BSA Round Tank
For a long period in the inter-war years
the giant BSA conglomerate dominated a booming motorcycle
market in a way that no other British factory could
claim to have done. Their attack on the lightweight
250cc singles market began in 1924 and was very much
a new venture for BSA. It was known to be adifficult
market, because over the preceeding years, the public
had been treated to many poorly designed and underengineered
budget specials from other makers.
As a reusltr, the little BSA was solidly conventional
with a side-valve four stroke engine in place of the
often unreliable two-stroke. It was strong enough
to take all that the most uncaring rider could throw
at it and it was cheap - less than £40. There
was belt-and-braces lubrication, with a new-fangled
mechanical pump as well as the old-fashioned hand
pump, plus a sight feed to reassure the anxious owner
that all was well. The oil contained in the front
section of the cylindrical tank that gave the model
its name, the BSA Round Tank.
The mudguards were surely some of the widest ever
fitted to a motorcycle, capable of guarding against
any conditions. Indeed, they were so wide that the
front forks actually passed through them. All-chain
drive was used, while the gearbox was operated directly
by a long hand lever.
With such a concern for practicality it might see
odd that the BSA factory chose not to fit a front
brake. It was felt that, with a modest top speed,
a back brake should be perfectly adequate. In fact,
BSA's design coincided with the introduction of a
new legal requirement that all bikes should be fitted
with two independant means of stopping. The factory
solved that simply by fitting, in addition to the
footbrake, a friction block operated by a handlebar
lever that pressed on the dummy belt rim on the rear
wheel.
The resulting bike was a pleasant utility bike that
did a great deal to establish BSA's reputation for
quality and reliability. One was even used as part
of a BSA publicity stunt, in May 1924, to climb Mount
Snowdon in Wales in just over half an hour, alongside
the mountain railway track. The stunt was such a success
that the motorcycle sold in large numbers - some 35,000
- and was adopted by the Post Office for telegram
delivery. This remained a familiar role for BSA lightweights
for many years, right up to the era of the BSA Bantam
and the twilight of a once-great British company.
BSA Round Tank
- Years in production - 1924-27
- Engine - single-cylinder side-valve four-stroke
- Capacity - 249cc
- Bore and Stroke - 63 x 80mm
- Tyres - 2.25 x 24in beaded-edge type
- Brakes - friction block on dummy belt rim (rear
only - two independant systems)
- Gearbox - 2-speed
- Top speed - 43mph
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