Vintage BSA Bike Head Badge
A4/A3, Giclée art print of vintage BSA bike badge illustration.
The Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited (BSA) was a major British industrial enterprise comprising businesses manufacturing a wide range of goods including military and sporting firearms, bicycles, motorcycles, cars and buses.
At its peak, BSA (including Triumph) was the largest motorcycle producer in the world.
In 1880, BSA branched out into bicycle manufacture. The gun factory proved remarkably adaptable to the manufacture of cycle parts. What cycles needed was large quantities of standard parts accurately machined at low prices. In 1880 BSA manufactured the Otto ‘Dicycle’, In the 1880s the company began to manufacture safety bicycles on their own account. Bicycle production ceased in 1887 as the company concentrated on producing the Lee-Metford magazine-loading rifle for the War Office which was re-equipping the British Army with it. The order was for 1,200 rifles per week. BSA recommenced manufacturing bicycles on their own behalf from 1908. BSA Cycles Ltd was set up in 1919 for the manufacture of both bicycles and motorcycles. BSA sold the bicycle business to Raleigh in 1957 after separating the bicycle and motorcycle business in 1953.
A4/A3, Giclée art print of vintage BSA bike badge illustration.
The Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited (BSA) was a major British industrial enterprise comprising businesses manufacturing a wide range of goods including military and sporting firearms, bicycles, motorcycles, cars and buses.
At its peak, BSA (including Triumph) was the largest motorcycle producer in the world.
In 1880, BSA branched out into bicycle manufacture. The gun factory proved remarkably adaptable to the manufacture of cycle parts. What cycles needed was large quantities of standard parts accurately machined at low prices. In 1880 BSA manufactured the Otto ‘Dicycle’, In the 1880s the company began to manufacture safety bicycles on their own account. Bicycle production ceased in 1887 as the company concentrated on producing the Lee-Metford magazine-loading rifle for the War Office which was re-equipping the British Army with it. The order was for 1,200 rifles per week. BSA recommenced manufacturing bicycles on their own behalf from 1908. BSA Cycles Ltd was set up in 1919 for the manufacture of both bicycles and motorcycles. BSA sold the bicycle business to Raleigh in 1957 after separating the bicycle and motorcycle business in 1953.
A4/A3, Giclée art print of vintage BSA bike badge illustration.
The Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited (BSA) was a major British industrial enterprise comprising businesses manufacturing a wide range of goods including military and sporting firearms, bicycles, motorcycles, cars and buses.
At its peak, BSA (including Triumph) was the largest motorcycle producer in the world.
In 1880, BSA branched out into bicycle manufacture. The gun factory proved remarkably adaptable to the manufacture of cycle parts. What cycles needed was large quantities of standard parts accurately machined at low prices. In 1880 BSA manufactured the Otto ‘Dicycle’, In the 1880s the company began to manufacture safety bicycles on their own account. Bicycle production ceased in 1887 as the company concentrated on producing the Lee-Metford magazine-loading rifle for the War Office which was re-equipping the British Army with it. The order was for 1,200 rifles per week. BSA recommenced manufacturing bicycles on their own behalf from 1908. BSA Cycles Ltd was set up in 1919 for the manufacture of both bicycles and motorcycles. BSA sold the bicycle business to Raleigh in 1957 after separating the bicycle and motorcycle business in 1953.