Hi all! I just acquired a 1944 BSA M20. Her name is Birdie, she runs, and saw service in Dunkirk and Stalingrad, according to the seller. He's had her since 1970 and has taken really good care of her. I am a British WW2 dispatch rider re-enactor, but located in the US. Birdie is the crowning jewel to my impression and I can't wait to take her out. First I need to get her legal in the state of Maryland, change her tires, figure out why the clutch isn't fully engaging when I shift, and get a side stand because I can't put her on the center stand by myself. I look forward to reading the forums here and gaining knowledge on how to bring her up to tip top shape. She is going to make a lot of people happy and have a lot of photos taken of her.

email (option): andijonesdavis@gmail.com

Depends what you mean
A clutch that does not fully engague is usually a push rod with a notch in it
A clutch which slips will be oil
For the latter remove the drain plug from the chaincase after each ride to prevent the chaincase overfilling with oil that will find it's way into the clutch plates.
or
Get a set of wet plates from PES Services .

This might help Andi,

https://pesltd.uk/?product=PES0025

Mark

email (option): pes.sales@btconnect.com

" I just acquired a 1944 BSA M20 and saw service in Dunkirk and Stalingrad",

Was this actually at the battle of Dunkirk and subsequent evacuation of the British expeditionary Forces during the first half of 1940?:thinking_face: Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Hi Andi and welcome to the forum...
You'll probably get the information you need about your M20 by posting here but I would also start with getting a parts list and manual (factory worksheets) if you don't already have them, to give you the best chance of working things out and for ordering parts...In the latter case part numbers are a real help rather than verbal descriptions....
Regarding the stated history of your bike you need to accurately date it from the frame number....Dunkirk was in 1940 as Ron noted and the battle of Stalingrad was from August 1942 - Feb. 1943....Both of these pre date the stated year of manufacture of your machine...The rather 'colourful' history would give me doubts from the outset without documentary evidence and may just be a story that's built up around the bike over time...

You can post your frame number here to get an accurate dating on that...

There detailed are articles on the clutch in the 'Technical Section' of this forum under the headings 'Clutch Trouble' and 'M20 Clutch'...Just click on 'Return to Website' then 'Technical Section' and it will come up....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

email (option): welbike@welbiXX.net

The liberation of Dunkirk is possible, as it didn't take place until after Germany surrendered in May 1945. There is an Avenue de Stalingrad in Brussels, but Brussels was liberated without a fight, and it wasn't called that then, anyway...

I don’t think so since it’s a 1944. I don’t know much more than the seller told me. And I didn’t even buy it from him, his neighbor was selling it for him.

You all make really good points. I sent my engine number to Lex and he’s going to be able to tell me more. I can’t wait to learn more about its history!
If anyone else is interested, the engine and frame number is WM20 121398.

The census number of your bike was C5890489. These are bikes from the same contract (same spec, with short Acumen pillion seat):





Jan

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com

Jan

The census number of your bike was C5890489. These are bikes from the same contract (same spec, with short Acumen pillion seat):





Jan

email (option): andijonesdavis@gmail.com

email (option): andijonesdavis@gmail.com

email (option): welbike@welbiXX.net

Every time I am amazed by the colourful stories people conjur in the attempt to make their motorcycle or whatever else they are selling "special".
Unfortunately people with little knowledge and insufficient pre-information on the subject are easily conned.
I have seen the most fantasic histories of machines here in Holland by some traders. They are found around the Nijmegen and Arnhem bridges and usually also saw action in Normandy. Although in actual fact built up of different parts long after the war as the previous owner informed me.
Also beautiful original specification bikes restored to the highest standard with lots of post war replacement parts and a mix of parts from different years.

I assume this sort of conning is common over the ages. Will have happenend since eternity.
I also assume it happens to everybody once in a lifetime. It happenend to me as well when I ignorantly bought my (WD)16H Norton in 1977.
I could make the excuse that there was very little information available at the time. No internet and emails and Norton books were basically limited to the race versions.
Mine was not sold to me with military wartime stories as those were not interesting in those days but it was sold as 1939 MC which it was not with hindsight. Just a version of a post war civilianised WD16H. The first clue I had that is actually had been a WD16H and not a civilian one was when I found an M&I manual by pure luck at a Norton dealer who was willing to sell the book, one year later.

I think presently it is not necessary to jump in the dark. I do however warn that what you see on facebook and other social media is less likely correct than dedicated websites. These websites are not without faults but usually based on hard facts instead of opinions. Social media can be helpful in case of generic maintenance problems and getting parts.

For what it is worth,

Cheers,

Rob

email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

This frame number was despatched under contract S7218 (dated August 1944 with deliveries scheduled at 1500 per month, commencing May 1945). The war in Europe of course ended seventy-eight years ago tomorrow and it soon became obvious that the war against Japan would end sooner than expected. Rather than the 10,000 ordered, the contract was curtailed at 5869 machines.

The last contracted army machine was WM20 122687. If BSA were on target with production, 121398 would have been produced around August 1945 and presumably sent to BAOR as a replacement before forming part of the batches bought at surplus sales and sent to the US in the late 1960s

And reply sent by email.

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbiXX.net