1953 BSA Bantam
Country: Great Britain
Engine: Air-cooled, single-cylinder, 2-stroke
Ignition: Wic-Pacy magneto
Power Rating: 4.5bhp @ 5,000rpm
Bore x Stroke: 52mm x 58mm
Displacement: 123cc
Fuel System: Single Amal carburetor
Transmission: 3-speed
Suspension: Front telescopic forks, rear plunger
Brakes: Front and rear drum
Weight: 180lb
Top speed: 46mph
BSA was the largest producer of motorcycles in the world in the 1940s and Fifties. They had a range of machines from 125cc to 650cc, and the most popular was the smallest, the Bantam, outselling every other model. The success of this model was that it was inexpensive, reliable and economical. The design was actually a virtual copy of the pre-war DKW RT125, the blueprints obtained during the occupation of Germany. The Harley Davidson Hummer came from the same source. The power unit continues to be developed with the capacity increased to 150cc, the final versions being 175cc.
