- Old restoration

- Very stylish

- American influence

- No reserve

Following Triumph, the most prominent British motorcycle brands took the initiative after the war to launch models with vertical twin engines. BSA introduced the A7 in 1946, followed by the A10 with a 650 cc engine from 1949, with the first version being called Golden Flash. The American market was a key target for British motorcycle manufacturers. Highly different from what American brands produced, British motorcycles were popular for their character and personality, as epitomised by the 1953 film The Wild One, featuring a magnificent Marlon Brando, in a group of those who were then called the “black jackets”.

This particular BSA Golden Flash (sometimes called the “Royal Tourist” in the USA) is a good example: It was exported to the United States, from where it has recently returned. It features a design that blends both “chopper” and “cafe-racer” styles, with high handlebars, a small single seat and a short exhaust. Restored and completed by our collector, it is a very stylish example and the small silencers give us a hint of the masculine sound coming out of this great machine.

Photos © Alexis Ruben