1928 BSA 770cc V-twin Motocycle Combination

•Three owners from new
•Always resident in the Southeast London/North Kent area
•Present ownership since 1996
•Banbury Run eligible

BSA first experimented with powered two-wheelers in 1905 using a standard-type bicycle. This first motorcycle made by BSA used a proprietary engine - probably the Belgian Minerva - clipped to the front down-tube, but it was not until 1910 that the firm introduced a model entirely of its own design and manufacture. Displayed at the 1910 Olympia Show, the first series-production motorcycle to feature the marque's distinctive green and cream tank colours was a 499cc (3½hp) sidevalve single, which was soon complemented by a 557cc long-stroke version. The firm's first v-twin - the 770cc (6/7hp) Model E - appeared late in 1919 and would prove the forerunner of a long line of rugged and dependable 'sidecar tugs'. A larger, 986cc version debuted as the Model F in 1922 and would continue in production as the Model G, regularly revised and updated, until 1940.

This BSA's old-style continuation logbook, issued in 1946, lists one Robert Charles Bayman of London SE9 as first owner from 30th May 1928 and only one other owner: Michael John West of Sidcup, Kent. The machine had been licensed up to 1952. Mr West registered the BSA on 1st August 1969, a few months before Robert Bayman passed away; they lived 7 mins drive from one another.

John Marchant purchased the BSA outfit from the aforementioned Mr West in October 1996 for £4,500 (sales receipt on file). Mr West lived less the 30 minutes from John's home in Wrotham, while Mr West's previous address at 70 Station Road, Sidcup was approximately 10 minutes from John's home. Remarkably, this machine has always been resident within an area of Southeast London/North Kent only 20 miles in radius. Mr West had ridden the BSA on the 1983 VMCC London Run, one of his fellow participants being John Marchant on his Triumph Model P. The accompanying history file contains old/current V5/V5C documents; expired MoTs dating back to 1979; tax discs dating back to the 1930s; a large quantity of photocopied material; a period image of the BSA taken in 1930s; and images of the machine 'as found' prior to restoration. Also in the file is a copy of Sunbeam Club News, the cover photograph of which shows the Marchants and the BSA on the 2001 'Garden of England Run'.