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Bsa Trials Bike ?


yeogene
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I have come across a BSA motorcycle that the current owner believes is a mid 60' BSA MX motorcycle. It is almost all there (in boxes of course) how do I tell which model it was? I believe the engine is a 441 from my limited BSA knowledge. The tank is alloy with a Blue stripe, seat looks like a trials seat. No lights or indication it ever had lights.

Did BSA make a trials bike in that era?

I am looking for a 60's vintage BSA/ Triumph/ AJS for vintage competition. Has any done a BSA MX to trials conversion? Does it make sense?

Thank you in advance

Doug

yeogene@yahoo.com

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Doug,

I don't think BSA ever made any Trials Specific Bikes. There are quite a few Bantams used in Trials and the B25's are also used. Just me, but I would think the 441 would be a bit heavy for good Trials work. The frame would need to be altered to allow a better turning radius and you probably would want more ground clearance. Someone here may be able to tell you if the swingarm will allow a modern Trials Tire. The Bantam won't (you either need to use a Cub swingarm or modify the Bantam unit).

The later Cub's seem to work quite well in Trials and don't require much modification.

Good luck with whatever project you decide on.

Alan

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Hi Doug,

BSA produced variants of the 441cc victor, however they did not produce a 441cc trials bike. In the latter half of 1965 I built a 441cc trials bike for my personal use. This machine was also used for developing and testing various Lucas ignition systems, ( remember all the "factory" ISDT BSA's retired from the 1965 ISDT in the Isle of Man after their Lucas ignition systems failed) ,and the competitions/development dep't also built a 441cc engined trials bike, If I remember correctly Jim Sandiford tried this machine but did not persevere with it. I can not remember what happened to that machine, perhaps it was bought by somebody at BSA or even sold to a BSA dealer. My machine was eventualy turned into a ISDT bike that I rode in the 1966 ISDT in Sweeden. After that event in Sweeden I was given that bike but it disapeared !!. Perhaps Doug, the machine that you refere to is the remains of one of those two ?. Does this machine have a registration document ?, if it was a factory machine it would have BSA as the registered owner and also have a Birmingham registration number. What are the frame & engine Numbers,. Do you know if the frame is a oil in the frame one, or does it have a oil tank. If you go ahead and purchase this machine I know that you will have hours and hours of pleasure as you restore and build it.

Please keep us informed as to your progress, as I for one will be very interested.

Pat Slinn

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  • 3 years later...

Hello I have a BSA GP Victor 441 that I bought in trials trim needing restored. I was in the middle of converting it back to motocross use, but after an email from the GP register I think it might be better keeping it as a trials bike as I think it has some history. The bike was supplied with engine number 161 to Comerfords in October 1965, the frame is b44 128 - very early I believe - number 27? The Victor GP started at 101 according to BSAOC site. It is the second oldest GP Victor on the register. Although the bike was originally a production Scrambler it was road registered,128 was described on the log book (1977 old v5) as "1965" which seems odd as I’ve read that the victor went into production in 1966? The oil set up has been changed, and has a slightly larger oil tank which is removable, bolt on not brazed in and shaped to let the exhaust underneath. The drain link oil pipe at the front engine mounting has been ground off or was never there? – There is no pipe connecting the front tube to the header tank (presumably this is to move the weight of the oil behind the engine maybe? I presume the blanking off the front tube to from part of the oil capacity would have to be done before the frame was welded together? The place where the front drain pipe should be is plated over, so plating came last. The frame was nickel plated (very old plating) which I am told is not normal for a production 1966 gp Victor – The barrel had an alloy plate below it I was told this was to lower the compression. I have blasted the frame and repainted it black as I think it should be. The altered larger oil tank is nickel plated too. I bought the bike from a Mike Banks he said it was his father’s trials bike was there a Banks that rode trial in 1965 for Comerfords? I would be grateful if anyone who knows anything about BSA gp Victor’s trials bikes or Comerfords any information would be good. Regards Peter

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Hi Guys,

Hi Peter.

Is the frame bronze welded or miged ?

Looking at it it looks as if the frame could have been converted to OIF, from a 66 onward Wd frame?

Is that a Grimeca front hub that you have for the bike and Italian made forks?

I remember Monty Banks but he used to ride Greeves, John Banks was a BSA scrambles rider though.

Rebgards Charlie.

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The frame is bronze welded, the forks are MP competition forks, Yokes are Marzocchi front wheel, grimeca front hub, and Rear wheel is period flanged Akront rim on BSA hub. Original GP swinging arm, Original GP Aluminium Tank? Original GP air box Original GP air filters. I have now made contact with the previous owner. His dad was a trials fan in the 1960, 1970,s and bought the bike with not knowing the previous history He started to restore the bike in the eighty’s but never finished it I bought it from his son who had it advertised as a GP Victor scrambler I was looking for a BSA to start pre 70,s motocross. Thanks for the information. All the best Peter

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I ahve got in touch with Mike Banks,Looks like I may have traced the bike back to Jock Wilson. He worked for Comerfords and He built a GP Victor trials bike while working at Comerfords. Jock is pretty well known. He is the only person to win the British trials champion in the 250 500 class in the same year 1974. He was also a member of the British international six days trials team for a good few years. He became the main importer of Bultaco bikes after leaving Comerfords to start his own dealership. I just spoke to Jock on the phone. He says it could well be one of the bikes He rode. Everything I told Him about the frame and removable tank was what they would have done at Comerfords. So even if He did not ride the bike the modifications to make the bike suitable for trials most likely where done at Comerfords, as the bike was supplied in 1965 to Comerfords. This was the year before the GP Victors where released by the factory for sale as a production motocross Bike. I also found out that Jock Wilson is the person kneeling beside the matchless trials bike . The matchless was built by Jock while working at Comerfords. It amazing what you can find out in a couple of days on the hinternet. I am just waiting on Mike Banks to get back to me with the reg number and then Jock can confirm the history of the bike.

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