BSA Bringing Back Bantam, Lightning, and Thunderbolt Names

[Hugh Janus]

Indian-owned BSA, having already revived the Gold Star name, now has plans to bring back Bantam, Lightning, and Thunderbolt. (BSA/)

Last year saw the return of BSA as a motorcycle manufacturer after decades of slumber as its Indian owners, Mahindra, aim to get a slice of the success that rival Royal Enfield has enjoyed.

India’s bike brands, including Mahindra, Hero, and Bajaj, are all targeting that middleweight, retro-style market that was Royal Enfield’s territory—also under Indian ownership for decades—following a sharp upturn in Enfield’s fortunes both in India and globally. Hero has tied itself to Harley-Davidson and will launch its first H-D branded machine this year. Bajaj has a similar arrangement with Triumph, and is expected to launch a range of Triumph-badged singles in 2023. Mahinda, meanwhile, has bought several old brands, including Jawa and BSA, and already launched models bearing those names.

BSA, now owned by Indian firm Mahindra, released the Gold Star in 2022. (BSA/)

We were pleasantly surprised by the first BSA-branded offering, the Gold Star, when we rode it last year. Packing a 652cc single that can trace its roots to the Rotax single that once powered BMW’s F650—although you’d struggle to tell, given the retro-style, finned castings on the BSA’s cylinder and head that endow it with a convincingly old-school charm. Now it looks like the company has its eye on further models, having applied for trademark rights on a trio of classic BSA model names.

<i>Cycle World</i> tested the BSA Lightning in 1968. (Cycle World Archives/)

The trademark applications, made in the US, Australia, and New Zealand, cover the titles “Lightning,” “Thunderbolt,” and “Bantam.” If granted, they’ll allow those badges to be used on future BSA models, mimicking the lineup from the brand’s postwar heyday period. The US trademark applications in particular are interesting, as recent legislation changes have limited the scope for brands to hold trademarks on names they don’t use; applicants are only meant to apply for protection of trademarks they’re genuinely planning to use in the near future.

If BSA’s latest iteration keeps true to the company’s heritage, then the Lightning and Thunderbolt names (most recently used by Buell, but those trademarks having since lapsed), will be destined for twin-cylinder bikes. In the 1960s, both were 650cc twins, but it’s unclear what direction Mahindra will take with the names in the future. Sticking to 650cc and two cylinders would rival Royal Enfield’s INT650 and Continental GT, as well as the new Meteor 650, but BSA’s existing Gold Star already fulfills that role to a large extent, despite being a single. The other option might be to move up a capacity category, creating twins to rival Triumph’s Bonneville range, just as the original Thunderbolt and Lightning did. The Bonnie, also a 650 in the ‘60s, now sits in the 900cc to 1,200cc class.

BSA plans to bring back the Bantam. (Cycle World Archives/)

BSA’s other trademark application, Bantam, is clearly for a smaller-capacity machine. Since Mahindra also owns Jawa and its related Yezdi brand, selling an array of retro-style bikes built around a 334cc four-stroke single, it would be a relatively straightforward job to use the same components in a BSA-branded model. The original BSA Bantam was, after all, a reworked DKW two-stroke, built from designs awarded to the British firm as reparations after World War II, so such platform sharing would be quite logical.

BSA has yet to expand sales to the US, although its trademark applications make it very clear that it intends to do so. In the UK, where the Gold Star has recently come onstream, its initial sales are promising, with 253 examples sold in March 2023 to be the bestselling retro bike of the month, and close behind outright top sellers like the new Honda CB750 Hornet (271 sales) and the outright number one, BMW’s R 1250 GS Adventure (364 sales).

Source

[XTreme]

Bantam? Fuck that.....I'm never going there again!

[boboneleg]

1 hour ago, XTreme said:

Bantam? Fuck that.....I'm never going there again!

One of my first bikes was a Bantam (it was in bits most of the time) , it was truly awful .  When I got my Honda XL185 I couldn't believe the those two vehicles could be more different.

[Buckster]

Maybe someone on here can buy one of each then not take any pictures of them.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

15 hours ago, Buckster said:

Maybe someone on here can buy one of each then not take any pictures of them.

Have little read back on the BSA thread and see if you fancy posting a pic of your new bike on there for a bunch of miserable old bastards to tear apart. 

No-one want’s to see a pic of a “POS Indian bike” so everybody happy

[Buckster]

9 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

Have little read back on the BSA thread and see if you fancy posting a pic of your new bike on there for a bunch of miserable old bastards to tear apart. 

No-one want’s to see a pic of a “POS Indian bike” so everybody happy

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

4 minutes ago, Buckster said:

Miserable old bastards is just plain ol’

[XTreme]

1 hour ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

No-one want’s to see a pic of a “POS Indian bike”

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

2 minutes ago, XTreme said:

Nor a hulking great top case either.. but some of us know when not to assault peoples eyes

[Catteeclan]

3 hours ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

Nor a hulking great top case either.. but some of us know when not to assault peoples eyes

Fuck em, put a pic up. It's all 2 wheels in the end. I'll add it's what puts a smile on your face, don't matter what we think.
Same in the music thread.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

43 minutes ago, Catteeclan said:

Fuck em, put a pic up. It's all 2 wheels in the end. I'll add it's what puts a smile on your face, don't matter what we think.
Same in the music thread.

Cheers mi dear but I already got there on the third page of BSA hate, I thought I’m not gonna put up a pick of my new toy, I’ll keep it to myself and enjoy it bile free.. fuck ‘em

Worked out pretty well

[Catteeclan]

4 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

Cheers mi dear but I already got there on the third page of BSA hate, I thought I’m not gonna put up a pick of my new toy, I’ll keep it to myself and enjoy it bile free.. fuck ‘em

Worked out pretty well

But now those who want to see don't get to.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Just now, Catteeclan said:

But now those who want to see don't get to.

You know how it goes, riding high on the pleasure of a really pretty new bike, not often in life you get a roll of constant joy (and that bike is a joy), so no need spoil a good time. 

And the moaners get their moneys worth anyway cos they get to bitch about not seeing a pic

So soz about that, but it isn’t worth it!

[skyrider]

that new bsa motor doesn't look half as good as the original

[Sir Fallsalot]

1 hour ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

You know how it goes, riding high on the pleasure of a really pretty new bike, not often in life you get a roll of constant joy (and that bike is a joy), so no need spoil a good time. 

And the moaners get their moneys worth anyway cos they get to bitch about not seeing a pic

So soz about that, but it isn’t worth it!

So what you are saying is we get slagged off about not putting more motorcycle content on here but when you put up photos the bike gets slagged off so you don't bother anymore sounds counter productive to me 
Ps i'm with Catteeclan on this i like to see every members bikes, whether i like them or not is irrelevant that includes the Harleys   

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Just now, Sir Fallsalot said:

So what you are saying is we slagged off about not putting more motorcycle content on here but when you put up photos the bike gets slagged off so you don't bother anymore sounds counter productive to me 
Ps i'm with Catteeclan on this i like to see every members bikes, whether i like them or not is irrelevant that includes the Harleys   

No that’s not what I’m saying.

I haven’t put a pic up of it cos I’m in love with it and intend to carry on with that joy. I don’t need to waste time on other peoples bitchin or any head space on negative bollox.

The slagging off happens regardless. Bike slagged off or slagged off for not posting a pic. I choose the latter.

[Sir Fallsalot]

8 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

No that’s not what I’m saying.

I haven’t put a pic up of it cos I’m in love with it and intend to carry on with that joy. I don’t need to waste time on other peoples bitchin or any head space on negative bollox.

The slagging off happens regardless. Bike slagged off or slagged off for not posting a pic. I choose the latter.

Still sounds like it to me lol and the counter productive comment was about the forum

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

24 minutes ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

Still sounds like it to me lol and the counter productive comment was about the forum

Ah yes I see what you mean, my bad!

Well yes n no. I genuinely don’t like taking photos. But when I do take a postable pic I often don’t cos it’s often on the Himalayan and I can’t be arsed to listen to it. 

 

[boboneleg]

1 hour ago, skyrider said:

that new bsa motor doesn't look half as good as the original

[Buckster]

The new Bantam.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Ooo how much?

[Buckster]

44 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

Ooo how much?

I wooden know.

[Sir Fallsalot]

44 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

Ooo how much?

I don't think it wood work anyway

[boboneleg]

I wooden take a chance on that

[Sir Fallsalot]

2 minutes ago, boboneleg said:

I wooden take a chance on that

Nor wood i as its knot a very good design