The BSA Gold Star is a motorcycle made by BSA from 1938 to 1963. They were
350 cc and 500 cc single-cylinder four-stroke production motorcycles known
for being among the fastest bikes of the 1950s. Being hand built and with
many optional performance modifications available, each motorcycle came from
the factory with documented dynamometer test results, allowing the new owner
to see the horsepower produced.
When café racing culture was at its height in the late
Fifties and early Sixties, BSA’sGold Star was king. The Goldie’s 500cc
single-cylinder engine had more than enough performance to top the magic
‘ton’ and the bike’s striking beauty made it stand out from the much more
common parallel twins of the era.
Tales of slipping Goldie clutches up to 30mph in first and snicking into top
while accelerating at 95mph created a mystique around BSA’s road-legal
racer, so it was already a legend by the time the last one was made in
1963.The legend remains strong today.
Away from town a good BSA Gold Star is everything the legend suggests. Fast,
exhilarating and rewarding. Good ones start from around £7000, but think of
them as an investment. Buy right and you won’t lose money on a Goldie; if
anything you’ll make money. Not that, once you’ve bought and ridden one,
you’ll ever want to sell.
Extract from article by Mick Duckworth
Any corrections or more information on these motorcycles will be kindly appreciated.