[Engine roars]
The BSA Gold Star or Goldie as it's more commonly known, is the most famous of all the BSA bikes.
Known for its powerful 350 and 500cc single cylinder engines, it was a sporty versatile
machine, manufactured between 1938 and 1963. The post-war models in particular were probably
the most versatile competition road-based bike ever built by a British manufacturer.
Our friends here at the National Motorcycle Museum have lined up a selection of the bikes so we can
look at the evolution from beginning to end. So without further ado, let's go to the beginning.
Story begins in 1937 when Wal Handley, a three times TT winner, was persuaded to come
out of retirement and ride a BSA Empire Star at a three-lap race at Brooklands.
He won the race with a fastest average lap of 107.5 miles an hour. This earned him a Gold Star
from the Brooklands Racing Club. BSA was so proud of his achievement that they decided to rename
their flagship model the BSA Gold Star, and so a legend was born. The first bike was the 1938
M24 Gold Star. This was basically a hotter version of the M23 Empire Star on which the bike is based.
The Gold Star however features an all alloy engine with an integrally cast pushrod tower.
The gearbox cases were, for the first year, made of lightweight electron. And the frame
itself was produced with lightweight Reynolds 531 tubing. It created this beautifully svelte
sports touring machine. Priced at around £80 in 1938 and 1939, BSA then provided customers
with a genuine sporty alternative to bikes such as the Rudge Ulster or a Vincent Comet.
By the time the Second World War broke out in September '39, around 565 of these machines had
been produced. And it's thought approximately 100 survive to this day, so it's a rare bike
indeed. When production recommenced after the war in 1946 it wasn't until 1949 that
a BSA Gold Star reappeared in the lineup. It was this model, the ZB32, a 350cc production machine,
that was then followed a year later by the 500cc version. The 32 standing for 350 and
the 34 for 500 was a denomination that was used from here right through to the end of production.
It was in 1949 that the ZB32 really began to make its mark in the Isle of Man TT Clubman races.
Harold Clark won the Junior Clubmans TT with a ZB32 in 1949 in its first year of production.
A Gold Star then won for the next seven years totally dominating the event.
In fact in the final Clubmans TT in 1956, there were no less than 48 of the 50 machines competing
there, as Gold Stars. Compared to the other single cylinder engines in the BSA range,
the Gold Star still retained its all alloy engine. Customers could select from various
compression ratios, valve springs, gearbox ratios, and the option of a
TT carburetor. The new bikes now featured rear suspension in the form of undampened plungers,
rather than the more expensive to produce swinging arm setup. This was accompanied by a pair of
hydraulic telescopic forks at the front, instead of the traditional girders on the pre-war models.
Year-on-year refinement came to 1953 when the BB32 and BB34 Gold Stars were released.
Major changes on this bike included a swinging rear arm suspension but also the introduction of
a full duplex cradle frame which meant there were now two down tubes wrapping underneath the engine
and the gearbox. Previously there was a single front down tube, and an open cradle configuration.
This meant improved handling. It also meant improved looks, and we're starting to see the real
iconic styling of the Gold Star come through for the first time. The introduction of a dual seat,
the new badging, and that iconic paint scheme, gives this bike a proper genuine cafe racer
styling. Another technical improvement was the introduction of a new style gearbox,
available in four different ratios dependent on final use. We've also got the 190 mil brakes seen
here for the first time, with finning for helping with cooling. By 1954 the Gold Star CB32 and CB34
were launched. Certainly more racier than what had gone before, featuring a more swept back exhaust,
and larger thinning to aid cooling, it was a really impressive looking machine.
It was also the first year that the Clubman spec model was available, with clip-on bars and new
mounting brackets made of four individual tubes for the headlight, which means you could release
it and get it off quicker. An impressive sports machine with the first three bikes finishing
the Senior Clubmans TT, all averaging over 85 miles per hour. In 1955 the DB model Gold Star
was launched offering some small improvements over the CB. It was in 1956 that the DBD34,
the final incarnation of the BSA Gold Star, was released. It would remain in production
until 1963, and there was around 7300 of these machines produced. In truth, the DBD wasn't too
dissimilar to the DB model that was made before it. However, it did have some improvements to
the engine including better gas flowing, bigger valves to the head, also the RRT2 gearbox was
commonly chosen by customers at this point. It did feature this inch and a half Amal GP carb.
And also, let's not forget the famous Gold Star silencer. Designed by Roland Pike it was a way of
combining a megaphone and a standard silencer which gave it that famous Gold Star twitter.
[Engine roars]
So by 1963 the Gold Star was coming to the end of its life. Many enthusiasts see the 1960s DBD34
Clubman spec model as the ultimate Gold Star to own and ride. A tricky beast through town but once
on the open road there's nothing more enjoyable. When the single finished there was a twist to the
tail because the Rocket Gold Star was produced for one year only featuring a twin cylinder engine.
Unit construction bikes were becoming more popular and more commonplace and that was marking the
end of the Gold Star's run. But in November 1962, BSA announced the launch of this bike,
the Rocket Gold Star featuring a 650cc twin cylinder engine mounted into a Gold Star type
frame. Originally the brainchild of a Gold Star specialist called Eddie Dow who'd made
up to 20 of these for his customers, BSA decided to utilise the spare parts they'd got available,
and produce the bike themselves. For the customer wanting the ultimate twin cylinder
cafe racer style machine, rather than going to the effort of building one themselves,
such as a Triton, they could buy one straight from the factory like this.
Scarce and rare in their day, they remain so today, and quite desirable.
[Engine roars]
Gold Stars weren't all just about the road and competition bikes that we featured.
There were also off-road versions that were very successful. In fact we could probably make an hour
long film just about those on their own. But we've just picked out a couple of fine examples here at
the National Motorcycle Museum, to show you what they were about. In fact we've got here a 1957
B34 Clipper. Not actually a Gold Star, but very similar, and we've got that alongside a DBD34
from 1961. We're showing that because you can see the all alloy engine but with the smaller fitting
at the top, compared to the later ones that has a much larger squarer finning to aid cooling.
In fact this bike is a British example. It was more commonly known as a Catalina in America.
They were named after the race winning exploits of Chuck Minert in the 50s when he won the Catalina
Grand Prix on a BSA off-road bike. Fast and effective machines. Basically in the 1950s,
if a Gold Star entered a scramble or off-road event, then a Gold Star won it.
[Engine roars]
Gold Star story ends in 1963. However, the new BSA and the new BSA Gold Star recently launched,
offers a whole new audience a chance to capture some of the essence of the original Gold Star,
in a new softer tuned 650cc road going machine. A modern bike aimed at a different audience than its
sportier forebears. But let's see how it performs and hopefully some of that Gold Star essence will
remain and come through in the new bikes. We'd like to say a special thank you to all our friends
at the National Motorcycle Museum, and to Ben and Mark at Bonhams for helping us make this video.
Please, as normal, leave your comments below, and we look forward to seeing you next time.