One of the things I enjoy most in life is my bikes, I own lots and i'm forever collecting new ones, many of these are projects for restoration. Sometimes what I buy is close to scrap material which some would think should be dumped but for me that piece of junk that's been sitting in the back of someones garage or shed for decades is a gem awaiting new life. When people see what happens to their pile of rusty metal it comes as a surprise. This project is a 1954 BSA Bantam, the chicken logo on the tank is actually a Bantam which is a type of chook known for it's speed.
This is what you can end up with.
Even when you start with this.
This project was not a easy one but fortunately I have a massive stock of spare parts and engines so although much on this bike was not usable I only had to buy in a small amount of parts mostly for the engine re build. The engine was fully seized and required a complete strip down and rebore of the cylinder.
Engine apart, new seals and bearings fitted.
Cylinder has come back from the machine shop ready for a new piston and after a coat of new heat proof paint it's looking near to new.
A bit more polishing of other parts and i'm ready to get it put back together. New piston fitted and getting close.
The finished article next to another engine I was rebuilding at the same time.
Now the heart of the machine is ready it's time to concentrate on the rest of the bike, after sand blasting all the body parts they get a respray, the fuel tank gets special attention with new pinstripes and decals.
The famous chicken logo.
The wheel rims are far gone and beyond repair so new ones are ordered and rebuilt with stainless steel spokes so rust won't be a problem in the future. Ugly sticker yet to be removed.
A new seat, a few nuts and bolts and we are there, this old classic gets a new life. I try to do a sympathetic restoration rather than over polishing everything to get a show room look, after all in this case the bike is 66 years old and should feel it. Here's what my hard work managed to achieve.
1954 BSA BANTAM.
Here she is a year Later and many miles under her tyres.
Thanks for stopping by and taking a look, please take some time to have a look at my other posts and maybe share them. Be safe out there folks!
This is a beautiful bike and post mate...Just gorgeous! I wanted to curate it for @curangel but I already sent one of yours this week, only one a week I'm afraid. I hope someone else does though!
Hey, I'm not sure if you follow @missionx or not but if not then he will be worth a look for you for sure. He's an ex 500cc GP bike mechanic and posts about all things bikes. I think you'll get some value.
I ride to mate, nothing like your BSA, Yamaha R1 and R6 mainly, but wold love something classic.
Thanks for sharing this. Really.
Thanks dude , kind words. I Have so many bikes it's a bit of a issue fortunately for me the wife is just as crazy about bikes as I am. I also ride modern bikes but have a bit of a soft spot for the classics. Cheers for the heads up on @missionx I will check him out. This is what the wife and I use as our daily rides in the UK.
Nice! Yamaha, that's my style.
Always been a bit of a yammy fella, except for motocross it always used to be Honda for me but KTM have blown everyone out of the water, Austrian build quality is second to none.
I've never ridden much off road to be honest, like, minimal. Hit a fence once, kind of turned me off. Lol.
I have heard KTM are awesome, my mate has one he takes into the outback. I'll get on one someday.
I've had a few Honda's but prefer Yamaha. Had a TRX850 for a while? Remember them?
Yup, lattice framed 850 looked much better as a street fighter with the half fairing thing removed. If you get on a modern motocross bike be ready for a surprise they are stupid powerful.
Stupid powerful, and stupid galenkp seems like a combination that would end with me in hospital.
I left the faring on mine TRX850, but yes, I agree.
Nice rides bro.
Thank you for the mention, much appreciated.
You're welcome. It seemed logical considering you're both bike guys.
This post was shared in the Curation Collective Discord community for curators, and upvoted and reblogged by the @c-squared community account after manual review.
@c-squared runs a community witness. Please consider using one of your witness votes on us here
Some great work here my friend. You certainly know your bikes.
I had a bad accident in 1980 on a Yamaha 650cc. Used to be a cop's bike and it was quick indeed.
Cost me 2 years in plaster, left leg.
Alan Gaisford, ex brother in law also restored old classics but he has passed away. Sold all of his bikes and opened a clock business. He had the Indian 4-square, a Harly that he bought for about $5, I think it was an old war version and also some BSAs. My favorite was the Triumph Bonneville.
Hi thanks for your comments, it's a unfortunate part of being a biker that we encounter many hazards and accidents are common. I have been quite fortunate over the years, although many spills have be had I have mostly come off with minor cuts and grazes. Motocross a life long interest of mine left me with a broken collar bone but with 45 years of racing under my belt iv'e been pretty lucky. Skateboarding is another matter, one of my legs is patched together with plates and screws after a heavy off, 19 years on it's still not right. Here's a bike you may like it's a genuine war department Ariel from BSA sister company, still sporting it's 1942 papers. Stay safe.
Oh yeah man, this is a real beauty!
So wonderful to see it.
We share the leg issues my brother and I know what you are talking about.
But at least, we can still walk on it and have over time become accustomed to the pain.
The fact of my accident was that I was swiped from behind sanding still at a traffic light waiting to turn right. A taxi overtook another taxi behind me and swiped me into the traffic in the oncoming lane. Now here's the funny thing. Another taxi travelling in the opposite direction collected me at speed and knocked me into a coma for a couple of days.
I spent 3 months in hospital and it was a close call.
Thank you for the great photo my friend.
Don't mind if I keep it.
Blessings and take care!
Yet when you need a taxi in a hurry you can never find one. Your experience pushes mine into the shadows, glad to hear you came out the other side. Regarding the photo it's all yours I actually plan to do a blog on that bike, its had a bit of a life its self, be safe bro
No, I don't think one's experience is worse that anybody else's, as we all share and have to live with it my friend.
Thank you and I hope that I will see your post.
You also take care.
Fantastic job !! Takes a special mental attitude and patience for this kind of hobby... and I imagine a great deal of passion.
I certainly burn up a lot of time in the shed but it's rewarding when you ride that old banger down the street for the first time in years, sometimes decades.