The end of World War II marked the beginning of a period of enormous automotive expansion, as well as the birth of a market hungry for cheap transport. This era boomed with demand for small-capacity motorcycles, and British firm BSA was one of many eager to enter the two-stroke arena. In the end, it was a German company that provided the necessary inspiration for one of BSA’s best-loved bikes, and at more than 250,000 examples built over more than two decades, one of the best-selling English motorcycles of all time: the Bantam.
The first incarnation of the Ariel Square Four the 4F.31 model, available from 1931. Complete with hand gear change that was used on the 1930 Olympia show model and a few early examples before a foot change was used.
Ariel Squire Four
Like many motorcycle engineers, Turner wanted to build an engine that combined compact size and good balance with ample power. By the end of 1928, he had penned a novel four-cylinder whose bores were arranged square, two-by-two. This formation was essentially two twin engines coupled in parallel, with the whole thing timed by geared flywheels sat in the center of the crankcase.
These flywheels ran in opposite directions, so the gyroscopic effect of their rotation was effectively canceled, aiding smoothness. Turner also arranged the engine’s timing so that its pistons hit top dead center on diagonally opposite sides. Because no pair of cylinders was never allowed to fire on the same side of the engine, forces were evenly distributed front-to-back and left-to-right…
BSA DBD34 Gold Star Clubman
In 1935, after a sensational career that included wins at the Isle of Man TT and the Ulster Grand Prix, British motorcycle phenom W.L. “Wal” Handley was rumored to have retired from racing. Perhaps nobody sufficiently consulted Handley himself on the matter. What followed just two years later helped birth one of the brand’s most memorable bikes—the DBD34 Gold Star Clubmans.
1957 Harley-Davidson XL Sportster
In 1957, the USSR launched both the first intercontinental ballistic missile and the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1. These actions would ultimately lead to the Space Race, but meanwhile on Earth, that same year, America’s Harley-Davidson released its own history-making machine into the world. It was a new lightweight overhead valve (OHV) twin motorcycle that allowed the U.S. to compete with its British competition, and in doing so birthed one of the longest running models in motorcycle history: The XL Sportster.
1974 Ducati 750ss
One of Italy’s most memorable vintage superbikes is the 1974 Ducati 750 SS. The motorcycle’s smooth power delivery and small production run are essential to its appeal, but the fact that the bike is an incredibly faithful and street-legal replica of the 1972 Imola 200-winning machine makes it a hallmark of Ducati racing heritage.