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Retro Tourer: BSA 650 Gold Star
BAAK x BSA : The 650 Gold Star Retro Touring…
BSA is one of the most storied names in motorcycling history, founded as the Birmingham Small Arms Company in 1919. The company originally produced machine-guns, bicycles, motorbikes, and various armaments out of its Small Heath factory. Following WWII, this factory was devoted entirely to motorcycles, and in the post-war era, BSA produced such iconic models as the Gold Star series, Thunderbolt, Lightning, and Rocket 3.
Unfortunately, due largely to poor management, BSA would eventually go the way of the Triumph, Norton, Villiers, and other historic brands, and was liquidated in 1978. In 2016, however, Indian giant Mahindra — owner of Jawa and primary stakeholder in Peugeot — acquired BSA as part of an effort to revive the legendary brand, retaining the company’s DNA as much as possible.
In 2022, the new BSA Gold Star broke cover. Like today’s Royal Enfields, it was developed in England (Birmingham, to be exact, just like the originals) and built in India. The 650cc DOHC four-valve liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine is based on a Rotax design, and packs 45 bhp in a light state of tune.
Mike Seate of Café Racer magazine published the first US test of the bike earlier this year, and he was well impressed. He said he wouldn’t change a thing about the ride, and build quality was spot-on:
Given the relative newness of the model, we haven’t seen much in the way of custom builds…until now. BAAK, the French workshop founded by Rémi Reguin, specializes in producing custom parts and one-off builds of neo-retro machines from Triumph, Moto Guzzi, Royal Enfield, and now BSA.
Starting with a new 650 Gold Star, BAAK aimed to fuse the BSA heritage with their own signature design, developing a kit of accessories available to all new BSA owners. In the process, they sought to revive the touring days of old:
The abovementioned Elefantentreffen (Elephant Rally) is a legendary winter rally in the Bavarian Forest of Germany, which remains true to its spartan roots with no elaborate tents, furnaces, or trailers allowed. There are tons of vintage bikes, sidecars, and most of all, snow.
BAAK focused on three main areas to make the perfect retro-tourer:
Highlights of the build include the stainless steel fenders at both ends, luggage rack, removable leather saddle bags, engine guard, aluminum mirrors, leather tank strap, and more. BAAK says the bike is up for just about any situation.
We love seeing an old brand revived with such style and build quality, and BAAK has taken the new Gold Star to the next level — the perfect retro roadster for escaping the daily grind and following the road for days at a time, making discoveries along the road less traveled.
Many of the parts on this build are available from BAAK:
• Stainless steel front fender
• Stainless steel rear fender with license plate holder, indicators, and brake light
• Pair of removable leather saddlebags
• Engine guard
• Pair of round aluminum mirrors
• Leather tank strap
Retro Tourer: BSA 650 Gold Star - BAAK x BSA : The 650 Gold Star Retro Touring… BSA is one of the most storied names in motorcycling history, founded as the Birmingham Small Arms Company in 1919. The company originally produced machine-guns, […]
BAAK to Adventure: Triumph Scrambler 1200 “Aventures” - BAAK develops an adventure kit for the Scrambler 1200… The Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC / XE may be our favorite production bike currently available, an 89-bhp brute with premium long-travel suspension and plenty of charisma. […]
BAAK Rambler: Triumph Street Twin - “A classic look, influenced by the street…” In 2016, Triumph Street Twin launched onto the scene as a retro roadster with a liquid-cooled 900cc parallel twin engine. Quickly, it became the best-selling of the Bonneville […]
Triumph “Bobber Moon” by BAAK USA - A modern tribute to the post-war bobbers of the 1940s-50s… The Triumph Bonneville Bobber debuted in 2017, featuring a high-torque engine and WWII-era aesthetics. It was dead handsome, looking like a modernized version of the […]
BAAK to The USA! - French workshop BAAK Motocyclettes comes to America… One of our favorite European builders is BAAK Motocyclettes, a French workshop based out of Lyon that founder Rémi Reguin started in his grandmother’s garage in 2013. Since […]
Custom Triumph Scrambler 900 by BAAK Motocyclettes - Built for riding through the Bourgogne vineyards! The Triumph Scrambler, introduced in 2006, was inspired by the original TR6C (Competition) Trophy — a factory-direct scrambler designed for US desert racers. Based on the Bonneville, the […]
Royal Enfield Classic 500 Trials Bike - “We created this machine to provide the purest riding feelings, in line with the tradition of classic trials motorcycles.” Few workshops have craftsmen in-house who specialize not only in design and fabrication, but leatherwork, saddlery, […]
Triumph Bonneville T120 Bobber by BAAK Motocyclettes - BAAK Motorcyclettes of France is creating some of the classiest customs in the world, mainly based on the modern Triumph platform. They 3D design and print prototype components for their custom builds, using them as […]
Triumph T120 Tracker by BAAK - BAAK Motocyclettes of Lyon, France, is a 5-person creative workshop that designs, manufactures, and sells plug & play parts for Triumph, Moto Guzzi and Royal Enfield motorcycles . The team also creates bespoke builds based […]
Moto Guzzi V7 Scrambler by BAAK Motocyclettes - The Moto Guzzi V7 series has been around since the 1970s, offering that signature transverse V-twin introduced by Italian engineer Lino Tonti. In 2008, the company re-introduced a new version of the V7, which blended […]
Continue reading...
BAAK x BSA : The 650 Gold Star Retro Touring…
BSA is one of the most storied names in motorcycling history, founded as the Birmingham Small Arms Company in 1919. The company originally produced machine-guns, bicycles, motorbikes, and various armaments out of its Small Heath factory. Following WWII, this factory was devoted entirely to motorcycles, and in the post-war era, BSA produced such iconic models as the Gold Star series, Thunderbolt, Lightning, and Rocket 3.
Unfortunately, due largely to poor management, BSA would eventually go the way of the Triumph, Norton, Villiers, and other historic brands, and was liquidated in 1978. In 2016, however, Indian giant Mahindra — owner of Jawa and primary stakeholder in Peugeot — acquired BSA as part of an effort to revive the legendary brand, retaining the company’s DNA as much as possible.
In 2022, the new BSA Gold Star broke cover. Like today’s Royal Enfields, it was developed in England (Birmingham, to be exact, just like the originals) and built in India. The 650cc DOHC four-valve liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine is based on a Rotax design, and packs 45 bhp in a light state of tune.
Mike Seate of Café Racer magazine published the first US test of the bike earlier this year, and he was well impressed. He said he wouldn’t change a thing about the ride, and build quality was spot-on:
Given the relative newness of the model, we haven’t seen much in the way of custom builds…until now. BAAK, the French workshop founded by Rémi Reguin, specializes in producing custom parts and one-off builds of neo-retro machines from Triumph, Moto Guzzi, Royal Enfield, and now BSA.
Starting with a new 650 Gold Star, BAAK aimed to fuse the BSA heritage with their own signature design, developing a kit of accessories available to all new BSA owners. In the process, they sought to revive the touring days of old:
The abovementioned Elefantentreffen (Elephant Rally) is a legendary winter rally in the Bavarian Forest of Germany, which remains true to its spartan roots with no elaborate tents, furnaces, or trailers allowed. There are tons of vintage bikes, sidecars, and most of all, snow.
BAAK focused on three main areas to make the perfect retro-tourer:
- Loading Capacity: Thanks to removable saddlebags offering generous storage space, you can carry everything you need for your adventures.
- Terrain Versatility: This motorcycle is just as comfortable on paved roads as it is on gravel paths, giving you the freedom to explore new horizons.
- Classic Style: It reflects the confident personality of someone who has nothing left to prove.
Highlights of the build include the stainless steel fenders at both ends, luggage rack, removable leather saddle bags, engine guard, aluminum mirrors, leather tank strap, and more. BAAK says the bike is up for just about any situation.
We love seeing an old brand revived with such style and build quality, and BAAK has taken the new Gold Star to the next level — the perfect retro roadster for escaping the daily grind and following the road for days at a time, making discoveries along the road less traveled.
BAAK Kit for BSA
Many of the parts on this build are available from BAAK:
• Stainless steel front fender
• Stainless steel rear fender with license plate holder, indicators, and brake light
• Pair of removable leather saddlebags
• Engine guard
• Pair of round aluminum mirrors
• Leather tank strap
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- Website: www.baakmotocyclettes.com
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More BAAK Builds
Retro Tourer: BSA 650 Gold Star - BAAK x BSA : The 650 Gold Star Retro Touring… BSA is one of the most storied names in motorcycling history, founded as the Birmingham Small Arms Company in 1919. The company originally produced machine-guns, […] BAAK to Adventure: Triumph Scrambler 1200 “Aventures” - BAAK develops an adventure kit for the Scrambler 1200… The Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC / XE may be our favorite production bike currently available, an 89-bhp brute with premium long-travel suspension and plenty of charisma. […] BAAK Rambler: Triumph Street Twin - “A classic look, influenced by the street…” In 2016, Triumph Street Twin launched onto the scene as a retro roadster with a liquid-cooled 900cc parallel twin engine. Quickly, it became the best-selling of the Bonneville […] Triumph “Bobber Moon” by BAAK USA - A modern tribute to the post-war bobbers of the 1940s-50s… The Triumph Bonneville Bobber debuted in 2017, featuring a high-torque engine and WWII-era aesthetics. It was dead handsome, looking like a modernized version of the […] BAAK to The USA! - French workshop BAAK Motocyclettes comes to America… One of our favorite European builders is BAAK Motocyclettes, a French workshop based out of Lyon that founder Rémi Reguin started in his grandmother’s garage in 2013. Since […] Custom Triumph Scrambler 900 by BAAK Motocyclettes - Built for riding through the Bourgogne vineyards! The Triumph Scrambler, introduced in 2006, was inspired by the original TR6C (Competition) Trophy — a factory-direct scrambler designed for US desert racers. Based on the Bonneville, the […] Royal Enfield Classic 500 Trials Bike - “We created this machine to provide the purest riding feelings, in line with the tradition of classic trials motorcycles.” Few workshops have craftsmen in-house who specialize not only in design and fabrication, but leatherwork, saddlery, […] Triumph Bonneville T120 Bobber by BAAK Motocyclettes - BAAK Motorcyclettes of France is creating some of the classiest customs in the world, mainly based on the modern Triumph platform. They 3D design and print prototype components for their custom builds, using them as […] Triumph T120 Tracker by BAAK - BAAK Motocyclettes of Lyon, France, is a 5-person creative workshop that designs, manufactures, and sells plug & play parts for Triumph, Moto Guzzi and Royal Enfield motorcycles . The team also creates bespoke builds based […] Moto Guzzi V7 Scrambler by BAAK Motocyclettes - The Moto Guzzi V7 series has been around since the 1970s, offering that signature transverse V-twin introduced by Italian engineer Lino Tonti. In 2008, the company re-introduced a new version of the V7, which blended […]Continue reading...
