BSA Lightning
Encyclopedia
The Lightning was a BSA
motorcycle
made in Birmingham
between 1965 and 1972.
and the supersports Spitfire
. Development of the engine aimed to make it more reliable, quieter and less prone to oil leaks, with top speed sacrificed to improve mid-range and rideability. Nevertheless, with twin carburettors the A65L could still reach 108 mph (48.3 m/s). Improvements included an oil pressure warning light, but this had a tendency to malfunction, so riders learned to ignore it.
A close ratio gearbox combined with a high lift camshaft made for lively acceleration and performance at higher rpm than the standard A65. The bottom gear was a bit high, however, so riders had to learn to slip the clutch up to 10 mph (4.5 m/s). Above 5000 rpm customers also complained about excessive vibration, with a tendency to weave above 90 mph (40.2 m/s). A useful feature was an 'emergency starting' key position for times when the battery was flat to connect the alternator current directly to the ignition coils.
In 1972 the BSA Group were in financial difficulties and, in a last attempt to extend the brand life, a new frame was developed for the A65L. As well as raising the seat height to an impractical 33 inches (838.2 mm), it actually broke during testing at the Motor Industry Research Association
(MIRA) test track, marking the end of one of the most successful range of British twin cylinder motorcycles.
In 1971, 201 750cc versions, designated the A70L, were also produced for American racing homologation
purposes.
film Thunderball
ridden by UK motorcycle champion Bill Ivy
wearing a blond wig to look as if it was ridden by Bond girl
Fiona Volpe
, played by Italian actress Luciana Paluzzi
. Volpe used the gold-painted BSA to fire two rocket missiles and destroy Count Lippe's car when he was chasing Bond. A working missile launching system was fitted to the motorcycle but the explosion which destroyed the car was actually detonated remotely by stunt coordinator Bob Simmons. The filming of the scene was recorded in a Ford Motor Company
film A Child's Guide to Blowing Up a Motor Car that is on the Ultimate DVD edition of Thunderball.
. The beautiful Lightning (nicknamed 'White Lightning' by the main character, Ken Boon) was a major part of the series' popularity for the 7 year run. Boon - who thought of himself as a modern day Lone Ranger would treat his Lightning as though it was his horse.
Birmingham Small Arms Company
This article is not about Gamo subsidiary BSA Guns Limited of Armoury Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B11 2PP or BSA Company or its successors....
motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
made in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
between 1965 and 1972.
Development
The BSA Lightning was designed as the all-round sportbike of the 1960s, planned largely for export to the US market to complement the touring ThunderboltBSA Thunderbolt
The BSA Thunderbolt was a British motorcycle made by BSA at their factory in Armoury Road in Small Heath, Birmingham between 1964 and 1972. Fitted with a single carburettor it was capable of over .-Development:...
and the supersports Spitfire
BSA Spitfire
The BSA Spitfire is a Birmingham Small Arms Company motorcycle made from 1963 to 1968. One of the first BSAs to have 12-volt electrics, the Spitfire was also one of the first "street racers" with two large-bore Amal GP carburettors, complete with velocity stacks.-Development:In 1966 BSA were...
. Development of the engine aimed to make it more reliable, quieter and less prone to oil leaks, with top speed sacrificed to improve mid-range and rideability. Nevertheless, with twin carburettors the A65L could still reach 108 mph (48.3 m/s). Improvements included an oil pressure warning light, but this had a tendency to malfunction, so riders learned to ignore it.
A close ratio gearbox combined with a high lift camshaft made for lively acceleration and performance at higher rpm than the standard A65. The bottom gear was a bit high, however, so riders had to learn to slip the clutch up to 10 mph (4.5 m/s). Above 5000 rpm customers also complained about excessive vibration, with a tendency to weave above 90 mph (40.2 m/s). A useful feature was an 'emergency starting' key position for times when the battery was flat to connect the alternator current directly to the ignition coils.
In 1972 the BSA Group were in financial difficulties and, in a last attempt to extend the brand life, a new frame was developed for the A65L. As well as raising the seat height to an impractical 33 inches (838.2 mm), it actually broke during testing at the Motor Industry Research Association
Motor Industry Research Association
MIRA Ltd, formerly known as the Motor Industry Research Association, is a limited company based near Nuneaton in Hinckley and Bosworth, Leicestershire in the United Kingdom, which provides product engineering, research, testing, information and certification services to the automotive...
(MIRA) test track, marking the end of one of the most successful range of British twin cylinder motorcycles.
In 1971, 201 750cc versions, designated the A70L, were also produced for American racing homologation
Homologation (motorsport)
In motorsports, homologation is the approval process a vehicle, race track or standardised part must go through to race in a given league or series. The regulations and rules that must be met are generally set by the series' sanctioning body...
purposes.
Thunderball BSA Lightning
A fully faired BSA Lightning fitted with missiles featured in the 1965 James BondJames Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film Thunderball
Thunderball (film)
Thunderball is the fourth spy film in the James Bond series starring Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming, which in turn was based on an original screenplay by Jack Whittingham...
ridden by UK motorcycle champion Bill Ivy
Bill Ivy
William David Ivy was a British Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Maidstone, Kent.Ivy started racing motorbikes at Brands Hatch in 1959. He raced in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing championship towards the end of 1965, where he finished fourth in two 125 cc races and third in a 250 cc race...
wearing a blond wig to look as if it was ridden by Bond girl
Bond girl
A Bond girl is a character or actress portraying a love interest, of James Bond in a film, novel, or video game. They occasionally have names that are double entendres or puns, such as "Pussy Galore", "Plenty O'Toole", "Xenia Onatopp", or "Holly Goodhead"...
Fiona Volpe
Fiona Volpe
Fiona Volpe, played by Luciana Paluzzi, is a fictional character in the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball. The character is a creation of the film-makers, an addition to Ian Fleming's original plot...
, played by Italian actress Luciana Paluzzi
Luciana Paluzzi
Luciana Paluzzi is an Italian actress. She is best known for playing SPECTRE assassin Fiona Volpe in the fourth James Bond film, Thunderball.-Career:...
. Volpe used the gold-painted BSA to fire two rocket missiles and destroy Count Lippe's car when he was chasing Bond. A working missile launching system was fitted to the motorcycle but the explosion which destroyed the car was actually detonated remotely by stunt coordinator Bob Simmons. The filming of the scene was recorded in a Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
film A Child's Guide to Blowing Up a Motor Car that is on the Ultimate DVD edition of Thunderball.
Boon
One of the Lightning's claims to fame is the fact that it was the motorcycle that was used in the hit British TV series BoonBoon (TV series)
Boon is a British television drama and modern-day western series starring Michael Elphick, David Daker, and later Neil Morrissey. It was created by Jim Hill and Bill Stair and filmed by Central Television for ITV...
. The beautiful Lightning (nicknamed 'White Lightning' by the main character, Ken Boon) was a major part of the series' popularity for the 7 year run. Boon - who thought of himself as a modern day Lone Ranger would treat his Lightning as though it was his horse.