Very early BSA

[BEVANC]

Hi folks,
Does anyone with knowledge of veteran BSAs have any view on whether the bike in the attached photo looks to be a genuine 1912 machine ?
Cheets, Bevan

[Y13 Alan G]

Looks ok to me, all 350cc/500cc BSA's from just before and after the first World War to about mid 1920's look the same. Drum brakes were introduced in about 1925. I note that although it has acetylene front & rear lights there is no sign of the acetylene tank/generator or any rubber pipes from the tank/generator to the lights. Obtaining an acetylene tank/generator will I fear by extremely hard.

[BEVANC]

Many thanks for that info.
This 500cc bike is for sale here in N.Z. It has just been re-listed at a reduced starting price after failing to attract a bid at the equivalent of 14500 gbp. 
The oldest bike I have is a 1929 Sloper, so it certainly would be interesting to have this bike.

Apparently restored and running as of 3 years ago, but it is unclear whether it has ever been road registered here, or if there is documentation to facilitate this, which is a barrier for me anyway..

I'd want to be able to legally chuff it around a few local roads every so often. I find bikes in museums interesting of course, but also a bit sad - they were all built to ride.
Cheers,
Bevan

[Y13 Alan G]

Hi Bevan, £14,500 seems a bit much for such a bike. In the UK the vintage/classic bike market is pretty depressed with bikes, unless they are very rare/desirable very difficult to sell. Fewer and fewer people know how to look after them. I also have a 1929 Sloper with a 1927 BSA lightweight sidecar attached. Unfortunately at 80 years of age rigid rear end and girder forks are too uncomfortable for me. I sold my 1927 BSA 500 sv cc solo a few years ago and my Rocket 3 (owned from new) two years ago as it was too heavy for me. I'm reduced to a 1968 BSA D14/4 Bantam now.

[scifi]

I have a 350 version of that bike, except with a 3 speed hand change gearbox, clutch and chain drive, which was made in 1925.  So I suppose your pedal version would have been from an earlier date.   There should be some record of frame and engine numbers, which will give you the details to get it registered for the road.