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It has been a long slog with untold roadblocks for the revived BSA motorcycle brand to ramp up and eventually return to the United States, but RIDE-CT can now report that it has signed two dealers in the Northeast, although neither is in Connecticut.
They are jointly-owned Royal Enfield of Albany in Schenectady, NY and Royal Enfield of Bennington County in Pownal, VT, who expect to see new bikes in their showrooms in springtime.
Royal Enfield of Bennington County / Dealer photos courtesy of the dealership
The process in opening dealerships across the country and now in this region for BSA has been “a constant up and down whirlwind,” said the co-owner of the dealerships, Sean Nava, in a Facebook Message on Friday night. “Things are finally tracking in the right direction.”
It was back in 2020 that India’s Mahindra Group revealed plans to bring back BSA. It follows the enduring success of the revived of legendary British brand Triumph. It has been a slow process ever since. The most recent hurdle has involved tariffs implemented by President Donald Trump.
BSA originally stood for Birmingham Small Arms. It was founded in England in 1861 as a gun manufacturer but eventually shifted to bicycles and then to motorcycles in 1910. The company was once the world’s largest builder of motorcycles. It went bankrupt in 1972.
It wasn’t until December 2021 that BSA revealed photos of its first model; the single-cylinder, 652cc Gold Star 650 (seen in top photo). Sales were projected to begin in 2022 but the rollout, especially in the U.S., has been slow.
Nava reported this his dealerships recently received “all the marketing materials and digital stuff” needed to proclaim that they are indeed BSA dealers and that elements will be going up soon; making BSA’s entrance in the Northeast more public after being under the radar for months.
“We signed on with them over the summer and they have been very upfront with everything and the struggles,” Nava said.
In a phone conversation today, Nava said he expects new Gold Star models to arrive in April or May, depending on the signing of a tariff agreement. Scrambler and Bantam models will come later after they receive EPA approval.
BSA is seemingly taking a throwback approach to selling; going for small, friendly stores instead of blinged-out show places.
“Our specialty is nichey stuff. BSA doesn’t want big affluent dealers. They want boutique style dealerships,” said Nava, explaining that BSA models will pair nicely with those of Royal Enfield that are already being sold. “Our theory was we couldn’t afford to not have it. It’s a brand that doesn’t compete with Royal Enfield. It going to be priced a little higher.”
(Photos courtesy of BSA unless otherwise noted.
