BSA model "year" did they start in Sept the year before ?

[hoogerbooger]

Sorry a minor point really, but it's been irritating me not knowing for a while ( partly as my age related plate seems to mismatch the bike dispatch date from the factory)

I have a B40F (with sidepoints), which is a version always referred to as starting in 1965.

My frame and engine fit within the serial number range for 1965 shown on the below link:

https://www.bsaunitsingles.com/Archives/Owners_Manuals/BSA%20serial%20numbers%201923-1972%20x.pdf

But my BSAOC Dating Certificate indicates engine and frame left the factory in September 1964.

I understand there was a yearly factory shut-down in August and that was when the tooling-up was done for new models/changes.

So:

1) is it just a fib that the B40F stared in 1965 ?
2) did BSA have a convention that their year started 4 months early ? and bikes/models produced from Sept were all referred to as the next years model ( so a Sept to August year) even if there was essentially no change in spec.
3) or was it just a case that for new variants/models this happened ?
4) non of the above !

I be grateful if someone can confirm or explain


(I have a C plate and these started in Jan 1965. But it looks like I should have a B Plate. Hence my acute identity crisis and the need to resolve the asymmetry.......OCD ?)

[Bess]

Hi,
     I believe BSA produced bikes by seasons, so 1964 could be 1965 season. I have attached a glass's guide page for those years.

Best wishes...
   

[JulianS]

The first B40F bikes left the factory in September 1964 and were 1965 season bikes, but at the same time some pre "F" bikes were still being exported.

The BSA year seasons usually started in August or September but sometimes the new season bikes were delayed (the worst case of delay probably being the 1971 season bikes)

Starting the season in August/September also allowed BSA to get the new season bikes in quantity to dealers in the all important USA market for the peak selling season which, over there, was in April May and June.

The "C" numberplate, if it was an original one not an age related plate, would relate to the date the bike was registered, not the date it left the factory. Some bikes remained in dealers stocks for some time after they left the factory before being sold(my own A10 left BSA in May 1961 but was not registered until March 1962)

[hoogerbooger]

Many thanks Julian for filling in this gap. My OCD addressed.

It is an age related plate obtained by a previous owner in the 1990's. It may not have been road registered when it was running round the steelworks before ( I'm still trying to find out more on its use there). However  if it was given a C plate just because it's a "1965 model" at least I know now that it wouldn't be that unusual having a plate  that's a few months out with dispatch.

( I'll be able to sleep now)