BSA hopes to rival Royal Enfield with the Gold Star 650
Legendary British motorcycle brand BSA Motorcycles is about to make a comeback. Currently owned by Mahindra-owned Classic Legends, BSA will soon make a market return with an all-new retro motorcycle- the BSA Gold Star 650. The motorcycle made its global premiere at an exclusive event in Birmingham, where the manufacturer also revealed the key technical details and specifications as well. Here are 6 things you would want to know about the Gold Star 650:
It Has A Proper Retro Design
Much in keeping with its rich lineage, BSA is eyeing the retro/ classic motorcycle market with the Gold Star 650. The motorcycle thus has a design that is evidently retro. The overall shape and layout resemble the original bikes from the past. The modern classic persona reflects well in the circular headlamp, round turn indicators, teardrop-shaped fuel tank, beefy side panels, single-piece handlebar, single-piece seat, and fork gaiters.
A few signature elements have been retained on the new motorcycle, like the separate tell-tale pod on the headlamp housing, prominent fenders, peculiar engine block design etc. However, an evident modernization on offer is the LED technology used in the tail lamps, instead of the original Lucas Lamps.
The 12-liter fuel tank builds on the original M24 and DB34 Gold Stars, and gets a fair amount of Chrome on it. Talking of Chrome, there is a generous use of it on this motorcycle. You could see it at multiple spots like the tank, exhaust pipes, and headlamp.
There will be a total of 5 shades on offer on the Gold Star 650- Insignia Red, Dawn Silver, Midnight Black, Highland Green and Silver Sheen, the last, however, is available on the Legacy edition alone.
Meet BSA Gold Star 650 Legacy Edition [The Best]
BSA Gold Star Legacy Edition will be available in just the Silver Sheen color. Other key highlights of the Legacy Edition include Chrome fenders, Chromed mirrors, levers, polished engine covers, White beaded seats, instruments finished in Gloss Black, headlight cover, footpegs, etc.
The Chassis:
BSA Gold Star 650 is underpinned by a new dual-cradle chassis with an integrated D loop. The D Loop used to be a signature element of the OG bike. The motorcycle gets a two-sided tubular steel swingarm. 41mm telescopic forks do suspension duties at the front while the rear gets twin shocks with 5 step preload adjustments. The Gold Star gets 18-inch wheels at the front and 17-inch ones at the rear, and thankfully chooses wire-spokes over alloys. The rubber on offer is Pirelli Phantom Sportscomp. The motorcycle offers 320mm disc brakes at the front and 255mm discs at the rear, for uncompromised braking performance.
Impressive Engine Specs
2021 BSA Gold Star 650 draws power from a 652cc, single-cylinder, 4-valve, liquid-cooled, DOHC engine that churns out 45 hp and 55 Nm. This engine gets twin spark plugs and is mated to a 5-speed transmission. It is claimed to offer a good amount of low-end torque and thus thrilling overall performance.
The engine has an interesting design, gets the signature fins, visible fuel-injector covers etc, and has been developed by BSA along with the Technical University of Graz.
Curated Set Of Features And Equipment
The new BSA Gold Star doesn’t fall back on the equipment on offer. Even while sticking to its modern-classic persona, Gold Star 650 offers a bunch of practical tech and features to the rider. There is a 12V USB charging socket, dual-channel ABS from Continental, Assist and slipper clutch, engine immobilizer, and LCD MIDs integrated into the speedo and tacho pods for added usability.
Launch Plans And Rivals?
BSA will launch the Gold Star initially in the UK. The motorcycle will be manufactured in the facility in Midlands and the sale will soon commence there. Classic Legends has plans of bringing the BSA Gold Star 650 to India on a later stage.
Here, the motorcycle will primarily rival the Royal Enfield 650 Twins. RE is apparently working on more models in the 650cc space, which would only heat up the competition upon launch. Though there is no clue on the possible pricing yet, we expect it to be higher than the tags of RE 650 twins.
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