1966 BSA ChopperThis bike was originally chopped in the 1970s, and retainsoriginal steering rake. The goal was to produce bike that captured theessence of those beautiful prewar era British cycles.The front end is 1939 BSA M20 girder fork suspension.There was some custom machining performed to match the new old stock BSA m20axle to the later BSA wheel, involving new bearings, bronze bushings andaluminum spacers. The machining was done to close tolerances resulting in avery tidy, very safe arrangement. The headlight is Lucas DU142, the correctunit for the era of the front end. These headlights are rare and it was bitof good fortune to locate one. It is hard to distinguish that this is not theoriginal front end- it looks correct in every detail. The look of this frontend along with the hardtail complement the art-deco style of that beautiful A65engine silhouette and the period lighting finishes it off perfectly.The oil tank is from 1940s AJS, which utilizes an internaloil filter, an important upgrade. The battery box is modified WWII ammo box,and it neatly conceals the modern conveniences of the lithium battery andelectronic ignition. The rear render is ducktailed ribbed aluminum piecemanufactured by 7Metal West right here in the good ole USA. The seat is HaifleyBrothers, also USA made. The taillamp is an original Lucas fender lamp from the1930s. The wheels are proper 19” Jones rims, WM2 front and W3 rear. Thesedetails all combine to produce bike that is reflective of time when custommeant more than ordering bunch of cheap mass produced parts and bolting themon. Custom meant that lot of thought went into the planning, and lot oftime was spent scouring for parts, walking the rows at swap meets to find justthe right part to get “the look” that no one else would have. That is thespirit of this motorcycle.When purchased the bike in 2015 it was my aim to retain asmuch of the original patina as possible. The carbs and side covers, as well asthe hubs still bear the custom chrome from that bygone era. Although the sidecover chrome is little weak, it is honest, and it looks right.The tires (and heavy duty tubes), Battery Tender lithiumbattery and Wassell electronic ignition are all new. New Barnett throttle andbrake cables. Carbs have new jets, and were thoroughly cleaned and inspected.The previous owner had the engine apart for inspection and cleaned the sludgetrap. have changed the oil twice since getting the bike back on the road inthe first 100 miles to ensure that any contaminants have been flushed away. Ialso installed an alloy quick-change sump plate with magnetic drain plug. Theengine makes excellent compression, and the bike is fast as hell and loud.LOUD! Gearbox shifts properly, clutch seems good. The electrical system is 12 volt negative earth. All wiringwas soldered, and the charging system works properly.The hardtail was properly done- the engine sits level, arare accomplishment with BSA chopper or bobber. The aesthetics of this bikeare unsurpassed by any others have seen. The bike tracks straight down theroad, and handles well. The girder suspension works flawlessly, and the seatsprings provide plenty of absorption of road imperfections. It is actuallyquite comfortable.This bike is fully sorted and ready for the next adventure.It is one-of-a-kind chopper that reflects the beauty and simplicity ofthirties era motorcycle styling and design with the convenience of morecontemporary engineering.
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