The BSA-branded 650cc motorcycle will be launched in United Kingdom initially followed by possible launch in India at later stage
We already have been acquainted with the fact that Classic Legends is working on reviving multiple motorcycle brands including Yezdi and BSA. The company already relaunched the Jawa brand in 2018 which has been met with reasonable success. It had earlier been reported that Classic Legends is working on bringing back the BSA brand with a new 650cc motorcycle.
Officially named Gold Star 650, this bike made its first appearance at an exclusive event in Birmingham UK. For reference, Classic Legends bought the rights of the incumbent BSA Motorcycles back in 2016 for approximately Rs 28 crores. The bike, as evident in previous spy shots, sports a retro-style design of a modern classic motorcycle.
BSA Gold Star 650 – Retro Styling
At first glance, certain elements, especially the rear section barring the taillight, look uncannily familiar with its 300cc Jawa counterparts. Some of the highlights of the 650cc roadster include beefy side panels, single-piece handlebar, single-piece bench seat, round headlamp, circular turn indicators and fork gaiters.
Gold Star flaunts an extensive use of chrome across its body, from headlamp to fuel tank extending to its exhaust pipe and engine casing. The teardrop-shaped fuel tank as well as broad front and rear fenders accentuate the bike’s retro appeal. A lot of these elements appear to be inspired by the classic Bonneville Twins.
The instrument cluster consists of twin-pod analogue dials which frankly looks better on this class of motorcycles. Riding ergonomics also seem relaxed with a wide handlebar and mid-set footpegs. The single exhaust pipe suggests that the bike might be powered by a single-cylinder heart underneath. The engine, in fact, is the biggest highlight of the bike.
BSA Gold Star 650 Specs
New BSA Gold Star 650 is powered by a single cylinder 652cc engine which delivers 55 Nm torque and 45 Bhp power. It is mated to a 5 speed gearbox. On a closer look at the engine, the casing design is somewhat reminiscent of the Rotax unit powering the BMW F 650 Funduro adventure bike. The 650cc single-cylinder DOHC unit features cooling fins but on a closer inspection, one could notice a black hose emerging from the powertrain which leads to a fairly large radiator.
A fuel injector cover is also visible which gives it an old-school appeal. While it aims to look like an air-cooled unit, the piping for liquid cooling near the frame downtube indicates that it will be a liquid-cooled motor. This will help the bike extract more oomph out of the engine despite being only a single-cylinder unit.
Dynamics
As for hardware, the bike gets raked-out telescopic forks at front and twin preload-adjustable rear shock absorbers to carry out the suspension duties. Braking setup comprises disc brakes at both ends which will be assisted by a dual-channel ABS. The traditional wire-spokes wheels are shod with old-school Pirelli Phantom Sportscomp tubed tyres similar to the ones found in Royal Enfield 650cc Twins.
While the motorcycle is being developed in India, since Classic Legends has its R&D set up here, the BSA-branded model will initially cater to consumers in United Kingdom. Assembly of the upcoming bike is expected to take place in BSA’s facility in Midlands. That said, Gold Star could well be launched in India at a later stage.
