uk bsa police bikes.

[skelley2]

I've got offered a bsa police bike, I know bsa as a brand from guns and road bikes but dont know much about police bikes?

I've only found one from 1914, i take it they were made after this too.

are these collectable? the guy has asked me to make him an offer and like to know a bit more before getting chatting.

 

[1duck]

BSA also made all the police motorbikes back in the day and civilian motorbikes i think they even dabbled in cars at one point, it was pretty standard for weapons companies to do other engineering things to supplement their income.


I wouldn't have thought that it being a police issue one would add any value to it unless it had some sort of paintwork marking it as a police model....then the only value it would add would be collectability by police memrobilia types.

 

[keithglos]

BSA were largely responsible for the standardisation of british cycle threads and 1/2 inch chain pitch. They supplied machine tools and manufactured components to about half the world, mostly at that time pink on the map. Expensive and high quality. By the time I went round the BSA cycle factory in 1954 they were really struggling with the downturn in sales throughout the commuter bike industry, and quality had almost gone.
Can you tell me if the "police bike" has any chrome plate, nickel plate or black painted handlebar, cranks etc. 24" frames with 28" wheels were a ridiculous standard pre WW2, usuall far too tall for the riders, apart from police, so sometimes are referred to as "police bikes".