British Bikes are Back: 2022 BSA Gold Star 650 Motorcycle (video review included)

Back in the '50's the cafe racer movement was in full swing and being dominated by British bikes such as Triumph, Norton, BSA and Vincent.  However once the Japanese bikes came on the scene many of those iconic British brands struggled to stay afloat and some brands- BSA being one of them even closed their factory doors for good.  Thankfully however with new interest in the brand those door has once again been re-opened and this iconic brand is back in the swing of things.

BSA Motorcycles was established in 1919 by Birmingham Small Arms and was dedicated as a motorcycle manufacturing company. At one point during their 53 years of operation, BSA Motorcycles were the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer due in part to a merger with Britain’s other top motorcycle manufacturer, Triumph. Unfortunately though, due to bad management decisions and the emergence of more technologically advanced and better performing Japanese motorcycles, BSA Motorcycles went into liquidation in 1972.

Fast forward to 2016 and the Indian multinational conglomerate Mahindra Group purchased BSA. Unfortunately, since then we’ve seen very little activity from the BSA brand, that is at least, until now. In late 2021 a subsidiary of the Mahindra Group called Classic Legends announced its plan to revive the BSA name. As part of the announcement they also unveiled an all-new BSA road bike – the 2022 BSA Gold Star 650.

The 2022 BSA Gold Star 650 will be the latest addition to the markets current modern retro offering. Unlike many of the other motorcycles in this genre, the Gold Star 650 has very few details that give away the fact that is a modern motorcycle. This is due to BSA adopting a strict retro classic design approach and the result is very convincing.

BSA will be releasing the 2022 Gold Star 650 in a range of colors consisting of Insignia Red, Dawn Silver, Midnight Black, Highland Green and special ‘Legacy Edition’ Silver Sheen.

Interestingly BSA has gone with a rather unexpected engine layout on the Gold Star 650. Similar to the original Gold Stars the 2022 model is powered by a single-cylinder engine however this time, it’s a large liquid-cooled 652 cc DOHC single. The four-stroke engine features a 4 valve, dual spark head to meet strict Euro 5 emissions laws. The designers of the Gold Star also paid special attention to the look of the engine. Many of its features bear a strong resemblance to the original pre-unit Gold Star singles. An approach that further reflects the bike’s classic look.

The Gold Star 650 engine is suspended in a dual cradle, tubular steel frame. Conventional 41mm forks support the front end while the rear sits on twin, preload-adjustable shocks. The spoked alloy wheels are an 18/17 inch combo and will come wrapped in Pirelli Sportscomp rubber.  ABS comes as standard but that’s the limit of the electronic performance enhancements you’ll find here. Braking is provided by a single disc front and rear and Brembo calipers. 

The BSA Gold Star 650 has a classic teardrop style fuel tank and a long flat saddle is ideal for two-up riding and there’s a spattering of shiny details like the chrome mirrors and fenders and polished engine cases. The wide handlebars and mid positioned foot controls set up a comfortable roadster riding position and the dash is made up of twin analogue dials with an LCD screen nestled between them.

(video credit: TheMissendenFlyer)

Features and Safety

Chassis and Suspension

Dimensions and Capacity

Electricals

Tires and Brakes