c1935 BSA Model W35-7 500cc Motorcycle

Description

The Birmingham Small Arms Company began producing motorcycles in 1910 and went on to become one of the world's largest motorcycle manufacturers, establishing a reputation for building dependable, affordable bikes by the 1930s.  Following the Great Depression BSA’s model range was substantially rationalised, with three new 500s launched in 1932, one sidevalve and two overhead valves all sharing the same bottom end and 85 by 88mm dimensions.  By 1935 the ohv twin port 500cc range had been expanded to three versions – the standard W35-7, the sporting W35-8 Blue Star with higher compression and upswept pipes and the highly tuned W35-9 Special boasting special valves, cams and pistons for maximum power.  Rated at five horsepower, the W35-7 featured a four-speed gearbox mounted in a Duplex cradle frame with integral sidecar lugs, flexible handlebars and a tank instrument panel.  Underscoring the commercial success brought about by offering a model designed to suit any customer’s requirements, the company boasted that one in four motorcycles on the roads in the UK in the 1930s was a BSA.