Standing for Birmingham Small Arms Company Ltd, BSA was founded in 1861, for the production of firearms. The brand’s motorcycle division was set up in 1903, and the first motorcycle followed in 1910.
During and in between the two world wars BSA was involved in a wide range of manufacturing including rifles, machine guns, motorcycles and cars and in various ways helping out this nation's war effort.
In 1950 BSA purchased Triumph Engineering Co. Ltd. and in 1953 BSA Motorcycles Ltd. was created by separating from BSA Cycles Ltd. By the 1950s, BSA was the world’s largest motorcycle maker, with one in every four motorcycles sold worldwide sporting the BSA badge. The company also enjoyed phenomenal success on the race track, with notable victories at Daytona and Santa Catalina.
In 1967 and 1968 the company was awarded the Queen's Award to Industry for the export of BSA and Triumph motorcycles. By 1969 they accounted for 80% of the British motorcycle industry's exports. Many organisations, like the AA, used BSA motorcycles for their patrol machines, and police forces all over the world preferred the BSA. The new three-cylinder machines were launched, with a reputation for performance and reliability.
In 1971 the Group found themselves with a trading loss of £3m, despite all their success. In late 1971 rescue attempts were undertaken with 13 new revised BSA and Triumph models. Due to numerous production problems they missed the market at home and in America. Towards the end of the year they were on the verge of bankruptcy. Sixty-three years of non-stop production ended abruptly in the summer of 1973.
In 2021, after a tantalising wait, BSA Company Ltd launched its first new model, following its acquisition in October 2016 by Classic Legends Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of the Mahindra Group. Manufacture of BSA motorcycles has once again returned to the UK with the launch of its first new model, the Gold Star.
