BSA Royal Star

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BSA Royal Star

Manufacturer	BSA
Also called	BSA A50, BSA A65
Production	1962-1970
Predecessor	BSA A10
Engine	498cc and 649cc air cooled twin
Power	38bhp @ 5800 RPM
Transmission	four speed gearbox to chain drive
Wheelbase	54.75 inches (139.1 cm)
Dimensions	L 81 inches (210 cm) W 11.7 inches (30 cm)
Fuel capacity	4 gallons

The BSA Royal Star is a British motorcycle that was a radical new design for BSA that paved the way for a whole range of very successful unit construction twins. As well as giving a clean look to the engine, with the pushrod passages part of the cylinder block casting, unit constrution reduced the number of places oil could leak from.

1 Development
2 Gallery
3 References
4 Links

[edit] Development

Bob Fearon, Managing Director and General Manager of BSA recognised the need for a completely new look that built on the best features of the A10's but would succeed in the potentially lucrative but competitive US market. Working with Chief Development Engineer Bert Perigo they developed the unit construction Star twins. Launched in 1962 the BSA Royal Star was available as the A50 (500cc) and A65(650cc) versions and was widely exported to the USA and Australia as well as becoming a top seller in the UK in the early 1960s.^[1]

The Royal Star had a relatively small single Amal monoblock carburettor but in 1964 new pistons and a new gearbox improved performance.