BSA B50
   HOME
*





BSA B50
The BSA B50 was a single-cylinder ohv motorcycle, produced by BSA at their factory in Small Heath, Birmingham. The last of the big capacity unit-construction singles from the Birmingham Small Arms company, it had an alloy engine with a bore of and a stroke of . As well as the road version, special models were produced for off-road competition use. Development BSA's earlier 500cc single was the BSA Gold Star, a pre-unit machine with a duplex frame similar to that of the Golden Flash twin. The Gold Star was not considered suitable for the progression to unit construction. The name was revived when the 250 cc BSA C15/Starfire was eventually developed into the 500 cc B50 (via the B40 & B44). The dry sump B50 included features such as "oil in the frame" and the electrics in a single removable 'pod'. BSA kept production costs down by using parts across a range of models, launched in 1971. About 5,700 were built. Some B50s were modified for off-road use by specialist builders ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Birmingham Small Arms Company
The Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited (BSA) was a major British industrial combine, a group of businesses manufacturing military and sporting firearms; bicycles; motorcycles; cars; buses and bodies; steel; iron castings; hand tool, hand, power tool, power, and machine tool, machine tools; coal cleaning and handling plants; sintered metals; and hard chrome process. After the Second World War, BSA did not manage its business well, and a government-organised rescue operation in 1973 led to a takeover of such operations as it still owned. Those few that survived this process disappeared into the ownership of other businesses. History of the BSA industrial group Machine-made guns BSA began in June 1861 in the Gun Quarter, Birmingham, England. It was formed by a group of fourteen gunsmith members of the Birmingham Small Arms Trade Association specifically to manufacture guns by machinery. They were encouraged to do this by the War Office which gave the BSA gunsmiths free access ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Circuit Zolder
The Circuit Zolder, also known as Circuit Terlamen, is an undulating motorsport race track in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium. History Built in 1963, Zolder hosted the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix on 10 separate occasions in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the 1980 Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix. F1 moved to Zolder in 1973 and with the exception of a race at Nivelles-Baulers in 1974, Zolder was the location of the Belgian Grand Prix until 1982. That year, Canadian driver Gilles Villeneuve was killed during qualifying at the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix. Villeneuve's Ferrari 126 C#126C2 (1982), Ferrari 126C2 collided at speed with the March 821 of Jochen Mass. The Ferrari was torn up in the accident and when rolling, Villeneuve was thrown from the car. After Villeneuve's death, the Belgian Grand Prix was held at Spa-Francorchamps in 1983 Belgian Grand Prix, 1983, before returning to Zolder one final time in 1984 Belgian Grand Prix, 1984. Fittingly, Scuderia Ferrari, Ferrari driver Michele ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Norton Isolastic Frame
The isolastic frame, designated by Norton as GlideRide,''Grand Prix'', 1968 soft-back book, p.34, full-page B&W factory advert, a ''Motor Cycle News'' special publication. ''"Suddenly we've started a revolution on two wheels - It's called the COMMANDO 750. Inclined engine, better cooling. GlideRide frame—goodbye vibration''" Accessed 1 January 2016 used a system of engine-to-frame mountings incorporating rubber bushes to isolate the vibration of the vertical twin engine from the frame and rider. The isolastic frame was developed for use with the Commando inclined engine, whilst the Featherbed frame continued in production for the Mercury with a softer-specification 650 cc vertical-engine until 1970. ''Motorcycle Mechanics'', May 1969, p.63 SHOWTIME. ''Show scene '69."Last of the traditional Nortons is the 647 cc Mercury. This machine has the Commando type cylinder head and single carburettor, producing 47 bhp. A rev counter and stainless steel mudguards are available as ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Triumph Bandit
The Triumph Bandit was a British motorcycle manufactured as a prototype by Triumph in 1970. Originally designed by Edward Turner (who was already retired from Triumph) as his last project it was subsequently substantially modified at Triumph by a greatly critical Bert Hopwood'Whatever Happened To The British Motorcycle Industry ?' by Bert Hopwood (Haynes 1981) and Doug Hele.Bandit In The Hills (The Classic Motorcycle 11/84) Despite their work, the Bandit never went into commercial production, and only five have survived, making them very rare. Doug Hele stated that the model was dropped because design doubts such as the rapid wear of contact breaker points, did not justify the 'real money' cost of dies for components such as cylinder heads, the company then being in 'real financial trouble'.Behind The Bandit's Rise And Fall (The Classic Motorcycle 12/84) This was despite the fact that Hele had initially expected full production to follow after twelve pre-production models w ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

BSA Fury
The BSA Fury was a Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) prototype motorcycle made in 1970. Designed by Edward Turner but substantially redesigned by Bert Hopwood and Doug Hele,Bandit In The Hills (The Classic Motorcycle 11/84) the Fury never went into commercial production due to the collapse of the BSA Group. Development Launched in 1971, the double overhead cam twin BSA E35 was branded the ''BSA Fury''. It was essentially the same motorcycle as the Triumph Bandit and represented the BSA factory's last attempt to compete against Japanese imports. The frame used for the Fury was designed by Rob North, designer of the frames used on the racing BSA triples. A 'Street Scrambler' E35SS and road version the E35R were developed during 1971. Featuring upswept twin silencers, the SS had an optional electric starter and indicators and 26 mm Amal Concentric carburettors. The Fury delivered and could reach . BSA invested their scarce resources on publicity for the Fury under the sl ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Norton Villiers Triumph
Norton Villiers Triumph (NVT) was a British motorcycle manufacturer, formed by the British government to continue the UK motorcycling industry, until the company's ultimate demise. Formation Triumph had been owned by the BSA Group since 1951, but by 1972 the merged BSA-Triumph group was in serious financial trouble. British government policy at the time was to save strategic industries with taxpayers' money, and as BSA-Triumph had won the Queen's Awards for Exports a few years earlier, the industry was deemed eligible for financial support. The Conservative government under Ted Heath decided to bail out the company, provided that to compete with the Japanese it merged with financially troubled Norton Villiers (the remains of Associated Motor Cycles, which had gone bust in 1966), a subsidiary of British engineering conglomerate Manganese Bronze Holdings. The merged company was created in 1973, with Manganese Bronze exchanging the motorcycle parts of Norton Villiers in exchange ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

International Six Days Enduro
The International Six Days Enduro (ISDE), formerly known as the International Six Days Trial (ISDT), is the oldest 'off-road' motorcycle event on the FIM Calendar. The ISDT was first held in 1913 at Carlisle, England. It has occurred annually, apart from interruptions due to World War I and World War II, at various locations throughout the world. The early events were a true test of machine, rider skill and reliability. Held on the 'roads' of that era, today most of the routes are truly 'off-road'. Originally titled the International Six Day Trial, in 1981 the FIM decided to update the name to International Six Days Enduro, the name Enduro having been devised by the Americans and popularised by many motorcycle manufacturers also greater reflected the change in the event from a trial to more akin to a rally featuring skills more associated with cross country motocross. The sport has been associated with many great motorcyclists before its 100th anniversary in 2013; this also inclu ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Yamaha Motor Company
is a Japanese multinational manufacturer of motorcycles, marine products such as boats and outboard motors, and other motorized products. The company was established in 1955 upon separation from Yamaha Corporation (however, Yamaha Corporation is still the largest private company shareholder with 9.92%, as of 2019), and is headquartered in Iwata, Shizuoka, Japan. The company conducts development, production and marketing operations through 109 consolidated subsidiaries as of 2012. Led by Genichi Kawakami, the company's founder and first president, Yamaha Motor spun off from musical instrument manufacturer Yamaha Corporation in 1955 and began production of its first product, the YA-1 125cc motorcycle. It was quickly successful and won the 3rd Mount Fuji Ascent Race in its class. The company's products include motorcycles, scooters, motorized bicycles, boats, sail boats, personal water craft, swimming pools, utility boats, fishing boats, outboard motors, 4-wheel ATVs, recreat ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


LucasVarity
LucasVarity plc was a UK automotive parts manufacturer, created by a merger of the British Lucas Industries plc, and the North American Varity Corporation in August 1996. History LucasVarity traces its history back to the historic Canadian farm equipment maker Massey Ferguson (1891 as Massey Harris, 1847 as Newcastle Foundry and Machine Manufactory, 1870s as A. Harris Sons Co., 1920s as British based Ferguson-Brown Company) and 1860 as British metal parts manufacturer Lucas Industries. Foundation The company was formed in August 1996, by the merger between Lucas Industries plc and the North American Varity Corporation. Lucas employed 46,000 people compared with Varity's 9,000. At the time of the merger, LucasVarity announced plans for a £65 million pound savings programme. The areas streamlined included the treasury, communications and marketing departments, as well as divisional managers. "The merger created a unique opportunity to reassess the skills and competencies we ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Triumph Tiger 100
The Tiger 100 (T100) was a standard motorcycle first made by the British motorcycle company Triumph in 1939. Production ceased when the Triumph factory was destroyed by German bombing in 1940 during World War 2, but recommenced in 1946. Several variants were manufactured until 1973. Development Pre-war production With the sales success of the Triumph Speed Twin, Edward Turner, Triumph's motorcycle designer, looked further into developing the potential of the new parallel twin motor. The lighter and more powerful Tiger 100 was developed as a sports enthusiasts' machine, and as with previous models the "100" referred to its claimed maximum speed in miles per hour (mph). Technical changes over the Speed Twin included forged alloy pistons, a very early use of the technology. The cylinders were forged in a single casting and held in place by eight studs, instead of the Speed Twin's six. The Tiger 100 featured a single Amal carburetor, possible thanks to the 360-degree firing inter ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Thruxton 500
The Thruxton 500 was a motorcycle endurance race for production based road machines, covering 500 miles and ridden by a team of two riders per machine. The first event was a 9-hour race which took place in 1955, organized by the Southampton and District Motorcycle Club (SDMCC) at the Thruxton Circuit near Andover in Hampshire. Two more 9-hour races followed in 1956 and 1957. These earlier 9-hour races resulted in the birth of the famous Thruxton 500 miler, the first taking place in 1958 and the last in 1973. The Thruxton 500 was an endurance race for production based road machines, covering 500 miles and ridden by a team of two riders per machine. There were twelve Thruxton 500 events between 1958 and 1973. During that period, there were four races where the 500 miler had to be run at two different circuits because of poor track conditions at Thruxton. The first rearranged 500 miler race was at Castle Combe in 1965 followed by three other meetings at Brands Hatch in 1966, 1967 a ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]