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There hasn’t been an announcement, but RIDE-CT can report that the revived BSA motorcycle brand appears to be very close to selling models in the U.S. with one dealer saying Wednesday morning that sales may commence within two months.
This news follows a speculative RIDE-CT story back in late November that said BSA’s North American website had posted a “Coming Soon” notice while listing 18 dealers spread across 11 states. As of today, the number of dealers listed on the website has risen to 22 stores; none of them in New England.
During a periodic check of the BSA website on Tuesday evening, RIDE-CT impulsively decided to assume the role of a potential customer and sent emails to the two dealerships that are closest to Connecticut – Billet Motorsports in Red Lion, PA and Gearhead Junction in Pembroke, VA – seeking a status report.
Dealership Confirms Bikes Coming Soon
Brian Luzier, sales and marketing manager for Billet Motorsports, replied Wednesday morning and confirmed, “Yes, we are a BSA dealer” and provided a timetable for BSA’s entry into the country.
“We are being told we should see them begin arriving in May of this year,” Luzier wrote. “We have a list of serious buyers that we are compiling as there is a tremendous amount of interest in these units.”
He added that he expects the dealership’s initial allotment to be in the vicinity of 10 units and “we are almost at 10 on our (waiting) list as of this morning.”
EPA Approval Apparently Reason For Stalled Debut
Meanwhile, in a separate email on Wednesday morning, Gearhead Junction general manager Terry Rafferty provided additional information on why it has taken BSA so long to open shop in the states and on perhaps why BSA hasn’t issued a status statement.
“We are still waiting for final approval from the epa (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) on these machines,” he wrote, then added, ” I am sorry but I do not have a estimated time of arrival at the moment.”
A third email from RIDE-CT sent directly to BSA’s public relations contact in the United Kingdom and asking when the brand might arrive in the U.S. hadn’t received a response as of Wednesday night, but it does now appear that BSA’s arrival is finally imminent.
It was in 2021 that a revival in India of the once British marque that stood for Birmingham Small Arms was announced, and it was 2022 that Mahindra began selling a single-cylinder, 652cc Gold Star model in the U.K.
The original BSA brand launched in 1910 and folded in 1972. At its peak, BSA was the largest motorcycle producer in the world.
(Photos courtesy of BSA.)
