I think it's more about the size of the 'retro style' market overall, which is flourishing currently...Most manufacturers have models in this class and many riders are favouring them over the full 'bells and whistles' models which are becoming too costly and too complicated for many...Ian
Well I doubt you would find any one here who would not agree that the modern motorcycle has just become too big too fast too cumbersome & too complicated.
Then again my day used to say that a foot gear change ruined motorcycling .
However the young riders I haave had contact just want what goes the fastest that they are allowed to ride.
I have guided a couple of the L & P rides through the local area that I have bumped into on one of the old bikes and none of them are interested in a bike that can not do the road legal 110kph with ease .
They even have difficulty understanding how I can stay out of trouble without having enough Hp to get me out of trouble.
The idea tha Hp is what gets you into trouble in the first place is totally foreign to them ( shows little has changed there since I was 14 ).
None of them could do any job more complicated than tightening the rear chains and few seem interested in learning any more mechanical skills so I could not see any of them going for a BSA and none of them would have any idea what a BSA was.
None of them recognised the M20 , B40 or B2 and if you mention BSA once made 1/4 of all motorcycles 125cc & over they go strait to their phones and ask why are they only making car wheels now .
Things might be different in the UK.
Perhaps things over there have gotten so bad there is a yearing for the "good old days ) post WWII in what ever form the 20's think they took.
I once had a fellow motorcyclist approach me & say "BSA, that's an old German bike isn't it?" I thought that being an ex military machine the bike may've been insulted, but she started & off we chuffed.
Mind you, the bike is on record as getting quite persnickety on a couple of December 7s.
As I noted, younger riders don't share the baggage regarding manufacturers that we all carry round...I have little detailed knowledge of the bike scene in Australia but in the UK we have 'hipsters'...That group is largely populated by younger riders who definitely don't seem to have a 'power' obsession at all and customise and ride everything from small Hondas through to Harleys but with few Japanese sports bikes in the mix...Ian
Wow!...They have really picked up on the BSA look in many ways...It's not possible to determine fit, finish and overall specification as it stands and there's still the question of price and whether that's exactly what gets into production...
However, as they've gone with a large single and I favour big singles (I'm currently building a 640cc B33 to go with the 600cc Goldie and the 720cc M20), I'd certainly take a close look at that as a modern runabout to compliment my other Beezas...Based on first impressions I'm looking forward to how it all works out...Ian
Does look very appealing to my eye
And yes they have picked up on a lot of the old design features
Interesting they say it is a low reving engine so it will be really interesting to see the all important torque curve .
As is not Aust compliant with those blinkers being too close together and probably too low at the back
But very easy on the eye in chrome or black, not fussed with the other colours.
Definately not what I was expecting so they are marketing directly to our generation, dangerous thing to do .
Doubt we will see any down here for several years
And I really would like to hear the exhaust note
We have limits at around 85 Dba now days for new motorcycles.
But the killer is the drive by test which orf course catches all of the engine noise as well which makes it really hard for air cooled engines.
what's the chance of getting one registered in Germany, post Brexit? :white_frowning_face:
Took a month and a customs declaration for a pack of earl grey to reach me from Blighty recently!
I expect some of the engine design will be Jawa based as they also bought some rights to them. Interestingly it seems they didn't buy all the rights to BSA, it's only a 100 year lease.
I think it basically looks good...It's a shame they didn't come up with a nicer looking/less obtrusive radiator...The Triumph has it between the frame down tubes and it looks a lot neater and more discreet...A little on the heavy side as well at 469lbs.'wet'..(213 kilos)....It seems motorcycle manufacturers have universally forgotten the benefits of light weight...My 1970 T120R Bonneville was just under 400lbs...
Nevertheless, I still like it at first look...What price?.. That is the important question that remains unanswered...Ian
On further investigation, the prices guessed at will be more than a 650 RE twin and more like that of a Kawasaki W800 and the Triumph Street Twin. So I'd say more like £8000. Ron
With the latest version of the now well established RE Interceptor at £6850 (base models about £6400) and the 900cc Triumph Street Twin at £8600, I think they'll struggle if it's £8000....Ian
Agreed about that bloody radiator. I'd like to see this bike compete in the same area as RE & prices would need to be similar. I hope it doesn't end up an overly expensive boutique machine. The idea of a 650cc ohc single certainly has its attractions.
Is there any talk of eventually expanding the range with other bikes? This might give an indication of where the company wants to head.
' probably wont be as much as I've spent on my m20..'
:laughing: :laughing: ...Quite, all of my BSAs have cost as much or more than the new one is likely to be...Building the Goldie was measurably the wrong side of £10,000 and the B33 'special' I'm building now will cost nearly as much due to the substantially upgraded specification...On the other hand, they'll probably return more of their cost than any new bike when the time to sell comes around, which helps to convince me I know what I'm doing:stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye: ...Ian
There was a point where I started to look at my bikes and what I would or wouldn't build based on current or future values...I guess I read too many classic bike magazines...
Then I remembered that I didn't used to think like that.. The reason I had old bikes was because I liked building and riding them, not because of what they're worth now or later...
Once I got my head straight again I carried on building whatever took my fancy, however illogical and irrespective of the balance sheet...I'm now poorer but feel I have a more healthy attitude again and I can blow all my money on things like this:laughing: .....Ian