Super rocket

[route 66]

tps://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134408069019?hash=item1f4b585f9b:g:1GQAAOSwUtRjvb5B&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoEROcy7O0wGIodQ%2FuV8bM4RuaUDXVrJItZ%2BSYQauB%2FMta5esLCQe5Xc4j3K

I'm looking at this bike,what are the experts views? Its red but shows as black on the dvla website.It says super rocket but doesnt have an hhc stamping.Is CA10 correct for 1959? Did this bike have chrome mudguards? Any advice greatly received.

[Spaceman]

If a 1959 SR then engine number would begin CA10R and frame number FA7. I can only go by the 1959 parts book that seems to indicate the mudguards were painted - however, export versions may have had chrome mudguards? Apart from that, looks to be in reasonable un-restored condition?

[Spaceman]

ps. indicated as being red when you check the MOT?

[route 66]

When I checked the road tax part it says the colour is black

[Spaceman]

I guess both DVLA portals are correct since, with chrome mudguards, the bike is both black (side panels) and red (petrol tank)!

[route 66]

Well it only tells the colour on the road tax enquiry part but I did the same with some other bikes for sale and a red tank bike showed up as red on the dvla.That's what confused me.

[Spaceman]

You would have thought both DVLA portals (MOT and Road Tax) would have shown the same colour as on the V5 which, I am sure is red. I doubt if anyone would have wanted an all black A10 Super Rocket back in 1959 except, possibly, the Police!

[route 66]

I only did the road tax check but I have now done the mot one and it shows red on it.That is probably because the tester has put down red as the colour.The details of the vehicle on the road tax portal are from the V5 so it must say black.I agree with you about no one wanting a black Rocket but my Flash is black and has been from new.

[Spaceman]

The advert seems to say the paintwork is original - might be worth asking the vender what colour is actually on the buff log book and the V5.

[Spaceman]

I don't really know whether this matters in terms of considering whether to buy this bike but, looking at the RS Paint web site who I normally rely on say what the correct colours for BSA bikes were, they give only Royal Red for a 1959 A10SR. They also give the same colour for a 1959 A10RR. In contrast, the A10GF came in all the colours including black - in fact, my A10GF started life in this colour until I changed it! If everything is as it should be with this bike, I would expect the buff log book to indicate a red colour.

[JulianS]

Below from the 1959 BSA UK catalogue, giving the colours available for the range - showing the Super Rocket was offered in red or silver sheen with black as an alternative. The despatch book entries for 1959 usually show the colour in which a UK market bike was finished, Super Rockets in silver sheen or black are very rarely seen.

[Spaceman]

I have just noticed the eBay advert shows a picture of the original buff log book. If you look carefully, you can see that the colour section is not filled and so the colour on the V5C could well have been entered as black by default or by mistake or the petrol tank was black at the time!