The upcoming BSA Gold Star 650 gets retro-inspired styling, and it draws power from a liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine
Mahindra-owned Classic Legends is on a mission to revive a few iconic motorcycle brands of the past. The company has already breathed new life into Jawa, and next in line are BSA and Yezdi. BSA’s new motorcycle – Gold Star 650 – was recently unveiled in the UK, and it has fans of the brand and of retro-style motorcycles excited.
Here, we take a look at the top five things that you should know about the recently debuted BSA Gold Star 650.
Design
The new BSA motorcycle has a beautiful retro-inspired design, reminiscent of the original. It gets a round headlamp, a teardrop-shaped fuel tank (12 litres), a single-piece seat, wire-spoke wheels, round rear-view mirrors, etc. Even the engine has been designed to look old-school, with great attention to detail. At 213 kg (wet weight), this isn’t a particularly light bike.
Chassis and hardware
The Gold Star 650 is built on a tubular dual-cradle steel frame, which should give the bike good stability and handling. The suspension system consists of conventional 41mm telescopic front forks and preload-adjustable twin rear shockers. As stated earlier, the motorcycle gets wire-spoke wheels, but in typical retro fashion, the front wheel is an 18-inch unit and the rear is a 17-inch unit.
Features and equipment
Keeping in line with the old-school theme, the new BSA gets analogue dials for the speedo and tachometer. Both pods get LCD MIDs for additional information though. The taillight is LED, but the headlamp is a regular halogen unit. The Gold Star 650 also gets a 12V USB charging port on the handlebar, single disc brakes on both wheels (320mm front and 255mm rear), and dual-channel ABS.
Powertrain
BSA Gold Star 650 is powered by a 652cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine. This four-valve, DOHC motor can generate a peak power of 45 PS (at 6,000 rpm) and a maximum torque of 55 Nm (at 4,000 rpm). It comes mated to a 5-speed gearbox, and a slipper & assist clutch is available as standard here.
Expected launch and rivals
The upcoming BSA Gold Star 650 will go on sale in the UK soon, and it will be launched in a few other international markets as well. It will likely be priced in the same ballpark as the Kawasaki W800 and Triumph Bonneville Street Twin, way above the Royal Enfield 650 twins. We’re not sure if BSA motorcycles would launch in India, but it would be brilliant if they did, won’t it?