What year is this ?

[Bsaray]

Just bought this but unsure what is stock or missed matched .engine say A65C frame b50 .is this a 65 650 rocket .it has one carb. Wiring is gone .is tbis tbe correct pipes,tank, seat looks wrong . Any help will be great . I want to wire it to try to start her and go from there.Fenders look like from a star model ?

[ChrisG]

According to the list in Matthew Vales book 'BSA unit construction twins the complete story', engine A65C was a '64 and '65 model years Rocket with Rev Counter. Frame A50B refers to Lightning Rocket, Lightning, Spitfire Hornet same model years.
So, probably not the original engine, but from the same era.
The bike has been customised with the handlebar mounts extended, the seat looks like a Trailie and the pipes dont look right, the front one sticks out a mile.
Other opinions may be worthy of note!
Chris

[JulianS]

The Rocket frame, for the full width rear hub, would commence A50 then numbers.

The front wheel is not BSA.

[Bsaray]

It is a A 50. 8723 frame number and a A65c 1251 engine number. Is this a rare bike ? Why do all the ones i see online have small fenders and this one has huge fenders and a karge tank ?

[ducati2242]

The numbers fit the 1965 A65R ROCKET WITH REV COUNTER .

[JulianS]

What you have is a 1965 season USA model A65 Thunderbolt Rocket.

Catalogue page below. Not unusual to find some parts  have been changed over so many years.

[ducati2242]

Thunderbolt rocket had an engine number that started A65B .

[bikerbob]

According to Roy Bacon,s book the A65 Rocket for 1964 began with engine number A65B but if it was fitted with a Rev counter then it began A65C

[ducati2242]

Yes but the Thunderbolt rocket was an A65T with A65B numbers . Then there's the rocket A65R which has the A65B numbers, without rev counter , and Rocket A65R which had the A65C numbers with the rev counter .
This one is a Rocket A65R with the A65C numbers so came with rev counter and is 1965 both frame and engine  .
The Thunderbolt Rocket was a different bike and could have been export only  .

[Bsaray]

Is that the correct gas tank and the headlight does not have any knobs like i have seen on other bikes was that switched also ?

[Bsaray]

JulianS  pleasr pm me your email i have more questions

[Bsaray]

So what was different on the rocket from a thunderbird ? Was the rocket ,that came with the bigger fenders ? I just found out this bike has been sitting for 27 years it kicks over so before i restore it .I will try to start it. Can i buy a 12 volt battery and 12 volt coils instead of 6 volts . They are all missing anyway. The tank is my concern if its correct .

[bikerbob]

As I understand it the Thunderbolt was the touring model and the Rocket was the sportier version having chrome mudguards seperate headlight and I have seen pictures of some with two into one exhausts. As regards your petrol tank it does look suspicious as it does not have the center seam with the chrome strip and there is no provision for the  tank badges but I have seen a picture of a USA model that did not have the center seam but it did have provision for the tank badges, maybe your's has had the badge recesses filled in prior to painting.

[Bsaray]

Seems the sporty model would have smaller fenders not larger ones... i looked in the tank and can see indications on both sides so maybe they did fill on the sides..thanks