Britbike forum Forums Thread Like Summary - 2022 BSA Goldstar - Your Thoughts?

With the news out about the 2022 BSA Goldstar, I'm curious to know what you all think?

The USB socket will probably sell it to a lot of 'bikers' now.
As long as it doesn't scratch their nail varnish.

As I have stated earlier, without electric start and balance shafts they would not leave the showroom floor. Without EFI, catalytic converter and ABS, they would not get as far as the showroom floor

Personally, I would choose a modern styled Victor like this over a facsimile styled BSA Gold Star.

I'm not a fan of the trend started by Triumph with their Bonneville and now BSA with their Gold Star, where they have mimicked the external form and style of the old engine and yet the internal layout of the engine bears little or no resemblance to its outer architecture. You can see this with the timing case on the modern T100/120's timing cover that used to house the pushrod motors camshafts and now houses the alternator, it's the same with the final drive sprocket cover that resembles the originals gearbox cover. This was something Royal Enfield seemed to have deliberately avoided with their Interceptor twins the primary drive is, as most modern engines are, on the right hand side with the final drive on the left. To my engineering mind it is a more honest design and could possibly be a factor in it's success...or maybe the old Interceptor style isn't as iconic, whatever way, I think it's better for it.

Specification sheet for the “new” Gold Star

Aesthetically, i still prefer the enfield twin but it's a personal thing
It looks a bit podgy to me,

Yes I have used the ABS in a panic stop. Worst was getting cut off in traffic, both F & R ABS kicked in. Bike stopped straight with no frame. The driver that cut me off got an earful.

I have noticed the rear kick in a number of times on downhill stops with loose material on the road.

Reality is….it exists in the background for me. I ride a lot on gravel and dirt roads, don’t even notice it is there

470 pounds! That's close to Trident territory.
What's the point of a single if it ain't light?

To my mind, the Mahindra BSA looks more like a Classic Cruiser rather than a sleek boy's own racer. The large radiator and chunky exhaust dont help in this respect and combined with the relatively short wheelbase, I feel the bike has a slightly dumpy look.

Don't get me wrong, I think Mahindra BSA have done a fabulous job of building a bike that BSA might have produced some years after they went bust and I wish them success with future sales.

It's interesting that they decided on a capacity of 652cc and a 11.5:1 cr together with a 4 valve head and fuel injection. Presumably, the engine is in a detuned state for reliability and perhaps their plan is to produce a sportier version in due course. I assume balance shafts have been built in to reduce vibration which could be problematic with large capacity singles.

The brakes seem excellent especially as they have ABS and no doubt the suspension is of good quality.

I would have liked to have seen something with a slightly longer wheelbase and lower bars, which perhaps would have made it more compatible with todays faster roads, but perhaps that's something for the future.

Overall though, great to see something new coming out.

One thing that is indisputable, the new BSA Gold Star is making more news than any other new bike since the new Triumph Bonneville did 20 years ago.

I am seeing it EVERYWHERE, every forum, group, and page, regardless of brand, genre, etc.

The new Norton Commando under Garner didn't have this much publicity...

Yes, looks a bit porky, lots of required parts that don't package densely...Well us Americans don't care about laws, strip off the large exhaust and cat convertor, fit points and a drippy Amal, good to go...

It has a swoopy droopy arse end that I dont like, the tank has a horrible flange and the pipe looks ridiculously big, the pattern goldie pipe looks too small to silence and let the goodness out, the gearbox end cover looks empty. Is it a recycled enfield?