BSA Spitfire
Encyclopedia
The BSA Spitfire is a Birmingham Small Arms Company
(BSA) 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.
carburettors were combined with twin-leading-shoe front brakes and independently adjustable Lucas ignition points for easier starting. Engine power output was increased to 53 bhp. A total of 471 true 1968 model year Spitfires were produced, not counting the carryover 1967s converted to 1968 specs.
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....
(BSA) 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 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
Amal (motorcycle)
AMAL is a British carburettor trademark. AMAL were the suppliers of carburettors to the British motorcycle industry and their products were present on the products of the largest British motorcycle manufacturers such as BSA and AMC...
GP carburettors, complete with velocity stacks.
Development
In 1966 BSA were starting to experience financial problems and the management decided to rationalise the range to just six motorcycles. The A65 Spitfire motorcycle was one of these and had a number of new features including a new twin-downtube steel frame and new Girling shocks. A 190mm front drum brake improved braking and lightweight alloy rims reduced the weight to 174 kg. Two large-bore Amal GP carburetors with velocity stacks improved acceleration but made the Spitfire hard to kick start when the engine was hot, so owners chose to replace them with Amal concentric carburettors with more conventional round air filters and this became the factory supplied specification in 1967. Keen to boost sales in the US market BSA produced a special Spitfire with a two gallon fuel tank following the trend set by the Harley Davidson Sportster. The UK Spitfire had a conventional four gallon tank, with a large five gallon option from 1967..The MKIV
The 1968 MKIV Spitfire was the last made. Amal’s new ConcentricConcentric
Concentric objects share the same center, axis or origin with one inside the other. Circles, tubes, cylindrical shafts, disks, and spheres may be concentric to one another...
carburettors were combined with twin-leading-shoe front brakes and independently adjustable Lucas ignition points for easier starting. Engine power output was increased to 53 bhp. A total of 471 true 1968 model year Spitfires were produced, not counting the carryover 1967s converted to 1968 specs.