ZB 34 rare?

[coater87]

 One of these came up for sale, I know nothing about this bike as far as history of the zb34.

 It's a plunger frame, if that matters.

 Is this a rare BSA, or something a guy could fix up and ride around without worry of a 19 second theft?

 In case you don't know it, a bike at the Sturgis motorcycle rally was stolen in 19 seconds from a fuel station.

 Lee

[KiwiGF]

Hello, I've got a plain old rigid framed b31 (350cc single in rigid frame), the frame and engine prefixed zb31, the zb34 prefix should only be on the engine I reckon and denotes a competition engine or gold star.

Ive been lucky enough to ride a 500cc gold star plunger, a great bike and quite a bit quicker than the standard b33, and I would say they are rare, but not as expensive to buy as the gold star swing arm bikes.

Obviously the "originality" of the bike will affect its value a great deal, it's the type of bike where it's definitely a case of buyer beware as it's not uncommon for engine and frame numbers to be messed around with, the real value in the b32 and b34 engines is in the top end, as that's where Most of the rare and expensive parts are.......it's possible (and not uncommon) for owners to spend a lot of money fitting b32/34/gold star parts to plain old b31's......but whilst some might then go as well as gold stars they won't be the real thing....

This link has more info.

http://www.bsaownersclub.co.uk/yearlist1951.html

Pic attached of the plunger goldie I rode, the guy in the pic has owned it from new!

[coater87]

 Guy says in ad it's not a gold star. It looks to have cast iron barrel and head, and looks quite rough.

 He "says" it runs, but leaks a bit of oil.

 He has a price of 5200 US.

 I like the look of the bike, a b31, or 32, or 34 wouldn't matter to me. It's just a good looking design in my opinion.

 Lee

[KiwiGF]

Im 99% sure ALL the b32/34 series engines had alloy barrels and heads (hence why those are the most expensive and sought after parts) so the bike is probably a zb31 or zb33, which is one of commonest bsa's in NZ, many people have them in the "collection " as they will most likely be the bike that will actually be running when a bike is needed

Here's a pic of my b31 rigid project.....it has gold star touring cams, Yamaha piston to make just under 400cc, and a bored out inlet to match a 389 carb, this might give an extra 2 hp or so over standard  gosh

[Brian]

BSA made iron engine B34's from 1947 to 1953 by what I can find out. They had engine no's B34. They were called their "competition" models.

I looked through all my literature and found one ad for them which I've attached.

Incidently all genuine Gold Stars have GS in the engine number, they made lots of different alloy engined models but the engine must have GS in it to be a genuine Goldie.

[KiwiGF]

Quiet right Brian, and I found this on the topic as well......early "competition" models were cast iron, with alloy an option later on.

I wondering why a b34 engine would be in a plunger frame now! (Apart from the obvious of it not being the original engine)

[harvey mushman]

this bike for sale on gumtree in uk at moment. looks interesting!

Its ZB32 engine

[orabanda]

Here is a ZB34 (trials spec) on our Dec 31 run.

Good run; around 30 bikes; all different types.

Richard

[nimrod650]

One of these came up for sale, I know nothing about this bike as far as history of the zb34.

 It's a plunger frame, if that matters.

 Is this a rare BSA, or something a guy could fix up and ride around without worry of a 19 second theft?

 In case you don't know it, a bike at the Sturgis motorcycle rally was stolen in 19 seconds from a fuel station. maybe it took a bit of starting


 Lee

[coater87]

 The thieves never started the bike.

 security footage shows a group of riders pull up and go inside the gas station.

 a white delivery truck comes flying up in reverse, meanwhile the rear roll up door is lifting and the lift gate is folding down.

 4 guys jump out the back and carry the bike up the ramp and the truck is driving away while the lift gate still going back up.

 19 seconds and the guys bike was on the way to having its numbers stamped again.

 How do you stop something like that? Even if you chain the bike to a post, you only add 10 seconds for some gorilla to cut the chain with a real bolt cutters.....

 

[KiwiGF]

The thieves never started the bike.

 security footage shows a group of riders pull up and go inside the gas station.

 a white delivery truck comes flying up in reverse, meanwhile the rear roll up door is lifting and the lift gate is folding down.

 4 guys jump out the back and carry the bike up the ramp and the truck is driving away while the lift gate still going back up.

 19 seconds and the guys bike was on the way to having its numbers stamped again.

 How do you stop something like that? Even if you chain the bike to a post, you only add 10 seconds for some gorilla to cut the chain with a real bolt cutters.....

You can't  but good insurance should stop a financial consequence, and marking important parts with one of those a special uv sensitive security pens should help the police find the low life toe rags 

Have you any more info on the zb34? I read somewhere the u.s. may have got a few unusually numbered competition engined bikes after the (trials) bikes failed to sell in the uk due to being too heavy, possibly with zb34 frame numbers.

[kiwipom]

Hi guys,seems like a lot of trouble and risk to steal a motor bike, sounds more like a scene from the movie ' The Italian Job'  cheers

[coater87]

Hi guys,seems like a lot of trouble and risk to steal a motor bike, sounds more like a scene from the movie ' The Italian Job'  cheers

 Could be where they got the idea from, I should try and see that movie.

 Figure a 2017 Harley is 40,000 US new (probably more), I have heard they are worth $10,000 to some of these guys who buy salvage bikes and resell them.

 So the scam goes: buy a crashed Harley for pennies on the dollar with good title. Steal same year Harley and combine the parts. Viola, $20,000 in profit and all numbers still match.

 

[Rocket Racer]

To add my 10 cents worth, the non goldie ZB34's are uncommon but not rare and not having the GS suffix less sought after as offer  less bragging rights.
All the pre unit beesa B series post war are tough as old nails and good riders.
I've had my ZB33 for over 30 years and still regret selling my rigid ZB33A (apparently genuine and I've come across others since) back when I was broke and pruning the herd circa 1992
I must admit I'd happily buy another alloy ZB34 and wouldn't be without my ZB33

Anything can be stolen, but I'd suspect an iron beesa 500 is well down the theft pecking list.
Years back I came back to my then commuter vfr750 in the public carpark to find the entire front brake master cylinder missing and the hydraulic line cut  for someone with the right allen key and a pair a of cutters, another few minutes work 
Someone obviously wanted the parts 

[Lightningpower]

The ZB32/34 series is rare. BSA built both iron and alloy versions of the 32/34 Competition models at the same time for awhile. The barrels and heads are certainly different for the alloy models (and the alloy ones are usually different than GS units with smaller diameter inlets), also on both iron and alloy 32/34's the cranks are usually different and so are the cams. The cases I've seen have more webbing around the drive side bearing and wide flanges, when the B31/33 didn't. Of course the pistons were different as well.

The frames were common to the B31/33's in most circumstances. I have a 1950 ZB34.A and 1953 BB34 iron. I also have a 1953 B33.A, which is extremely rare, but not likely to have great value.

If you want an iron ZB34 and don't wish to pay the rather large sum like that seller is looking for, buy yourself a decent B33 and then pick up a bottom end for 34 on ebay.

This project will never be worth gold star money. The iron barrelled unit is worth pretty well the same as B33, but, you will live the knowledge that you have something special. Also, you can do it up in Trials trim, which is really quite excellent.