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B.S.A 500 Goldstar 1959

This great time capsule of a BSA DBD34 500 Goldstar encapsulates what most budding racers wanted from their Factory bought racer in the 1960’s, sporting the short ratio RRT2 Gearbox & factory correct original frame and engine numbers as verified by the BSA owners club she was despatched to Briggs of Castleford on 1st July 1959 and still displays the original registration number. The previous owner has had possession of the Goldie since 1969 and as well as using it on the road as his daily driver in the early days he also used it to compete in various sprints and hill climbs in his local area. The engine has had a comprehensive refresh by a Goldstar specialist in 2017 which is documented in the history file. This bike is a great bike to use as it stands being in mechanical fine fettle, but would also be a very strong base for a full top standard restoration. There is a large number of original spares included as can be seen in the pictures.

On Wednesday 30th June 1937, a specially prepared Empire Star 500 ridden by the great Wal Handley achieved a 100mph lap of the Brooklands circuit on its way to a debut race victory and award of the ‘Gold Star’ that would give BSA’s new super sports model its evocative name. Possibly the most successful production racing motorcycle ever, the post-war Gold Star formed the mainstay of clubman’s racing in the 1950s. In fact, it was the model’s domination of the Isle of Man Clubman’s TT which led to the event being dropped after Gold Star rider Bernard Codd’s 1956 Senior/Junior double victory. While its trials and scrambles derivatives demonstrated the design’s versatility by chalking up an equally impressive record in off-road competition, for the majority of enthusiasts the 500cc DBD34 in Clubman’s trim is the epitome of the ‘Goldie’. The DBD, the ultimate road going 500 Gold Star, appeared in 1956 when the famous RRT2 close-ratio gearbox and 190mm front brake became standard equipment. From then on BSA’s perennially popular sporting single changed little until its much lamented demise in 1963. Today, the Gold Star remains one of the most highly sought after of post-war British motorcycles and is supported by a most enthusiastic owners’ club.

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