BSA is back in Bristol: Fowlers confirm return of BSA after more than 50 years

Bristol dealership Fowlers will begin selling BSA models in 2023, having first begun working with the company back in 1954.

The now Mahindra-owned brand returns to the Fowlers stable alongside their fifteen other manufacturer offerings after a gap of 50 years since BSA first closed their doors back in 1973. They also join a roster of other showrooms across England and McCrum’s Motorcycles in Northern Ireland, with Scotland, Ireland, and Wales yet to be served franchises.

BSA returned this year with their 652cc, 45bhp Gold Star retro range, which made its debut at the end of 2021 at Birmingham’s NEC.

At the time it was said that the £6500-£7000 bikes would arrive in dealers by March 2022, however the press launch didn’t take place until mid-summer and the first production units didn’t arrive until late November of that year.

When questioned about the delays, a spokesperson for the brand confirmed to MCN that UK Distributor Lukas Distribution decided to make the first production units demonstrators, so that waiting customers could try the bikes at their local dealers as quickly as possible.

The firm says the lack of customer bikes up until this point is also due to delays in the supply chain, an issue not only being felt by BSA, adding: “There have been many component delays as felt by most automotive manufacturers in recent times and the delay has been very frustrating for interested customers and for BSA ourselves.”

---

BSA aim big with new UK distributor

First published 1 July 2022 by Dan Sutherland

BSA has announced a new UK and Eire distributor, alongside a new visitor experience. The historic brand was bought by Indian automotive giant Mahindra in 2016 and unveiled its first all-new bike, the Gold Star, last December.

Now, in what the firm calls ‘another step toward bringing the new BSA Gold Star back to the streets’ Lukas Distribution has been appointed to help build a new dealer network from a new 100,000sqft HQ near Coventry. In addition to being a distribution hub, the facility, just 18 miles from BSA’s original factory in Birmingham, is also set to become BSA’s new UK home, aiming to offer something similar to Triumph’s Visitor Experience in Hinckley, with museum, café and more.

While the name Lukas Distribution is new to most, the company is helmed by Luke Gregory, who has developed and nurtured motorcycle dealer groups and brands throughout the UK for the past two decades.

His business operations include Lloyd Cooper Motorcycles, the oldest motorcycle dealership in Europe. Trading from the same premises since 1900, Lloyd Cooper Motorcycles has had a long and successful relationship with BSA, having been a BSA authorised dealer from the beginning of production in 1910 until manufacturing paused in the 70s.

Gregory is also the mastermind and driving force behind the hugely successful Global Moto group, which includes the multiple MCN Award-winning Colchester Kawasaki, Clay Cross Kawasaki, Northampton Moto as well as Lloyd Cooper Motorcycles/Motorcycles Direct.

MCN grabbed a first blast on the new BSA Gold Star just last week at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, noting that: “The package is convincing, with a balanced feel, neutral handling, smooth throttle response and intuitive controls. It looks authentic too, with retro styling inspired by BSA’s past glories and good detailing. Whilst the 45bhp output makes it A2 licence compatible, it isn’t going to set any speed records – especially when the bike has a claimed weight of 213kg with fuel. The old-fashioned analogue speedo reads to 130mph, and the tacho to 10,000rpm, but claimed peak power is produced at 6000rpm, and the most we saw on the speedo, rushing up the final section of the Goodwood course, was 80mph.”

Ashish Singh Joshi, CEO – Classic Legends, and Director of BSA Company Ltd, commented: “We’ve been working behind the scenes to find the right distributor who shares our passion and understands just how special the brand and its motorcycles are. Luke’s extensive industry experience, drive, and determination made him the perfect partner for us in the UK and Ireland. Renewing a relationship that started over 110 years ago with Lloyd Cooper Motorcycles feels very fitting as we write the next exciting chapter of our history.”

Luke Gregory, Managing Director of Lukas Distribution, added: “This is just the beginning of the revival of one of the world’s biggest motorcycle manufacturers. BSA is an amazing brand with a huge history, and we’re excited to be working with a team of people who have welcomed us so warmly into the BSA family. We’re looking forward to using our expertise in the motorcycle industry over the past two decades to build the UK’s best distribution company and dealer network. Our new distribution HQ in Coventry will be a real destination for every type of motorcyclist with the latest models, a heritage museum, and an on-site café, which is as close as it gets to where BSA started.”

Lukas Distribution say they expect units to start flowing into distribution in late August / early September this year, and MCN will bring you a definitive full first test of the new Gold Star in the coming weeks.