£5,000 - £6,000
1960 BSA Golden Flash 650cc, Registration Number 118 DAT, Frame Number TBC, Engine Number DA10 12514.
Sold with V5C, old mot certificates, and some history.
In the post war years, BSA found it was falling behind its competitors in the Parallel Twin market, and managed to poach Bert Hopwood fresh from his having revamped the Dominator for Norton. The BSA Golden Flash, with Hopwood's newly revised A10 engine, was launched in October 1949, and liveried in a new gold colour, with 80% of production destined for the United States. The bike was a sales success, Its gold colour helping it to outsell Triumph's Speed Twin and 6T Thunderbird.
By 1960 the model had evolved to feature the 356 Sports Camshaft, a monobloc carb, revised rear suspension, thicker cylinder flanges and revised big ends.
Although never designed as a sport motorcycle, the Golden Flash was nonetheless fast for its time and competitive with the Triumph Tiger 100, achieving over 100 miles per hour in tests in 1950, and covering a standing quarter mile in under 16 seconds.
A local bike from new, DAT is offered from long term ownership by our vendor, who has known it since 1966. Whilst in his custody, it has been restored and improved, and now benefits from a Bob Newby belt drive primary, with drilled cover (original included) and an Alton 12 volt alternator conversion. It is in very good up and running order, was ridden to the saleroom, and we have a video of it starting first time and riding nicely.
Fees apply to the hammer price:
Free Registration
18.6% inc VAT*
Flat Fee Registration
15.00% inc VAT*
