Topic: BSA 441

[jgger]

Is anybody interested in this? Located in So Calif,  my friend is trying to sell it for a widow friend of his. All I  know is it is a 441 Victor. I can put you in touch with him if you are interested.

[BenelliSEI]

Too far away to check it out but pretty sure that is not a BSA frame. Looks like a well engineered piece. Your friend should have a close look for paperwork or physical ID. Nice rims too.

I don’t think it’s a Rickman because those adjustable cam plates on the swing arm bolt are not their style, nor is it chrome moly. I’m sure someone more knowledgable would recognize it.

[jgger]

Thanks for that info. I will tell him to look closer, plus he has another frame that we are pretty sure IS a BSA frame, so you may be correct. Thank you  John.

[BenelliSEI]

Thanks for that info. I will tell him to look closer, plus he has another frame that we are pretty sure IS a BSA frame, so you may be correct. Thank you  John.

The stock frame has a “Y” in the front down tube with a built in sump guard. I had one for a while, just got tired of kick starting the beast! When I was in my last year of high school, I won a bet by riding it to school every day for one winter…… pig to start in the cold, I had to push it home a couple of times.

[scottly]

That may be a BSA B50? Note the chain adjusters. I had a 441 Victor back in the late '70s; it was one of those bikes I wished I kept, not because it was a great bike, I just liked the "cobby" looks.

[scottly]

The B50's oil tank was in the top frame tube, instead of a conventional tank on the side like the 441. Is that present on the bike in question?

[grcamna2]

Nice classic bike jgger. 

Scottly,will the frame or engine numbers indicate which model ?

[jgger]

Dam you guys, now you have me thinking about getting it!

[grcamna2]

Dam you guys, now you have me thinking about getting it!

The 'trick' is starting it   
Possibly some thick-soled motocross boots.

[scottly]

Jim, you should get some more details. The frame looks to be a B50, but the gas tank doesn't look like a B50 or a 441? In front of the gas tank there should be a cap for the in-frame oil tank.(Triumph marketed a version of the B50 made from leftover parts after BSA folded) Also, the forks don't look like BSA. If the other frame is from a 441, perhaps the owner put the 441 engine into a B50 frame, and added aluminum rims and newer front forks to make a "desert sled", as they used to be called.
The 441s had a 2-up seat and a single seat; I don't remember what my '71 had.

[jgger]

I'm going to have to give him a visit and check things a little more closely.  I think you are on to something with the B50 bits, the original owner was known to tinker alot. Unfortunately he passed away some time ago and nobody in his family knows his secrets. The other frame has an oil tank, not a "frame tank", so who knows.

I just might NEED an old Bezer to play with.

[scottly]

It's definitely worth taking a look, IMHO.

[BenelliSEI]

It's definitely worth taking a look, IMHO.

Agreed!

[Rookster]

It looks like a B50 frame that has had some modifications.  There are some tabs missing and the sidestand, footpeg and brake lever have been modified.  B50s aren't the best built machines BSA ever made but once right they are very fun to ride.  I did a write up for The Vintagent about my B50 troubles. 

https://thevintagent.com/2023/09/24/is-this-motorcycle-cursed-a-bsa-b50-story/

Good luck.  Hopefully your B50 tale is less troublesome than mine.

The Cursed Motorcycle:


Scott

[Mark1976]

   Great read, can really appreciate "the lozenge " in regards to the tank. I had a Norton, its the only thing I've ever encountered that required more maintenance than my 1st wife... I never owned another Norton, but I did get married again...

[Stev-o]

I did a write up for The Vintagent about my B50... 

Nice job Scott, thats a great lookin' bike.

[jgger]

That is a very nice looking Beezer for sure. We're Acront rims standard on the B50, or steel/chrome?

[BenelliSEI]

It looks like a B50 frame that has had some modifications.  There are some tabs missing and the sidestand, footpeg and brake lever have been modified.  B50s aren't the best built machines BSA ever made but once right they are very fun to ride.  I did a write up for The Vintagent about my B50 troubles. 

https://thevintagent.com/2023/09/24/is-this-motorcycle-cursed-a-bsa-b50-story/

Good luck.  Hopefully your B50 tale is less troublesome than mine.

The Cursed Motorcycle:


Scott

Nice write up! Enjoyed it……Thanks.

[Rookster]

Thanks guys. 

The rims were chrome steel from the factory but depending on the model they were different sizes.  They all had 18" rear rims but SS models had an 18" front rim and the T and MX models had a 20" front rim. 

The BSA unit singles are bikes that should have had more development work before being put into production.  But, they were BSAs lowest priced bikes so any more development work would have made them too expensive.  Their origins are with the 250cc commuter bikes BSA made for the English market.  They were little bikes that were made more powerful but retained alot of the little bike components.  That one looks well put together.  Someone definitely spent some time building it into a capable off road bike.  They are fun to ride but just don't expect Honda reliability or smoothness. 

Scott

[scottly]

They are fun to ride but just don't expect Honda reliability or smoothness. 

Regarding smoothness, the big BSA thumpers could shake the fillings out of your teeth!