1955 BSA A7 Shooting Star Cafe Racer

Lot details
Registration No: VAS 856
Frame No: GA717652
Engine No: CA7SS7925
cc: 500
MOT Expiry Date: T.B.A.

BSA introduced a new 650cc parallel twin for the 1950 season. Coded the A10 and quickly named the Golden Flash it was apparently a larger version of the existing 500cc Star Twin, however when examined the engine design was found to have been completely revised with little of the 500 remaining. The A10 was followed in 1951 by a new 500 twin utilising the engine design of the A10. Offered in standard and sporting styles as the A7 and Star Twin the new machines retained the rigid and plunger frames of their predecessors although the rigid option only survived for one season. For the 1954 season a new pivoted fork frame became available with the touring twins being listed as the A10 and A7, for sporting riders BSA offered the A10 Road Rocket and what is considered by many as the finest A series twin the A7 Shooting Star. Both the sports models were fitted with alloy cylinder heads but retained the single carburettor. The 500cc Shooting Star offered a claimed 32 bhp which translated into a top speed in the mid nineties with the standing quarter mile being covered in approximately 16 seconds when tested. The machines handling was of the usual high BSA standard and fuel consumption averaged 64 miles to the gallon. Riders quickly found that the Shooting Star, although slightly slower than the larger A10 models delivered its performance in a more pleasant manner, with less vibration and a greater willingness to rev. The ultimate development of the A series twins was introduced in 1962 in the form of the Rocket Gold Star, which was essentially comprised of a set of Gold Star cycle parts housing an A10 Super Rocket engine. Offered with many of the options listed for the Goldie single, it became a favourite with the "ton-up" boys of the era and is highly valued today.
This gorgeous example of the A7 Shooting Star has been restored to an exceptional standard in the style of the RGS. It is equipped with a steel fuel tank finished in silver with red lining and chrome side panels, clip-ons, rear-sets, a separate headlamp mounted in the manner employed on the Goldie, chromium plated mudguards, matched Smiths chronometric speedometer and tachometer and a siamezed exhaust system fitted with a Gold Star type silencer. Presented to a very high standard it is offered with a Swansea V5C.