Hello All, Reading this post about M20 sidecar lugs and war time RAF bikes that had them fitted, At the moment i am collecting parts for my 46 XM20 i bought from Yorkshire Bob, What I would like to know is how soon after the war were these lugs fitted or is it possible that my frame is EX RAF surplus, lots of WD parts on it painted in black enamel, Frame No XM20 5381, Engine No XM20 6105, Any info will be much appreciated, Kindest Regards, John.
email (option): rustytomm20@hotmail.com
Early post war M20s (1946/47) were basically the military bike finished in civilian colours but with a few military items removed..(Field stand, rear rack and bag carriers, bags etc)
They still had most of the military parts but they had black wheel rims and other parts, a dull silver tank with black lining and a black BSA logo and bars, levers etc. were chrome plated following normal civvy finishes...
The '47 BSA parts list shows both unlugged and lugged frames for solo and sidecar use....Based on the fact the 46 and 47 models were civilianised military bikes the default would be unlugged I would imagine with the lugged frame as an option...
For 1947, regarding riders footrests, the speedo bracket and some other details military parts were replaced as stocks of parts ran down and the parts reverted to civvy specs..The riders footrests were changed mid season for example..
Machines of these years had Terry's saddles as standard...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
The wartime parts list gives the same part number for the rear frame as the 1947 parts list for sidecar applications, so both would have had the fitting on one side only...
Consequently it doesn't necessarily follow that if a machine of '46 manufacture has this the rear frame it originated from a wartime sidecar contract..
The 'double lugged' rear frame was introduced in 1948/49...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
Very good point Ian, Will have to do more research as to when exactly my bike was built, Have to get in touch with the BSAOC not been a member for years tho' Regards John.
email (option): rustytomm20@hotmail.com
Just put the frame number on here...You'll soon get an answer I'm sure...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
Hi Ian, I put the frame number on my original post, but I'll post it again it is XM20 5381, Hopefully someone out there will be able to tell me more about it, Regards John.
email (option): rustytomm20@hotmail.com
I think you have one of the post war frames that Ian mentioned. The X prefix was from 1946. All the wartime numbers from 1940 were prefixed W. I hadn't refered back to your original post.
Ron
email (option): ronpier@talk21.com
The part that attaches to the sidecar not the frame
John.
email (option): rustytomm20@hotmail.com
Only a few of the military contracts specified sidecar lugs. Henk can tell you which ones.
I have an XM20 Frame No 771, dispatched from the factory on 10 Dec 1945. It was consigned to the High Commissioner - Southern Rhodesia, probably for police duty, and the spec was Dry Battery, Sidecar lugs, Crash Bars.
The bike was painted matt black with a new style BSA logo sticker on the tank. When I stripped the black paint, the colour below was a military olive green. Mine has steel foot pegs, cut away tank, pannier sockets on the rear stays and the matching engine number (771) is prefixed WM20 as I assume the WM20 was pre-stamped on the casing.
email (option): pvlietstra at gmail