1940 40s forties Green Wartime British BSA 500 cc motorcycle; model range made by Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) at its factory in Armoury Road, Small Heath, Birmingham.
The Gold Star came to be in 1937, when motorcycle racer Wal Handley came out of retirement to take part in the Brooklands TT. Aboard a racing modified BSA Empire Star, Handley won the race and clocked the fastest lap with an average speed of mph to earn him the coveted “Gold Star” pin, which was awarded to any racer who could average over 100 mph on a single lap. BSA were so proud of this achievement they renamed their flagship bike the BSA Gold Star, and so a legend was born. The first Gold Star produced began life as a BSA M24. The engine, frame and gearbox were all upgraded and manufactured in a lightweight alloy to improve upon the speed, torque and handling of its predecessor. Sadly, the Gold Star did not make the initial impact on the market that BSA had hoped for, selling fewer than 500 before the Second World War halted all production. During the war, the British Government required BSA to redirect their manufacturing from civilian to strictly military. The British forces immediately took possession of the 690 in stock 500cc M20 machines and ordered a further 8,000 units. Several other Allied countries also placed large orders for the military-spec M20. Upon reaching the conclusion of the war, BSA had become the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world. With the embargo on producing civilian machines lifted, BSA transformed their production lines to fulfil the demand the war had created.
Size: 5472px × 3648px
Location: Greater Manchester, UK
Photo credit: © ZarkePix / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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