The Indian reboot of the legendary BSA brand has been underway since launching at Motorcycle Live in November 2021. Bikes finally made it into UK showrooms in late 2022, and customers who’d waited patiently are now riding them on the road, with sales of the Gold Star 650 already exceeding 550 units in the UK alone. There are now rumours that new Scrambler 650 and Bantam 350 models are on the way.
BDN caught up with three dealers from BSA’s 30-strong UK network – Cooperb Motorcycles of Northampton, Dearden Motorcycles of Southampton and Matt Williamson Motorcycles of Leyland – to hear how the marque is performing on the frontline.
Ian Cooper from Cooperb reckons there was a strong appeal surrounding BSA from the start – both for the Gold Star 650 itself and the BSA name. “The first thing we thought was the bike looks really nice, and it appealed to all of us. You can’t really be into bikes and not understand how BSA put Britain on the world stage.”
Julie Bentley at Dearden Motorcycles agrees. “We got in before the bike was even shown in the country. As soon as we knew that BSA was coming back, we contacted Lukas Distribution.”
In terms of sales, all three dealers had a strong start when the bikes first arrived in the country, but things are steadier now. “They came out with a lot of hype,” said Matt Williamson. “And people were waiting for quite some time, so we sold a lot very quickly. Now they’re ticking over, but when we took the brand on that’s what I expected.”
“There was a rush at the start,” said Julie Bentley. “But it has slowed down since. We’ve got quite a few makes and models in the showroom, and they’ve all slowed down, though, so I don’t think it’s the brand. I think it’s down to the economy.
“There’s lots of positive feedback on the product from customers and staff, and I love them too. I’ve got a Yamaha MT-09, and I’m buying one of my BSA demos. It goes back to how bikes used to be, it’s so easy to ride and simple to work on. The mechanics love them.”
Who’s been buying the bikes? Williamson says it’s mostly those you’d expect – but with some exceptions. “The majority of our customers have been retired people, but I’ve had a couple in their late 30s, which in biking terms is young! We also have customers who’ve been out of biking for a while but always dreamed of having a BSA.”
As with any new product, there have been some minor teething problems with the 650. But dealers seem happy with how the importer has been managing any issues. “The backup has been really good,” says Bentley. “Obviously, it’s a brand-new model, and there will be niggles, but Lukas Distribution are absolutely spot-on.”
“We’ve had one or two issues,” says Cooper, “but you expect that with a new product and the people at Lukas have been very helpful. They all seem to be enthusiastic and helpful, which is reassuring. I like how you can pick up the phone, speak to someone and get something done. It’s very easy to navigate your way through any issues.”
Lukas Distribution
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