Inspired by the hugely successful Triumph twin cylinder engine architecture, BSA launched the A7 parallel twin in the fall of 1946. It featured a 360-degree crankshaft, vertically split crankcase, cast-iron cylinder barrel and ‘head, but employed a single camshaft rather than the Triumph’s two. A comfortable and capable machine, the A7 was greeted well by commuters, tourers and as a successful sidecar machine.
The 1947 BSA 500cc A7 Twin on offer here hails from a discerning Northern California collector of British and Italian machines, its owner for more than 20-years. Matching numbers, as per the BSA factory records, it is from the first post-war year of production, and features the intriguing vertical center stand exclusive to only the first 1,000 bikes and the tank mounted speedo of the ’47 model before moving to the handlebars the following year. Its odometer reads 16,000 miles and is believed to be correct. The bike has quick-detach wheels, 6-Volt electrics and its original Lycette seat. The sale of the bike is accompanied by an extensive file of receipts, magazine articles, registration documents, export/import documents from its trip to the International BSA Owners Rally in Denmark, when it was ridden around Europe, and a BSA Owners Club Dating Certificate (pictured).
Frame no. XA7 771
Engine no. XA7 782
Location: ventura, California
SOLD
