| Manufacturer | BSA |
|---|---|
| Also called | BSA E35 |
| Production | 1970 |
| Engine | 349cc DOHC twin |
| Power | 34hp @ 9,000 rpm |
| Transmission | wet multiplate clutch five speed gearbox |
The BSA Fury was a British motorcycle manufactured as a prototype by Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) in 1970 but by November 1972 BSA Group debts exceeded £20 million. Designed by Edward Turner with help from Bert Hopwood,[1] the Fury never went into commercial production due to the collapse of the BSA Group.[2]
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Launched in 1971 the 349cc double overhead cam twin BSA E35 was branded the BSA Fury. It was essentailly the same motorcycle as the Triumph Bandit and represented the BSA factory's last attempt to compete against Japanese imports.[3] The frame used for the Fury designed by Rob North was the same as that used on the racing BSA triples and a 'Street Scrambler' E35SS and road version the E35R were developed during 1971. Featuring upswept twin silencers, the SS had an optional electric starter and indicators and 26mm Amal Concentric carburettors. The Fury delivered 34bhp (25 kW) and could reach 110 mph (177 km/h). BSA invested their scarce resources on publicity for the Fury under the slogan A new kind of Power.[4] Multi page brochure inserts were put in all of the major US motorcycle publications and BSA and Triumph were counting on the Fury and Bandit to bring them back into profitability.
BSA invested heavily in modernising and reorganising their Small Heath factory in Birmingham and the research and design facility at Umberslade Hall, with the aim of improving efficiency and becoming more competitive. The Directors asked for full cooperation from the workforce and agreed a 10% cut in their own salaries.[5] By the summer of 1972 BSA had an £8,000,000 trading loss and work was delayed by staff disputes. Design work continued on 4 and 5 cylinder versions of the Fury but by November 1972 BSA had to give in to creditors and the BSA Group was forced into a partnership with Norton as its debts exceeded £20 million. The Fury, which was to have saved the company, never went into commercial production and only eight prototypes survived.[4]
A BSA Fury prototype is on display at the London Motorcycle Museum in Greenford, London.[6]