What kind of BSA Motorcycle is this?

December 18, 2011 11:18 PM

Thinking of buying it, but need to verify the model and year I live in Bamako, Mali, and would LOVE to buy an old bike here, work on it some, and drive it around the countryside. Romantic! There are few to be found here. Unlike East Africa, where the British brought with them their wonderful bikes, in West Africa they're few and far between. I found this BSA an Italian chef is selling (I think the little details, while not particularly relevant, make the question a bit more interesting, no?). Picture of the bike on my Flickr Page. He claims it is a either a BSA Thunderbolt or Rocket, and that it is a 1960 model, which I don't believe is possible. He's asking 6,000US for it, which he could get maybe in the US or Italy, but here I'm thinking more like 2-3k.

Anyway, any ideas on what kind of bike this is, and, if you've had an experience with one, what you think of them? Will I be on the side of the road often tinkering (not necessarily a bad thing, but good to know up-front), or will it just run after a trip to the mechanic?

Thank you collective internet intelligence, you never let me down!

posted by leecohen (0 comments total)