economy right now is changing fast and introducing a new motorcycle will be more than a little risky, so plans made this past January are likely out of date.