Well hello new friends! I may just need your help with this one as its going to be a labour of love and hate I think!
My story starts as a child growing up in a small house in Lancashire! I had a lovely downstairs bedroom, with my favourite posters on the walls to include an array of Group B rally cars, MK2 Escorts and a collection of fighter jets exclusively collected and displayed with pride. Unfortunately, the room was also tarnished with my Dad's desire to completely embarrass me, especially when I wanted to bring my friends around to play. The was expertly done, due to his decision that the only place worthy of storing his awful BSA motorbike frame was in my room, under the front window for the duration of my childhood and teenage years. Every day I wished he would get rid of the dam thing as it had become the pain in my side. Instead of the normal kid’s bedroom, complete with a wardrobe and desk! I had to have an old crappy part motorbike!
Well I have long moved away from the family home and the bike frame has now returned to the front room, after a lengthy stay at my Dad’s work premises until his retirement forced its return. Due to the length of time it has been untouched and pressure from his beloved wife and daughters, the decision was made to sell such item on Ebay, potentially freeing up the front room once again!
On hearing this news that the bike was finally going, I was totally shocked and more so, overwhelmingly upset that this was now the highlight of fully live online auction!! Bids were starting to come in!!
Trying to understand my feelings, it was apparent that I always had it in my head that we would one day go for a ride together on the machine that I once hated as a young boy. I had to stop this sale and tell my Dad he couldn’t sell it…!!!!
The next day after a sleepless night I went round to discuss this. In the bad books after already making the angry phone calls, grumpily telling my long suffering sisters they had made a major mistake listing it without my knowledge! I can take the frame and put it in my son’s bedroom for now, I told them!! ;-)
So here we are! My Mother has accepted defeat for now…! The bike is staying with them a little longer and I’m working on my partner to free up some room for our new project!
After Googling and researching every evening for the whole week I have totally caught the BSA bug. The more I read and find out from Dad, the more the plot thickens as to the history of this machine!
(Racing Gearbox, raced in the TT, 1954 Number plate, DA10 121**engine, misplaced log book, bracket covering the frame number, fiberglass tank and seat! What did you used to be…?
Dave
