BSA GOLDSTAR - A Brief History
GOLDSTAR! Perhaps the finest all round competition machine ever built. Road racing, trials, scrambles, dirt track, hill climbs or Daytona, the beloved Goldie excelled at them all.
The history of the Goldie begins with Val Page. In 1936, he set about reorganizing the complete BSA model range. Leader of the range was the iron engine 500cc Empire Star, it was from one of these models that the GoldStar was born. On July 30, 1937, an Empire Star was entered in a race meet organized by Jack Ammott and Len Crisp. It was to be ridden by Wal Handley, who had been persuaded to come out of retirement for the occasion. Wal won the race, despite a nine second handicap, at an average speed of 102.37 mph, with a fastest lap speed of 107.57 mph. He was awarded a Gold Star lapel badge given by the BMCRC to riders who lapped Brooklands at over 100 mph during a race. And so the legend began . . .
At the Earls Court motorcycle show the following September, BSA unveiled the new all aluminum alloy engined M24 GoldStar. The price was 82 pounds, 10 shillings. Each engine was individually built from selected components and bench tested. This practice continued throughout all the years of GoldStar production.
Pre-war sporting successes were limited, but in the 1939 ISDT in Austria, the GoldStar mounted army team were unpenalized when the ACU withdrew the teams, the threat of war being immenent. During the short life of the M24, BSA produced approximately 280 machines in 1938 and 190 in 1939. Of this total, only 13 were fitted with high compression racing engines. GoldStar production ended for the duration of the was in favor of the more mundane M20 and M21 models required for military use.
After the war, in 1946, BSA launched a new single cylinder model, the B31. This was based on the pre-war B29 Silver Star. 1947 saw the introduction of the B32, a trials version of the B31. At the 1948 show, BSA announced a new GoldStar model, the ZB32. This machine used many of the B31 and B32 components, but was specially tuned and bench tested. Great interest was shown in the new machine with inquires being made about using it in the Clubmans TT. This was achieved, and 21 machines were entered for the 350cc junior race. The race was won by Harold Clark at an average speed of 75.18 mph. This was the start of the 350cc GoldStar's eight successive wins, which continued until 1956 when the event ended. The following year, GoldStars, supported by BSA staff, went to the USA to enter in the Daytona Beach races, the start of a long association with this event.
In 1950, a 500cc version was introduced, designated ZB34, it was identical to the 350cc version, except for engine size. During 1950, engine modifications were carried out and in 1951, the redesigned 500 was available, followed in 1952 by the 350. At the 1952 show, GoldStars were displayed with a completely new frame and suspension. These were the production version of the Gold medal winning ISDT machines, and were designated the BB series. In 1954, designer Bert Hopwood produced revised engines, with the distinctive square finned head and barrel. These engines, designated the CB series, were entered in the Clubmans TT, where they won both junior and senior classes. In time for the following years Clubmans TT, the engines were again modified, to become the DB series, winner of the senior event was Eddie Dow, a name forever to be associated with GoldStars. 1956 saw the final stage of development of the GoldStar, the 500cc engine had further cylinder head modifications and was designated DBD34. This, with minor detail changes, was to be the final version of the GoldStar, until production ceased in 1963.
In Clubmans trim, the DBD34 had a power output of 42bhp at 700rpm which gave a top speed of around 115mph.
Many factors contributed to the end of production in 1963, the main ones perhaps being the cost of producing a hand built, individually tested machine, and the fact that they were no longer suitable for use on public roads, due to the highly tuned state of the engine necessary to maintain the reputation as the fastest production model available. In fact, BSA's own advertising leaflet stated that it was "neither intended nor suitable for road use as a touring motorcycle".
The motorcycle which can be everything to everyone will never be built. But the BSA GoldStar, or Goldie, came closer to that ideal than just about anything else. It is a cafe racer, however, that it is perhaps best remembered, being the nearest most riders came to owning a street legal racing machine in the late 1950's and 1960's.
During the GoldStar era, many famous names were associated with the Goldie and the list of competition successes second to none. The name lives on today, kept alive by vintage racers and enthusiasts world-wide. It can honestly be said, without fear of contradiction, that the GoldStar is truly, "The Choice of Champions".
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