Speedy A65

[A10Boy]

I was out on my Z1 with 'er indoors in the Cotswold hills yesterday in the sunshine. Came down saintbury hill to take the road to Bidford on avon and at the junction had to give way to a 1972 A65, I think it was a Lighning [Red, twin carbs].
He took off down this fairly straight and empty country "A" road like the proverbial bat out of hell. I had to wind the Z1 up to 90 to catch him and followed him at 80 plus down to the lights in Bidford 8-9 miles away. The bike was fairly ratty L reg, no mirrors, no indicators, sounded awesome with a real roar. He was obviously giving it some welly. I didn't know they were so quick, miles faster than the old Flash. Very impressed.

[Topdad]

Yeah very underated ,the early (gold and chrome liveried ) lightnings were the only unit linked ones to even interest me and I'm told sorted they are a nice bike.  I was selling 'em and all I can say is given the choice of taking a '68 bonnie home for the night or any unit A it'd be the bonnie particularly has I didn't didn't want to have to call the recovery van out to collect it next day with the attendant hassle of "what did you do to it" etc.. Regards BobH

[RichardL]

I was at alocal motorcycle event this last Sunday ("Harleys-A-Go-Go", not the actual name of the event) and a guy appreciating my A10 started talking about some land speed record held by an A65. (Is it called called "land speed" to distinguish it from being dropped from an airplane or hooked up to a paddle boat?) I went looking for this record but did not find it. However, I found this: http://www.biker-share.com/photo/2010-world-land-speed
which is actually more interesting to me.

Richard L.

[metalflake11]

Eggs are good, and very easy to live with. I'ts just they look like an.........well, an egg!
Two of my first three B.S.A.'s were 65's and I really liked them, but an A7/10 engine is in a different league when it comes to looks.
I dont know if this holds a land speed record, but it is/was the fastest B.S.A. in the world. This is what 149.5mph looks like on board. It has clocked 162.5 mph though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkXevuhz0mQ
I wonder if that's what he was on about Richard?
                                                                                        mf

[muskrat]

 My latest is a '64 A65. Goes real well, about the same berries as the cafe. Its a rolling resto and seen 110 mph already. Took it on a dirt ride a few weeks back. 6 other club members on trail bikes with knobby tyres couldn't keep up with the A65 with AM26 tyres and high (not quite ape hangers) bars. Then the following week did 300 miles to Bomballa.
Cheers

[A10Boy]

UPDATE What a coincidence!! 

I was in C+D autos on Saturday morning collecting another gallon of Castrol's finest XXL40 for the annual post MOT oil change. A chap came in and was buying odds and ends for his A65, we started chatting as you do and it turns out it was the same geezer I had followed a week before and 30 miles away! We had a right good old chin wag. 

[bsa-bill]

We had a right good old chin wag.

Wasn't this the ways it was and probably still is, you pop in to your local bike shop for a couple of spark plugs and come out three hours later with two spark plugs, two new friends and a quizzical look or two from the shopkeeper as you spun the same old story of how you did the ton