I enjoyed riding with you and your commentary. I'm in Australia, and have a Royal Enfield 500 single with a sidecar for stability as I'm age 77 and don't like pain.
Hi Bernard, thank your for the comment and the kind feedback. Funny you mention a sidecar because most of my recent RE test rides were at a local company called 'Watsonion Squire' a very old seller of Royal Enfields and a famous side car manufacturer.
From where did you get a 500cc enfield, I am really struggling here in India to find one. 500cc is discontinued and owners are just not sell their 500 cc bikes, I guess enfield 500cc is just very rare.
Royal Enfield j series still has vibration over 70 speed... Vibration and buzzy won't go away royal Enfield... Thats the main reason for which i sold my old 500cc bike.. Not worth it..
Wanted to order this bike last year but it never became available so gave up and bought R E interceptor which has turned out to be a great buy mainly because of a good dealer network but above all a full customised accessory range to add those personal touches we like to do
Hi Nigel, I think many did the same. I do love the look of a customised Interceptor, fly screen, engine bars, bar end mirrors and even the exhaust from SCS they look great done up...
Exactly my experience, would probably have bought the BSA if it had been available but gave up waiting and bought a 350 Classic instead, never regretted the decision in the two months I had on it before it was written off. 😞
I prefer the look of the new BSA Scrambler that was on their stand at the NEC Motorcycle Live motorcycle show. The Scrambler looks purposeful and I'm sure it will be a success on the showroom floors.
Hi David, thanks for the comment. The BSA Scrambler is a very rugged looking thing, I really like that bike. However, it's still a concept and no word on when it's coming to showrooms, if at all.
@@MindfulMotorcyclist Thank you for your reply, I do hope the Scrambler becomes more than just a concept, I'd buy one if it reached the showroom floor.
It's all about the experience of a large capacity single, on a lazy long journey through the mountains the single is much better experience. Am telling u after falling in love with a royal enfield single smaller capacity than this. That is where BSA might be right
I think you are lucky as there are no Euro 5 regulations in India. Our bikes have to be made to produce less emissions so they produce less power and run very lean...
I took one out yesterday (video will be out Sunday or Monday), and agree with you on most things. I have owned an Interceptor since May 2020 (and a Classic350 since July 2022). The first time I rode the Interceptor, I loved it immediately. The sound, feel, handling and looks, just grabbed me, and made grin like a love struck teenager. This didn’t happen with the Goldstar. Yes it’s a good bike, and hopefully it will do well, but to me, it just didn’t live up to the hype. The engine (Rotax) is a gem, the exhaust note would be better if the baffle was removed (just a couple of screws holding it in), the suspension felt better quality than the original Interceptor units (I fitted YSS rear shocks on mine, vast improvement), and the brakes, being proper Brembo instead of the budget versions on the Interceptor, were much better, but I don’t think the tyres suited the Goldstar’s geometry, unlike on the Interceptor whereby I really do rate them. The thing that I just couldn’t get to grips with on the Goldstar, was the riding position. I am 5ft 9”, with a 30” inside leg, but felt cramped, my knees being too high. The handlebars seemed to be pulled back, almost cruiser style, and quite wide, really quite odd, especially when compared to the Interceptor where you are leaning ever so slightly forward. I do explain more in my video, especially about the looks, but unlike yourself, I am not a fan of the back end. The mudguard being too short and chunky, with that hideous tail unit at the bottom, again, cruiser style. In my opinion, it should have been higher up, if only by a few inches. I really enjoyed your review, and found it to be balanced and honest. I really do want the BSA to do well, it would be good to see another British Heritage bike on the road. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Ian, thanks for these very insightful words. Everything you've mentioned above is pretty much spot on, particularly the part about when you throw a leg over the Interceptor it is just right, instantly, you just love it. The BSA is a nice bike but for me the reaction wasn't the same. This could be the fault of the hype however and everyone having very high expectations (myself included). I'll really look forward to watching your review because from the above I sense it will be fair and balanced and not overly gushing about the history of BSA. We do need people to ride this bike and give people a real indication of what it will be like to own after they've invested! Separate topic, but given your experience of RE what do you think of the SuperMeteor 650? I am considering this. Thanks for the comment and for stopping by 😎
@@MindfulMotorcyclist thank you, just doing the editing now 🙄😂. As far as the Super Meteor is concerned, it doesn’t float my boat. I am just not into cruisers, never have been, but I do like the colour of the green one. I expect the chap who invited me to ride the BSA, to invite me to test ride the Super Meteor too, or possibly the dealer I bought my Classic 350 off. Obviously, not being one to refuse any videoing opportunities, I will gladly oblige 😂. I have just run through my review video, and in between the sniffles (it was very cold, -2 degrees when I set out), but it is my first bike review, so not as polished as yours and others 😉. Thanks for taking the time to reply, and hope you like my video.
@BuzzinBritain I have seen six or seven reviews of the BSA Goldstar over the past couple of weeks, and you, my friend, are the first person to point out the elephant in the room.
Very comprehensive review that surpasses even TMFs recent one of the Goldstar. A bit more of a balanced and nuanced take on the bike. Like you I want it to be a success but I think for now I would stick with the Interceptor despite the little extra poke that people have reported. Would love to know what strings you pulled to get such an early test ride - but I suspect you’d have to kill me…😉
Hi Nigel, as ever you are very kind and thank you for your support. I would perhaps go for a second hand Interceptor if I was to have a second modern retro bike, save myself the on-the-road costs and first services. People really seem to look after their REs and you rarely see an abused one. I actually just went to a dealer and asked to test ride a bike, unfortunately at my size channel early access is not really optional perk. Also, everyone who is gifted early access, it's not really a one way gift, I expect you'd have to be very careful how you articulated any negatives to the bike otherwise you'd be off the favourites list... Hope your Triumph is treating you well 👍
@@pggp273 Why do you say that out of interest? Are there any serious things to avoid that as a viewer you don't like? I'm genuinely interested as want to keep the reviews good on here...
Had a road test at EDDYS TADCASTER . Great bike ... I've ridden the Enfield so I can compare . Brembo brakes . Twin cam with shims . Loads of bottom end power . Rotax proven motor . Twin plug head . And I like the small indicactors . It's got five cogs BUT you DON'T need em . It's got that much torque four would do . I could go from 40 mph in top all the way to 100 plus without gear changes . I'm having this 650 cc thumper ASAP and when I do a straight through exhaust is going on it . 😎👍
Wow what a review, in fact better than that, the best review of the new BSA Goldstar so if you're reading this and haven't watched yet, it's informative and fun for even non-riders like me! Well done @mindful motorcyclist for your awesome content and for sharing what you love ❤️
For this price I bought a Royal Enfield Super Meteor which is much better finished, much more comfortable and have a Real network of resellers. At first I started on the Interceptor, but the Super Meteor is so much better that I fell for it. Good luck to BSA.
Hi Bertrand, yes the Super Meteor is a lovely bike and probably the most polished RE ever made. If you want a single however then the BSA is the only real option...
Hi Andy thanks for the comment, BSA is probably a better looking bike, those piggyback shocks with the gold just don't look right on the interceptor. I'd like to see the chrome interceptor and the BSA silver sheen legacy edition side by side. Would be close...
This is the third review l has watched... one gets a real feel for whats going on with multiple honest opinions.Yours highlights the competition and the long intro times in more detail..Thanks for that. Personally, l have notice the rather strange welding on the rear footrest tubing it seems to be made up with multiple pieces rather than one bent/curved tube...Why did BSA do that? The other 'gripe' is the rear number plate. It look very much like....lets just stick it on the bottom of the mudguard!!. It would look far better, more in keeping with its namesake if mounted higher on the mudguard...Not tacked on the bottom like an afterthought!!..Lastly, the exhaust sounds a bit 'chuffy' not enough 'thump and crackle'...This may be because the engine is different mechanical of course ..(not push rod)..and/or emission and sound legislation.... Its never gonna 'twitter' though is it...The overall package looks okay but its gonna have its work cut out to steal Royal Enfield's thunder....
Thanks Brian for the comment. Yes it's taken a while but the 'honest' reviews have started to trickle out. I agree with your other points RE the welds and the chuffing character of the exhaust. Overall it's not a bad offering and certainly gets some looks, but whether it's worth £7k of your own money is something for everyone to decide themselves...
Good, honest review with no unnecessary gushing. One thing, though: not sure where you got your pricing information as there is actually only a £300 difference between base models of this and the Interceptor rather than £1000 as you said. (£6,500 vs £6,199). This is also true if you compare both brands’ flagship models: the BSA Legacy being £7,000 vs £6,699 for the Interceptor Chrome. Only fair to compare like for like if you’re going to talk about prices. 😊
Thanks for the comment. The pricing is as follows: MotoGB the current (though the contract is not to be renewed admittedly, but that is a different story😁) official importer for RE in the UK lists Orange Crush, Ventura Blue and Canyon Red Interceptors for a 'ON THE ROAD CASH PRICE: £6039.00'. This isn't the case with BSA Goldstar as the highland green is £6500 + £300 OTR. This means a difference at the base level version of £761, not insignificant. If you compare the top tier bikes it's £7300 [BSA Goldstar Legacy Edition] vs £6539 [Royal Enfield Interceptor INT 650 Twin Chrome]. The price difference could reach £1K depending on the variants specced...
@@MindfulMotorcyclist with an Interceptor, you will have to spend more than £1000 to sort the suspension, exhaust, intake and seat before it will run as it should. I bought one on release in 2019, and the shortcomings soon became apparent.
The Interceptor value is overplayed. The new Honda Hornet 700 twin, 90hp, is £6999 OTR. For pure value much better than the RE. Also better build quality and reliability.
Great honest review. I don't like the lack of a centre stand or stickers on the engine. Does look like the original. Has a rotax engine which will require much less maintenance than the ones back in the day. Will be interesting to see long term ownership reviews.
Thanks Lancer for the comment and the feedback. Yes, not having a centre stand is a pain when you want to do chain maintenance, they could have one even if it was an optional extra. The engine is tried and tested and I think will be fine for this application. I won't be doing a long term ownership review 😊 but I will be watching with interest!
The choice may well simply come down to the distance to the nearest dealer. Not a fan of the needle sweep on this bike, the lack of centre stand and the USB sockets would be less intrusive if they were under the bars rather than on top. Other than that, this is a very nice bike, performance appears more than adequate but it will have tough competition from RE.
Hi Cooper, I think that is a fair assessment. The needle sweep is actually really nice when you get used to it. The instrument cluster is a highpoint of this bike for sure.
Some how we are comparing this bike to Interceptor but its quite a different category. Your reviews and suggestions are very much constructive and to the point. In order to let this bike has its own league, a quite few improvements are necessary. I give company a thumbs up to atleast initiate the production of this bike. But company should make sure to learn faster, improve faster and listen to the rider's perspective and then make a culture around this bike which might take time but it will lead to to success and regain lost legacy.
The motor originally fitted to bmw F650GS and Aprilia pegaso 20 years ago has lost power and responsiveness.... however with decat and remap power could be restored or even improved..... great styling.... bmw gs with power plug has 52bhp and loads of torque..... amazing how most reviewers talk about a £2.99 USB port....😂😂
Oh how refreshing it is to have someone give a warts and all review of the Gold Star or any bike for that matter. All too often these days reviewers are bridled by their sponsors and in the case of launches on foreign soils, almost bought and paid for. Many people will have placed pre orders and never actually get to test ride bikes for themselves before becoming an owner. Previous reviews state their are no vibrations as such, describing the oscillations felt as more of a throb. The two are very different in nature, a throb being rather assuring, whilst vibrations become tiresome very quickly. Also two previous reviews rated the BSA above RE, whilst my own eyes tell a different tale and certainly RE has many happy customers behind it. Thanks for telling it like it is 👍😀
Hi Grey wolf, thanks for the comment and especially saying what you said. Yes there are a huge number of spec sheet readers out there who just read the marketing material and give very little focus on bike's negative points. The brands reward these channels with early access to launches, demo bikes for weeks etc. People follow these channels but it is sad for the consumer however because once you have bought a bike your stuck with any undisclosed problems it might have. As a reviewer I guess you make yourself a little unpopular as business is business at the end of the day and reviews that aren't all glowing ultimately cost sales and that hits the bottom line!
Thanks for this! I keep wanting to comment this on every video about this bike! They are different from the typical dials, but “going backwards” is not the right way to describe it!
Fair point David, honestly it's a slip of the tongue and incorrect phraseology. When your riding and talking and trying to remember your points occasionally things slip. It's just one of those things 🤷. I'll correct it in future videos of the bike. Cheers
I think I would take the BSA over the R.E. Interceptor, because i think being a single, it would have a bit more of an old bike feel to it. It is pretty porky for a single though. I'm not a fan of loud exhausts, but that one does should pretty restrictive, so that would likely be something to change. And the radiator almost looks like an afterthought. Like they had the entire bike designed and styled, and then at the last second someone remembered it was liquid cooled, So they stuck on the first one they found. Triumph seems to be able to hide the rad on their Bonneville models, so you can do it. I'd really like to see more of Scrambler version, or optional parts to make one. But they don't sell it here in Canada ( not yet at least ), so it's kind of irrelevant anyway.
Hi EaselRider I think I would have the BSA now as well (9 months has gone by since this video). I think the Enfield would probably be less trouble but the looks of the BSA are undoubtedly more genuine and authentically retro...
Would have preferred they left the exhaust shroud and done something to improve the Morris 1000 radiator. That said, once the rad is sorted I'd probably have one over the Interceptor.
One thing I will say about the radiator is that it's become a bit of an internet sensation. Once one reviewer had commented on it, this line was repeated over and over until now no-one can have a conversation about the looks of the BSA Goldstar without commenting on it. I think this is a bit of a shame. Aftermarket smaller efficient rad would sort the look!
I am interested in buying this bike but the £300 OTR charge is putting me off. How can BSA justify that? BSA need to be careful with their pricing because the "all new" Honda CB750 twin with 90bhp starts at £7500 and we know Honda's build quality and engineering are second to none.
A few people have said that, the Hornet is actually £6999 which is ludicrously good value. That said it's a hard comparison to make, one looks classic and has a thumper, the other looks fairly non descript, lots of tech and has a p twin (like most new bikes these days). Those looks will get people in the BSA camp...
Hi and thanks for the comment. Have you considered that RE Interceptor is priced 'on the road' whereas BSA Goldstar is +£300 OTR. Unless they have dropped that but that is what the situation was when I was looking at the BSA.
@@MindfulMotorcyclist the base interceptor is 6200 otr and the base BSA is 6500 plus otr? Both good value and the BSA is probably going to go up in price eventually
Unfortunately bsa hyped this bike up then proceed to let people down. Yet another wait for pre orders , and like you said, if you order now its going to be June, July that's just ridiculous, when you can walk into a royal enfield dealer and buy one on the shop floor or get one within 4 weeks. There's all this hype with the demo bikes , but let's see if they can deliver the goods when it matters , there's alot of people watching that space 😉
Hi 1gp100, thanks for the comment. Yes it is a bit of a pain having to wait so long and BSA don't yet have the manufacturing capacity to churn out bikes so if you're a long way down the waiting list it could be many months. I do wonder if they will begin to pop up for sale on the second hand market next winter however, once all the buzz has died down...
Good review. IMHO, give BSA another year to work out bugs. Bike needs a center stand, bar head mirrors, and heated grips. The radiator needs a re-do as in trimmed to the frame. I think this bike is a niche market enthusiasts machine. You’re absolutely correct in the pluses of the R.E. but BSA will catch up.
Thanks for the comment mldiode, it's going to be interesting looking at reviews a year down the line from owners and of course checking the second hand market to see if they are popping up and for what prices.
I am seriously thinking about this bike but will wait a while to see how it fares on some long term reviews. The dials don’t go backwards. They just start in a higher position.
Nice review, I hope the bike and BSA themselves become a success. I'm not a massive fan of the look of the Gold Star, something about the engine profile and the seat and rear mudguard arrangement that I can't quite put my finger on....yet the radiator doesn't bother me. The instrument cluster looks great though, and I'd love to give one a go. It's a shame that they've created a little bit of negativity over the production and communication, I think with that in mind this could make a great second bike but I personally wouldn't have the trust to make this my only one. Hopefully they'll be out in the wild before too long.
Hi Ben, thanks for the comment. I wish BSA well and having some competition for RE will only benefit both sides. With a few slight updates to the engine detailing, exhaust and trim pieces it could be made into a stunning bike. The radiator, well some hate the look of but I think you would get used to it. Regarding the negativity over delays in getting bikes out I'm told they could either release them early with problems and suffer the reputation damage as a result or hold back, sort the issues and get them out 'right' as it were. They chose the latter, which long term was probably the correct decision.
Reliability ... of course it's going to be reliable . It's a rotax motor AND BMW use this engine in their s650 . If it's good enough for BMW it's good enough for me !! How about YOU ... 😃😃
Not bad but I’d be more interested if it had an RE badge on it. There’s not a lot of point in competing in the low power cruiser market any more…Triumph are more sensible having a strong super bike range and not trying to compete in the Classic sub 50 horse power market place. RE have that market now because they’re damn good.
As someone who rides Triumph scrambler (900) daily I have seen some customs scramblers from this BSA, and I would definitely opt for that, especially as this is a single 650 cc so should be perfect for rough terrain. I am thinking about getting bonnie t120 (or speedmaster) for highway and city runs, so wouldn't mind get this one as scrambler.
Thanks for this comment. I actually now own the BSA (this video is over a year old) and I plan to scramblerise (made up word 😊) the bike. Thanks for your suggestion.
waiting for Yezdi Roadking 650 which is based on BSA Goldstar in India. Thanks for an insight review of what jawa yezdi is going to introduce in India.
Hi storm_brkr, thanks for the comment. Though we won't get it here in the UK the Roadking looks like a great bike, the engine will be a nice feature of both this and the Goldstar...
Firstly the Royal Enfield is a twin so no its not its main competitor at all. Its main competitor is the Royal Enfield Classic 500 which is also a big single. In terms of styling it is similar to the Interceptor yes. But we are really talking twins and singles at that point. The cons with the BSA Goldie 1 it doesn't leak oil so you won't need to clean your garage floor or drive way. 2 you won't have to steal points from someone mini minor to get it going again. 3 you won't get to pay big $ to get the megneto rewound. 4 Your Gaurds wont rust 5 You don't get to play with an Advance / Retard leaver. 6 it doesn't come with a decompression leaver. 7 You won't lock your rear wheel is you accidentally select too lower gear for the revs your doing. 8 Ypu won't find mis mached parts on it. 9 Parts will be avaliable and cheap. 10 You will have to deal with alot of non motorcyclists compliments on how great your restoration looks. Now for the Pros 1 Your not going to be able to remove the smile from your face when your down the road on it. 2 Very low maintenance cost and very easy to work on. 3 Do i need another Pro with all those cons? As far as the water cooling and radiator the more i look at the bike the more i don't mind it. At first glance yes i was one who didn't like it either but now it completely doesn't bother me a bit. Im in Australia and we won't be seeing these bikes for some time yet but i will have to try one when they arrive i think. To me as long as the bike can do the ton its got plenty of power for the general road. I believe with a stage 2 this bike will do the ton comfortably. As for the agriculturally sound thats definitely what single enthusiasts love. Its powerful enough to get you out of trouble and aslo into trouble. Plenty of power to pass a big truck on the freeway effectively and safely is all you need in real world public road motorcycling. I own a RF Interceptor 650 so im not talking from a bias point of view. It not a good idea to by a bike of any first production model really beacuse theres alway the chance of a recall or glitches to be ironed out. But saying that its known they they can be the ones sorted after when they become vintage if all is well. But thats a thing of the past i believe when records were broken on the race tracks etc. Not so much with these bikes but i could be wrong?.
Hi ER, I hate to say this bluntly but perhaps you are incorrect here. The Interceptor and the Goldstar are going head to head because the are both revitalised British brands, both around £6500, both have 45-47bhp, both modern retro looks and both having feel prioritised over power/technology. The classic 500 has been discontinued by RE, replaced for the moment by the Classic 350. MCN has just done a head 2 head feature comparing the BSA GS to the RE INT650, they wouldn't do this if there weren't many buyers out there looking at these two options. I agree with you on the other points that its not a good idea to buy the first of something and I liked your list of pros and cons, very amusing and make a lot of sense. Thanks for the comment.
Classic legends are offering a new radiator which is good for engine and heat management.. I hope bsa gets it And one more thing those suspension have dual features... If you the top of the suspension that will adjust the preload of ur bike.. And lower one will adjust the rebound of ur bike..
@@MindfulMotorcyclist yes sir.... The bsa parent company CLASSIC LEGENDS is making other 2 vehicle too.. JAWA and YEZDI .. The bsa suspension is from yezdi roadster seat is from jawa 42 (My bike in my profile picture) ... All these bikes have got upgrade with a new radiator which small and thinner in comparison to the one which you have shown in the video..
Thanks Dave for the comment. I just put up a short review of the Morini X-Cape, that's a great bike too. Do you have classic Morini's or the modern variants?
Interesting motorcycle, but I am struggling to justify buying it as I already have a 67 650 Lightning and I would have to relearn how to ride it with the backwards shifter & brake on the new one
This is what BSA themselves said, I'm no expert on engine design so I'm going off other sources when they say a 55NM/45Bhp single can meet Euro5 only with water. Perhaps it can with oil cooling...
@@MindfulMotorcyclist well, and they lied a bit ;) otherwise every retro bike on the market other than Triumph t120 and 100 would be far gone. R nineT is the best example of what can be done - 109Bhp and 116Nm with just oil cooling. And talking about single cylinder water cooled bike and 650 ish cc - look at the Husky Vitpilen 701 specs - 75HP, 71Nm, 157kg dry. That's worth the name of "gold star" and a bit more exciting. But that is not as cheap as buying old beemer f650 lump from 90's ;) Plus side could be reliability though, but that still has to be proven ;)
Thanks John for the kind feedback. The gloves were a present a couple of Christmas ago from the girlfriend. RST thermatech I believe they are called. They are quite bulky but the warmth is a great thing to have in winter. Batteries fit into the wrist of the glove where there is a little pocket. Lasts about 2hrs on max heat, there are three settings. There's a very old review of them on this channel, maybe that will be useful but please excuse the quality. Wasn't so good back then ☺️👍
I just love your jacket - can you tell me what it is? As for the bike, there's a lot to like. I think your summary is fair - it's pitched against the Interceptor which is cheaper and a well-established product. It does offer that 'big single' character which is like the heart of British motorcycling. Overall it seems decent value in terms of quality vs price, if not quite in the Royal Enfield territory. Most things look right, I'm ok with that radiator now, it's a little reminiscent of the radiator on an old Scott two-stroke so it's in good company. A big omission for me is a centre stand. I don't know whether that will be an accessory option but when you're trying to squeeze a few bikes into a single garage then a centre stand helps you make the best of the space available, as well as being more secure generally.
Thanks Roverchap for your comment. The jacket is a Spada Staffy Wax Jacket, it was bought as a present for me last Christmas and I've loved using it. Cheers.
I could certainly sort those mudguard stays a lot better, the ends are just Quashed in a vice,giving it a cheap fix, i made some tooling to give them a more rounded and professional finnish, if the factory fly me to India i would gladly show how its done.
Thanks Dan I'm a big fan of the GS, and I feel now I've given it time to understand its flaws (which it does have and so do most bikes) so watch this space 😄.thanks for the comment.
Isn’t a problem with the Enfields that you have to get the shims checked every 3 thousand kays? The BSA services are every 5-6 kays. Early adopter or not, a 650 single is not something I could pass up. You could still get a Himalayan or a Scram with knobbies for some green landing or gravel fire trails we have a lot of in Australia.
Enfields do have shorter service intervals, that is for sure. 3000miles or 6000miles depending on whether you believe the 'check' service constitutes an actual service!
you get a centrestand on the interceptor and a toolkit, re has a race series in india so the engines are race proven, the enfields are also a piece of cake to service at home, im sure the rotax engine will be solid but it doesnt sound anywhers near as nice as a standard 650 enfield
I think it's got the edge on looks compared to the interceptor, also it's probably going to be more exclusive, and it needs less mods by the look of it, it's definitely more authentic looking.
Hi Ray, I tend to agree with you. Looks wise, it probably pips the Interceptor, the tank and the instruments are highlights for me and in power too it probably has just a little bit more ooomph. Interceptor wins in sound for me anyway. Thanks for the comment.
Its not a "decorative shroud". Its there , as would be a gaiter, to protect the fescalised surface the fork seal has to run on. Taking it off is decorative!!!
@@MindfulMotorcyclist The purpose is to inform. Long term the forks will rust and pit and wear out the seals. Just replacing the seals will not work and the bearing surface will need regrinding. Not a concern to those that buy new and pass on trouble to those not well off enough to do the same
21:05 made me confused whether to wait for a Goldstar or buy an interceptor right away. I not convinced if it is truly a British heritage. BSA stopped production, then this Indian company Mahindra bought rights and started this. Unlike Royal Enfield which was in continuous production. Mahindra also did the same with Czech JAWA and failed miserably. I hope BSA would truly be worth the wait.
It's your money at the end of the day and depends on everyone's circumstances. I like to ride mainly in the best 3 seasons of the UK and particularly on a bike with chrome and classic touches that needs cleaning each time you put it away. I would be put off waiting until July for a bike when I can pick up an Interceptor new or nearly new in time for spring...
I dont see this comparison with the Interceptor. Already the happy owner of a W650 I would be looking for a big single and will therefore get a test ride on the BSA.
If you want a big retro single then it's just the BSA in the running really unless your willing to look at Chinese made bikes like the Mash 650 which personally I think are a little below the BSA in quality...
Please note Mahindra usually launches an automobile on what is essentially an intriductory price and if it is a hit, in six months they will raise the price quietly.
To be fair I think most brands do just the same, all RE’s have gone up a fair bit since launch, it’s just how it is. I want the BSA to be a hit and it’s good for India if it is because it means more good jobs and all the rest of it. I hope Mahindra step up and grab this opportunity with good dealers, service, aftercare.
@@jfro5867 They seemed to have addressed the major downers from preprod review, related to suspension being not that good. The thing that is working for BSA is that Mahindra has deeper pockets than Eicher, but BSA do not have the same kind of romantic backstory RE has. In India if someone says BSA, the only thing that comes to mind is a bicycle company called BSA SLR which was popoular when I was in school. BSA as a motorcycle brand has no brand recollection in India. So this bike is meant only for the west
@@vishnumohannair8791 Interesting. In the UK I think most motorcyclists (even newbies) will have at least some brand awareness of BSA, even if it’s just from bike meets, old books or photos. Very much like RE had before it’s huge turn around this last 4 or 5 years. In fact without RE’s monumental success I doubt very much the BSA name would ever have been resurrected. IMHO these bikes work well on our roads because they have hardly changed since the 60’s anyway!
@@jfro5867 What is even interesting is that BSA cycles in India owned by another Business group uses the same Brand Logo in India as BSA motorcycles in UK. The three crossed Guns. Classic Motors which is the parent company is trying to access the mass market in India with its JAWA and Yezdi brands which has a better brand value in India. But BSA it would be an uphill climb for them in India not to mention the fact they don't even own their logo in India.
I think if the Gold Star is going to sell it will only sell on brand name and nostalgia - initially. For a brand that is new to market it's way overpriced when comparing to the Interceptor. They should be marketing this at around £5500 to get a foot in the door. Expensive doesn't necessarily mean good. The first batch of owners are going to be the ones that sort any issues that arise with the bike and that could well be frustrating when it comes to repairs, parts availability etc. Aesthetics, it's all very subjective of course, in addition to that horrible rad up front I think they could have made more effort with the exhaust finish, perhaps gone the chrome route, stickers/decals on the engine, definitely naff and cheap looking. I hope it does well for BSA and hope the company prospers but at 7 grand a pop no thank you, I'll stick with my REs. Fair review by the way.👍
the old singles ironically where a little agricultural.... i remember chatting with an old biker when i was young... he said why buy a twin there is twicw as much to go wrong, lol a sound philosphy perhaps.... i had a Golden flash A10 from 1956..... i would love this bike but i wonder can i replace the BSA stickers with Malhendra stickers....
Unfortunately, in the world of TH-cam 1 reviewer says something and it morphs into a bit of an online 'fact'. We all watch each others reviews and sometimes you might subconsciously pick up on a descriptive or idea which perhaps isn't fitting or correct. Everyone is guilty of it to be honest, I've slipped up on this one I have to admit.
Yes the origins of the rotax engine are probably same unit used in the BMW 650 funduro, I've done a video a while back going into this a bit more detail. Still it rides nice enough.
Interesting review and it seems to be fair. I'm beginning to feel that BSA have fallen between producing an affordable retro, similar to the RE Interceptor, and not being quite premium as a Triumph.I do prefer the BSA's styling to the Interceptor, but it's a lot to expect someone to pay 1000 pounds, more, for it. I think I would wait for the RE Classic 650 and see if that is alright, or stump up the extra money for the Triumph. BSA have really messed up introducing the bike. Maybe they should have ironed out the design glitches before revealing the thing.
Nearly half the price of the Triumph and you're carping about a few hundred over the Inter? As TMF pointed out, this falls between the two, fit n finish, Brembos, poke.
@@AuxesisHyperbole666 Yes, but there're other things that cast doubts on it.The transfer insignia, the welding, the radiator. Also the Speed twin is not twice the price. As for the Interceptor price, the Gold is not a few hundred more it is a 1000 more. That's a lot of money.
Thanks Keddw for the comment. BSA have removed the '+OTR' from the website so it might be that the gap in pricing narrows a little from what I mentioned (Royal Enfield list the prices as on the road). I would have to check with the dealer whether it is still +£300 for essentially a PDI and registering the bike... As far as the other comment referencing BSA falling in between RE and Triumph, I don't actually agree here. I would put BSA and RE on par (ish) and then Triumph quite some distance ahead. If you look at the side profile (fin stack, engine casings, panels) of the bike the Interceptor is actually ahead in quality. Finally, the new Triumph Speed Twin 900 is £8.5k 64hp and while it is a little more 'plain' than it's 1200cc big brother it's not double the price of the Goldstar and could be a better offering.
@@MindfulMotorcyclist Thanks for the reply. It will interesting to see if the new big RE classic- if it comes out- will be air cooled and appeal to the single cylinder fans more than the BSA, but perhaps they wouldn't be compliant with Euro regulations. I like the Speed twin, but it is expensive and there is something a bit yuppyish about it.😄..
As a former owner of a new BSA Lightning and all of the problems I had with that bike and the lack of dealer support just brings back too many bad memories. So why would I want to subject myself to the aggrevation of owning another one. When it finally gets released in the states I see lack of parts and dealer support should you have a problem on the road.
Thanks for the comment Michael. I would say though that Mahindra (through Classic Legends) have bought the rights to market the BSA name, I wouldn't imagine there being much carry over from BSA of old operationally at least. Not to say the problems you mention won't pop up, but I think they won't be down to historical reasons.
I agree with the fairness os the interview - good job. I’m glad I’m not the only one that noticed the overall amount of welds seemed excessive (Brian Perry’s comments). Two questions, did Rotax just design the engine or do they manufacturer it as well? 2, did you use the term “agricultural” on purpose given that Mahindra makes farm equipment? I was surprised when you said you would stick with RE as you seemed smitten with the BSA. Then again, so does many of the commentators so that’s a big problem for BSA. Observation form the US. Indian was revived as a premium product to go head on with HD. It’s been found it’s buyers are mainly disgruntled HD owners and HD haters so that there was no cross shopping nor did they take very many customers from HD. I think BSA may be in the same boat as it appears RE owners are very (extremely) loyal. Meaning BSA MAY need to get customers who just don’t want an RE. Thoughts?
Hi JW, thanks for the comment. Some sources state that 'The brand [BSA] partnered with Rotax among many others to work on the engine’s smoothness] but the original articles from 2021 state that the Goldstar will use a 'Rotax-made engine. It will be an updated version of the 652cc 655 single-cylinder unit previously supplied to power the Aprilia 650 Pegaso and BMW F650 Funduro'. I guess it is made by Rotax still unless BSA have brought the engine manufacturing in-house. I read an interview that stated that the Technical University of Graz (Austria) had been responsible for making the engine look period. I used the term agricultural as it just feels a bit rough and ready to me, the link to Mahindra's other divisions was pure co-incidence! Regarding my conclusions I think that was also the problem, there was a lot riding on this test ride for me and I was fairly smitten with the idea of the Goldie, for me but also as a bike to feature on here. Sadly, I feel let down by the test ride and won't be following this with a purchase. On the final point, the salesman did reveal that his dealership had secured 17 pre-orders, there are 20 UK dealerships now so if we assume the others are following similar trends (his dealership was first to secure the Goldstar contract, so we must assume the others are behind in sales) we can say 10-15 pre-orders per dealer and therefore 200-250 bikes pre-ordered since July 2022. Royal Enfield sell probably that many Interceptors every month as we can see the Classic 350 and Interceptor 650 trading blows to be the winner of the Modern Retro category in the MCIA freely available statistics. When the Interceptor is winning the numbers are around 180-220/month. Very rough maths but I expect it's hurting RE a little bit but they aren't losing sleep, especially when they are launching so many new models to get consumers excited!. Thanks for sharing about HD and Indian by the way, very interesting!
@@MindfulMotorcyclist Fun fact. An attempt was made to rebadge a Royal Enfield Constellation (great bike BTW) as an Indian back in the 50’s. It wasn’t a good idea.
Hi Mickey, thanks for the comment. They did the needle sweep in such a way because it is true to the original Goldstar so it's 'in-keeping' so to speak.
@@MindfulMotorcyclist I only rode one once and it was in the Isle of Man while we was over there for the TT. Must admit I didn’t have time to look at the speedo. What stuck in my mind was the high first gear close ratio box.
@@philtucker1224 I started riding English motorcycles in 1968 with Greeves and BSA bikes, followed by Triumphs, which, while aggravating at times, were also virtually unbreakable. The new "Gold Star" seems to have been engineered on the fly, and I fear that, coupled with questionable quality control and less than good quality materials will make the new one not a good bet for longevity.
Hi Robert, I'd struggle to do 20,000miles on an hour test ride 😂. In all seriousness yes we need long term reviews and I expect at the end of 2023 we will start to see a few pop up...
I've now watched three vloggers accounts of the new 'Goldie', as the original bike was fondly known. I'm struck yet again by the fallacious comparison between the RE Interceptor and this new bike. As you correctly point out one is a twin cyclinder and the other a single. There are two common denominators linking these bikes, one is they're built in India and the other is that what lies at their heart is the desire to recreate an essentially retro-vibe likely to appeal to bikers looking for something beyond the current crop of modern two-wheelers. As a biker of advancing years I don't recall the motorcycling press, the only source of such comparisons back in the day, comparing the DBD-34 Goldstar with say the Triumph T100 other than to point out the price difference, as you've done here and maybe some performance comparisons. The feel of those bikes was completely different, the reason riders chose those machines over each other was a prefererence for the dramatically different engine characteristics each bike delivered. Is this surely not the case now, or are motorcycles now so characterless as to blur into each other seamlessly as seems to be the case here? I'm always happy to embrace the new, I have a Himalayan and love it's unique characteristics. I've also owned over the years British bikes from the era of the original Goldstar and recognise that they were very different propositions to today's bikes. No less rewarding to ride, but very different in their character, one from the other. BSA and RE are producing attractive looking bikes realistically priced, which are fun to ride and look good. Please critique them on their own merits and avoid mixing and matching their distinct characteristics. Or we'll be consigned to a world of Retro-Fetishism fussing over how authentic the rims of the retro-looking clocks are and loose sight of what we ride motorbikes for in the first place.
Hi Mslattery, thanks for the comment. You make a great point but allow me to respond... Let us consider the user manual of my father's 1971 1.8L Vauxhall Viva in which it gave instructions on how to check and adjust the valve timing. These days, a modern car manual comes with some fancy marketing pictures and a warning to the driver not to drink the battery acid. That should be some indication of how things have changed! I believe things have changed in our industry too and potential purchasers of motorcycles can be binned into respective genres such as sportbike, modern retro, adventure bike, cruiser etc, based on the application but also the image they are looking for (vain perhaps...rightly or wrongly). So if you want a full on adventure bike and have £18k+ to spend you will either get a BMW GSA, a Ducati Multi V4 or a Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally, this person is unlikely to debate the inherent stability of a 1250cc opposing twin versus the top end of the V4, more likely they will compare features (many gimmicks), aesthetics, whatever PCP deal is best at the time and opinion from online reviews of which the 'head-2-head' comparison format is very popular. Say you want a litre bike you don't care if it's got 180hp or 205hp, if it's team green or blue, they are all going to scare the daylights out of you regardless of a crossplane crank or semi active suspension. Unless you have some particular brand loyalty or are using the bike for the track where any differences become somewhat obvious most of these options meet the threshold for your requirements. Getting to the point many people will look at these reborn 'brit bikes' with their long single seats, twin analogue dials, historical touches and chrome exhausts and see various options available based on a set budget typically with RE being cheapest and Triumph being most expensive. I myself would look at the Goldstar, Interceptor and T100 and just see what each one offered as a package (in business we would say value proposition) for my investment coupled with my experience of that brand to date positive or negative. Coming round back to my opening point peoples priorities have changed and engine type is no longer the deciding factor particularly in a world of Euro 5 and IC engine performance stagnation since about 2005! I did actually compare the BSA to the Himmy in engine feel being a single of 'similarish' capacity but I think fetishism over retro dials is here to stay sadly! Thanks!
@@MindfulMotorcyclist Great points you raise here and I think a fair assessment of the state of the industry. On the plus side, the market is flooded with options to suit all tastes and budgets, in fact we're spoilt for choice. This being in stark contrast to when I first slung a leg over a bike when it was a case of selecting a bike least likely to let you down. Being a rider on a budget, I've tended to always go for pre-owned machines and selected bikes toward the higher end of the range which due to the passing of a decade or so are now affordable, to me at least. Maybe thats why I'm more sceptical about the hype and marketing that surrounds new releases. I have time to form an opinion about what stands out and appeals to me. Most importantly I can let the idea of owning a particular machine grow on me to the point where I just have to go looking for one. The thought of visiting a showroom and just coughing the cash for a new bike simply dosen't appeal. My Value Proposition is a quality bike at a below market value. I'm the type of consumer that marketing people would wish consigned to the fires of hell.
@@MindfulMotorcyclist - It would be nice to use the less expensive car engine oils and the transmission oils with solid lubricant additives, but I guess the lack of a primary chain is a good trade-off.
Lets look at what the bsa has got going for it .. brembo brakes . 4 valve head . Twin cam motor using shims not those horrible tappet adjusters . Twin spark 4a better burn . Slipper clutch . If BMW use this engine how can anyone question it ? S650 ... ????? 😃
Yes it’s called trading performance for usability I think. I understand the original gold star was a right pig to own and ride in real world traffic situations.
I agree, it's top speed isn't really relevant in this class of motorcycle. If you want speed then an early 2000's litre bike is your best bang for buck!
In my opinion, the reason that this bike will fail is the very thing that BSA are using as it’s selling point, namely nostalgia. This is because; 1) there are not enough “old gits” like me (I’m in my mid ‘70s) who can remember a Gold Star and who still ride. 2) those who can remember the “Goldie” will discount this bike out of hand as there is absolutely NO comparison; it’s simply a bike with a red tank badge. 3) anybody who is not bitten by the nostalgia bug sees only an expensive, single-cylinder, bike. 4) anybody wanting a simple commute bike have a myriad of alternative much cheaper bikes to choose from.
Fair comment, jury is still out on this one commercially at least. I went on to purchase this bike so please see my owner's review, which might be of interest to you. Regards, slightly younger albeit grumpy git 😀
@@MindfulMotorcyclist - Please believe me when I say that I WANT this bike to be a success! I know that Covid, Brexit and Ukraine have all consorted to bugger-up the launch of the bike and the lack of dealership doesn’t help. I just hope that “extras” such as those available for the Royal Enfield become available soon as, in its present state, it’s hard to see what demographic they are aiming at?
Me too, I like mine and I want the company to do well but in the face of Triumphs new 400s, Royal Enfields huge sales they have an uphill battle on their hands.
Oh and the demographic seems to be older riders, perhaps who had a BSA the first time. I don't think they are 'cool yet with the youngsters... just my opinion
I road tested this bike last Tuesday.....your views on it are very similar to mine....except you seem to like the exhaust note....I hated it.....sounds like a little 125 to me..... Yes it goes quite well...its fast enough. But when I took it back....I didn't feel the need to ride one again..... I do wish BSA well.....I was to see the BSA name up there in lights.....but to me.....its not worth the price. I am a retro bike lover by the way.....not into modern looking bikes.....I own a modern retro and a BSA Bantam.
Hi Nick, thanks for the comment and for sharing your views on the bike. I too want BSA to do well, I think for RE to have some solid competition would be a great thing for the owners and riders of modern retros. Which bike do you own by the way?
@@MindfulMotorcyclist Just remembered...I hated looking down and seeing Black Handle Bars....Gee a Gold Start is about chrome. I know some of the gold stars have chrome bars.....but IMHO all should....chrome Exhausts as well.....they were also black.
Not sure I get the point of this bike. It’s trying to emulate a bike that will appeal mainly to a bunch of riders who are thinking of either giving up or buying a bike that is lighter and easier to handle. Wonder how it compares to the BMW GS650.
I just bought a 2019 Continental GT in showroom condition and full dealership history with 3500 miles on the clock for just £4000 (had DNA filter and TEC pipes too) . Absolutely no reason to buy new for £7k when there are deals like that about. The 650 twin engine from RE is so nice. I don't know what it is about the BSA that I just don't like, maybe it's the plasticy finish and engine that just make it look a bit tacky compared to the Enfields that just look authentically old school.
Thank you for the comment. How do you find the Continental? I was put off by the more aggressive riding position compared to the Interceptor but I would like to hear from an owner. I think you got a great deal there and yes there's no need to buy new, I am not a fan of a £250 (oil change) 300-500 miles into running in a bike which is also part and parcel of buying new. Plus all the restrictions on riding below 4k rpm or 50mph when the engine is fresh etc...
@@MindfulMotorcyclist I don't mind the riding position but I haven't tried the interceptor so I can't compare them. I love the look of the GT and figured I could just sell it in the spring without a loss if I didn't get on with the riding position. I was expecting it to feel a lot more aggressive but you're almost upright when the arms are outstretched and above 40 miles an hour the wind resistance takes all the weight off your hands. I would imagine it doesn't feel aggressive at all if you came from a sports bike. I'm yet to do more than a 3 hour ride on it but it's fine for me to do around 2 hours before stopping for a bite to eat and stretch the legs. It looks so good that I don't mind stopping a bit more frequently than a mid control bike haha
Hi Tony, thanks for the comment. Yes a few people have said now that the main competition for the Goldstar is not actually the Interceptor but it is the discontinued Classic 500 or even the Classic 350. To me the ride reminded me of my Meteor 350 perhaps a little more than the Interceptor. OK power wise the BSA is much higher but riding character it is similar to RE's singles.
@@MindfulMotorcyclist That character doesn't come across in any of the reviews I've seen. A big single should be a relaxed, low-revving plodder but this doesn't seem to have any of that about it. The image BSA uses in its PR materials is of a journalist doing a burnout, which is about as off-putting as it gets for me.
@@tonymiddlehurst8438 Yes I remember the burnout clip, there was also the video of the Goldstar being ridden through a forest with music overplayed so loud it masked the engine noise. The PR and launch of this bike hasn't been flawless to say the least.
Hi Big Red, thanks for the comment. Bear in mind the baffle is still in the exhaust, which will be damping the sound. Also with an aftermarket pipe on there, it might be transformed. Cheers
I enjoyed riding with you and your commentary. I'm in Australia, and have a Royal Enfield 500 single with a sidecar for stability as I'm age 77 and don't like pain.
Hi Bernard, thank your for the comment and the kind feedback. Funny you mention a sidecar because most of my recent RE test rides were at a local company called 'Watsonion Squire' a very old seller of Royal Enfields and a famous side car manufacturer.
From where did you get a 500cc enfield, I am really struggling here in India to find one.
500cc is discontinued and owners are just not sell their 500 cc bikes, I guess enfield 500cc is just very rare.
Royal Enfield j series still has vibration over 70 speed... Vibration and buzzy won't go away royal Enfield... Thats the main reason for which i sold my old 500cc bike.. Not worth it..
The dials go the same way as normal, they just start at 1 o'clock! 🙂
Thanks Ian, good point!
Wanted to order this bike last year but it never became available so gave up and bought R E interceptor which has turned out to be a great buy mainly because of a good dealer network but above all a full customised accessory range to add those personal touches we like to do
Hi Nigel, I think many did the same. I do love the look of a customised Interceptor, fly screen, engine bars, bar end mirrors and even the exhaust from SCS they look great done up...
Exactly my experience, would probably have bought the BSA if it had been available but gave up waiting and bought a 350 Classic instead, never regretted the decision in the two months I had on it before it was written off. 😞
I prefer the look of the new BSA Scrambler that was on their stand at the NEC Motorcycle Live motorcycle show. The Scrambler looks purposeful and I'm sure it will be a success on the showroom floors.
Hi David, thanks for the comment. The BSA Scrambler is a very rugged looking thing, I really like that bike. However, it's still a concept and no word on when it's coming to showrooms, if at all.
@@MindfulMotorcyclist Thank you for your reply, I do hope the Scrambler becomes more than just a concept, I'd buy one if it reached the showroom floor.
It's all about the experience of a large capacity single, on a lazy long journey through the mountains the single is much better experience.
Am telling u after falling in love with a royal enfield single smaller capacity than this. That is where BSA might be right
I also loved my Meteor 350 single. Such a small but characterful little engine 😊
@@MindfulMotorcyclist the 2007 royal enfield thunderbird, (sold in india)it had a long stroke, low rpm single felt amazing with the slow thump.
I think you are lucky as there are no Euro 5 regulations in India. Our bikes have to be made to produce less emissions so they produce less power and run very lean...
We have BS6 norms in India which are stricter than Euro 5
I took one out yesterday (video will be out Sunday or Monday), and agree with you on most things. I have owned an Interceptor since May 2020 (and a Classic350 since July 2022). The first time I rode the Interceptor, I loved it immediately. The sound, feel, handling and looks, just grabbed me, and made grin like a love struck teenager. This didn’t happen with the Goldstar. Yes it’s a good bike, and hopefully it will do well, but to me, it just didn’t live up to the hype. The engine (Rotax) is a gem, the exhaust note would be better if the baffle was removed (just a couple of screws holding it in), the suspension felt better quality than the original Interceptor units (I fitted YSS rear shocks on mine, vast improvement), and the brakes, being proper Brembo instead of the budget versions on the Interceptor, were much better, but I don’t think the tyres suited the Goldstar’s geometry, unlike on the Interceptor whereby I really do rate them. The thing that I just couldn’t get to grips with on the Goldstar, was the riding position. I am 5ft 9”, with a 30” inside leg, but felt cramped, my knees being too high. The handlebars seemed to be pulled back, almost cruiser style, and quite wide, really quite odd, especially when compared to the Interceptor where you are leaning ever so slightly forward. I do explain more in my video, especially about the looks, but unlike yourself, I am not a fan of the back end. The mudguard being too short and chunky, with that hideous tail unit at the bottom, again, cruiser style. In my opinion, it should have been higher up, if only by a few inches. I really enjoyed your review, and found it to be balanced and honest. I really do want the BSA to do well, it would be good to see another British Heritage bike on the road. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Ian, thanks for these very insightful words. Everything you've mentioned above is pretty much spot on, particularly the part about when you throw a leg over the Interceptor it is just right, instantly, you just love it. The BSA is a nice bike but for me the reaction wasn't the same. This could be the fault of the hype however and everyone having very high expectations (myself included). I'll really look forward to watching your review because from the above I sense it will be fair and balanced and not overly gushing about the history of BSA. We do need people to ride this bike and give people a real indication of what it will be like to own after they've invested! Separate topic, but given your experience of RE what do you think of the SuperMeteor 650? I am considering this. Thanks for the comment and for stopping by 😎
@@MindfulMotorcyclist thank you, just doing the editing now 🙄😂. As far as the Super Meteor is concerned, it doesn’t float my boat. I am just not into cruisers, never have been, but I do like the colour of the green one. I expect the chap who invited me to ride the BSA, to invite me to test ride the Super Meteor too, or possibly the dealer I bought my Classic 350 off. Obviously, not being one to refuse any videoing opportunities, I will gladly oblige 😂. I have just run through my review video, and in between the sniffles (it was very cold, -2 degrees when I set out), but it is my first bike review, so not as polished as yours and others 😉. Thanks for taking the time to reply, and hope you like my video.
@@MindfulMotorcyclist The Super Meteor looks like a bike that could be ridden for hours without issue.
British Heritage bike ??? Who are you kidding..............
@BuzzinBritain I have seen six or seven reviews of the BSA Goldstar over the past couple of weeks, and you, my friend, are the first person to point out the elephant in the room.
Very comprehensive review that surpasses even TMFs recent one of the Goldstar. A bit more of a balanced and nuanced take on the bike. Like you I want it to be a success but I think for now I would stick with the Interceptor despite the little extra poke that people have reported. Would love to know what strings you pulled to get such an early test ride - but I suspect you’d have to kill me…😉
Hi Nigel, as ever you are very kind and thank you for your support. I would perhaps go for a second hand Interceptor if I was to have a second modern retro bike, save myself the on-the-road costs and first services. People really seem to look after their REs and you rarely see an abused one. I actually just went to a dealer and asked to test ride a bike, unfortunately at my size channel early access is not really optional perk. Also, everyone who is gifted early access, it's not really a one way gift, I expect you'd have to be very careful how you articulated any negatives to the bike otherwise you'd be off the favourites list... Hope your Triumph is treating you well 👍
@@pggp273 Why do you say that out of interest? Are there any serious things to avoid that as a viewer you don't like? I'm genuinely interested as want to keep the reviews good on here...
Add a Stratos air filter and aftermarket exhausts, builds up the bottom and midrange no end.
Had a road test at EDDYS TADCASTER . Great bike ... I've ridden the Enfield so I can compare . Brembo brakes . Twin cam with shims . Loads of bottom end power . Rotax proven motor . Twin plug head . And I like the small indicactors . It's got five cogs BUT you DON'T need em . It's got that much torque four would do . I could go from 40 mph in top all the way to 100 plus without gear changes . I'm having this 650 cc thumper ASAP and when I do a straight through exhaust is going on it . 😎👍
Thanks for the comment, good points and I hope you get a bike delivered soon. Straight through exhaust will liven this up no end!
I'll give you a thumbs up for enthusiasm on this bike, but I also want to give a thumbs down for wanting to then make it noisy!!
@@onanysundrymule3144 I want to hear this engine .. my bike ... MY CHOICE .
@@agohelliwell6755 Our roads and neighbourhoods, OUR choice.
Wow what a review, in fact better than that, the best review of the new BSA Goldstar so if you're reading this and haven't watched yet, it's informative and fun for even non-riders like me!
Well done @mindful motorcyclist for your awesome content and for sharing what you love ❤️
Thank you for this kind comment! Support and encouragement much appreciated!
For this price I bought a Royal Enfield Super Meteor which is much better finished, much more comfortable and have a Real network of resellers. At first I started on the Interceptor, but the Super Meteor is so much better that I fell for it. Good luck to BSA.
Hi Bertrand, yes the Super Meteor is a lovely bike and probably the most polished RE ever made. If you want a single however then the BSA is the only real option...
I like singles. I like how they hum on the highway. BSA is a better looking bike imo.
Hi Andy thanks for the comment, BSA is probably a better looking bike, those piggyback shocks with the gold just don't look right on the interceptor. I'd like to see the chrome interceptor and the BSA silver sheen legacy edition side by side. Would be close...
@@MindfulMotorcyclist thanks for the reply. Agree on the suspension, but also the brembo is a big plus.
It's a beautiful bike that's for sure.
Yes she's pleasing on the eye we have to give BSA that!
This is the third review l has watched... one gets a real feel for whats going on with multiple honest opinions.Yours highlights the competition and the long intro times in more detail..Thanks for that. Personally, l have notice the rather strange welding on the rear footrest tubing it seems to be made up with multiple pieces rather than one bent/curved tube...Why did BSA do that? The other 'gripe' is the rear number plate. It look very much like....lets just stick it on the bottom of the mudguard!!. It would look far better, more in keeping with its namesake if mounted higher on the mudguard...Not tacked on the bottom like an afterthought!!..Lastly, the exhaust sounds a bit 'chuffy' not enough 'thump and crackle'...This may be because the engine is different mechanical of course ..(not push rod)..and/or emission and sound legislation.... Its never gonna 'twitter' though is it...The overall package looks okay but its gonna have its work cut out to steal Royal Enfield's thunder....
Thanks Brian for the comment. Yes it's taken a while but the 'honest' reviews have started to trickle out. I agree with your other points RE the welds and the chuffing character of the exhaust. Overall it's not a bad offering and certainly gets some looks, but whether it's worth £7k of your own money is something for everyone to decide themselves...
Good, honest review with no unnecessary gushing. One thing, though: not sure where you got your pricing information as there is actually only a £300 difference between base models of this and the Interceptor rather than £1000 as you said. (£6,500 vs £6,199). This is also true if you compare both brands’ flagship models: the BSA Legacy being £7,000 vs £6,699 for the Interceptor Chrome. Only fair to compare like for like if you’re going to talk about prices. 😊
Thanks for the comment. The pricing is as follows: MotoGB the current (though the contract is not to be renewed admittedly, but that is a different story😁) official importer for RE in the UK lists Orange Crush, Ventura Blue and Canyon Red Interceptors for a 'ON THE ROAD CASH PRICE: £6039.00'. This isn't the case with BSA Goldstar as the highland green is £6500 + £300 OTR. This means a difference at the base level version of £761, not insignificant. If you compare the top tier bikes it's £7300 [BSA Goldstar Legacy Edition] vs £6539 [Royal Enfield Interceptor INT 650 Twin Chrome]. The price difference could reach £1K depending on the variants specced...
@@MindfulMotorcyclist Ah, didn't realise the BSA price excluded OTR. Cheers.
@@MindfulMotorcyclist with an Interceptor, you will have to spend more than £1000 to sort the suspension, exhaust, intake and seat before it will run as it should. I bought one on release in 2019, and the shortcomings soon became apparent.
The Interceptor value is overplayed. The new Honda Hornet 700 twin, 90hp, is £6999 OTR. For pure value much better than the RE. Also better build quality and reliability.
QED...love this type of demonstration & explanation...keep posting u r experiences... guidelines for future purchaser...A big Thank U.
Thank you so much for this kind feedback and comment. This keeps up the motivation to hear your feedback. Sean
Bless you Bernard and best wishes for Christmas and the new year from Berkshire U.K. 🙏🎅🏼
Happy Christmas Phil! Ride safe in the cold/bad weather...
Great honest review. I don't like the lack of a centre stand or stickers on the engine. Does look like the original. Has a rotax engine which will require much less maintenance than the ones back in the day. Will be interesting to see long term ownership reviews.
Thanks Lancer for the comment and the feedback. Yes, not having a centre stand is a pain when you want to do chain maintenance, they could have one even if it was an optional extra. The engine is tried and tested and I think will be fine for this application. I won't be doing a long term ownership review 😊 but I will be watching with interest!
Good review, long service interval for valves a big plus.
Thanks Aladin for the comment, appreciate it 😊
What a great balanced review. New subscriber.
Hi NRB, thanks for the comment and feedback much appreciated 👍
The choice may well simply come down to the distance to the nearest dealer.
Not a fan of the needle sweep on this bike, the lack of centre stand and the USB sockets would be less intrusive if they were under the bars rather than on top. Other than that, this is a very nice bike, performance appears more than adequate but it will have tough competition from RE.
Hi Cooper, I think that is a fair assessment. The needle sweep is actually really nice when you get used to it. The instrument cluster is a highpoint of this bike for sure.
Solid review with interesting insight related to the global introduction of this bike. Thank you.
Thanks Richard for the comment and the feedback, much appreciated.
Some how we are comparing this bike to Interceptor but its quite a different category. Your reviews and suggestions are very much constructive and to the point. In order to let this bike has its own league, a quite few improvements are necessary. I give company a thumbs up to atleast initiate the production of this bike. But company should make sure to learn faster, improve faster and listen to the rider's perspective and then make a culture around this bike which might take time but it will lead to to success and regain lost legacy.
Thanks for the comment. I agree, give praise for BSA for coming back and bringing an iconic motorcycle back to the market after all this time...
The motor originally fitted to bmw F650GS and Aprilia pegaso 20 years ago has lost power and responsiveness.... however with decat and remap power could be restored or even improved..... great styling.... bmw gs with power plug has 52bhp and loads of torque..... amazing how most reviewers talk about a £2.99 USB port....😂😂
Thanks, yes with a remap and an exhaust the power and perhaps more importantly the sound could be dramatically improved. Thanks for the comment.
Interesting review buddy; well done 👍🏼👍🏼
Good point about the hype; BSA have stuffed up the launch of this bike imo.
Thanks for the comment and feedback guys, appreciate it especially from yourselves 👍. Yep stuffed up quite badly 😮
Oh how refreshing it is to have someone give a warts and all review of the Gold Star or any bike for that matter. All too often these days reviewers are bridled by their sponsors and in the case of launches on foreign soils, almost bought and paid for. Many people will have placed pre orders and never actually get to test ride bikes for themselves before becoming an owner.
Previous reviews state their are no vibrations as such, describing the oscillations felt as more of a throb. The two are very different in nature, a throb being rather assuring, whilst vibrations become tiresome very quickly. Also two previous reviews rated the BSA above RE, whilst my own eyes tell a different tale and certainly RE has many happy customers behind it. Thanks for telling it like it is 👍😀
Hi Grey wolf, thanks for the comment and especially saying what you said. Yes there are a huge number of spec sheet readers out there who just read the marketing material and give very little focus on bike's negative points. The brands reward these channels with early access to launches, demo bikes for weeks etc. People follow these channels but it is sad for the consumer however because once you have bought a bike your stuck with any undisclosed problems it might have. As a reviewer I guess you make yourself a little unpopular as business is business at the end of the day and reviews that aren't all glowing ultimately cost sales and that hits the bottom line!
The dials do NOT go backwards! They turn clockwise like most others do, but the zero point is on the opposite side of the dial.
Thanks for this! I keep wanting to comment this on every video about this bike! They are different from the typical dials, but “going backwards” is not the right way to describe it!
@@MoroMagrew I'm glad someone agrees with me, BM. I was expecting some flack for my comment.
Yes ,agreed . It does annoy that people keep saying they go backwards, you would think that they could work it out....
Yes. Ducati Scrambler is also like this and not “backwards” as people describe!
Fair point David, honestly it's a slip of the tongue and incorrect phraseology. When your riding and talking and trying to remember your points occasionally things slip. It's just one of those things 🤷. I'll correct it in future videos of the bike. Cheers
Switch up to heavier weight oil if you want it stiffer - but carefully
Sorry, not the first review.
Thanks for pointing out all the “cheap” features. Good review.
Thanks Charles for the comment 👍
I think I would take the BSA over the R.E. Interceptor, because i think being a single, it would have a bit more of an old bike feel to it. It is pretty porky for a single though. I'm not a fan of loud exhausts, but that one does should pretty restrictive, so that would likely be something to change. And the radiator almost looks like an afterthought. Like they had the entire bike designed and styled, and then at the last second someone remembered it was liquid cooled, So they stuck on the first one they found. Triumph seems to be able to hide the rad on their Bonneville models, so you can do it.
I'd really like to see more of Scrambler version, or optional parts to make one.
But they don't sell it here in Canada ( not yet at least ), so it's kind of irrelevant anyway.
Hi EaselRider I think I would have the BSA now as well (9 months has gone by since this video). I think the Enfield would probably be less trouble but the looks of the BSA are undoubtedly more genuine and authentically retro...
Would have preferred they left the exhaust shroud and done something to improve the Morris 1000 radiator. That said, once the rad is sorted I'd probably have one over the Interceptor.
Agreed. Plenty don't like any radiator, but I think it just needs a bit of tarting up.
One thing I will say about the radiator is that it's become a bit of an internet sensation. Once one reviewer had commented on it, this line was repeated over and over until now no-one can have a conversation about the looks of the BSA Goldstar without commenting on it. I think this is a bit of a shame. Aftermarket smaller efficient rad would sort the look!
Tip of the hat to BSA,I will stay with ROYAL ENFIELD!
GOOD REVIEW!
Royal Enfield costs less, weighs less, doesn't vibrate, has the best: gearbox, aftermarket parts availability and dealer network.
@@frederickwoods5943 Oh .. Mark Pulling says no vibrations in his review
@@GaryFÓBrien There's a buzzing through the seat above 60mph, trust me.
I agree, well done BSA but I will stick with Enfield too.
I am interested in buying this bike but the £300 OTR charge is putting me off. How can BSA justify that? BSA need to be careful with their pricing because the "all new" Honda CB750 twin with 90bhp starts at £7500 and we know Honda's build quality and engineering are second to none.
A few people have said that, the Hornet is actually £6999 which is ludicrously good value. That said it's a hard comparison to make, one looks classic and has a thumper, the other looks fairly non descript, lots of tech and has a p twin (like most new bikes these days). Those looks will get people in the BSA camp...
I think I’ll stick with my Enfield! At least it’s got a 120 years of heritage and a proven record. 😊
Hi Mdiz, thanks for the comment! RE Interceptor by any chance?
Bike looks great, there will only be a 500-600 price difference between the interceptor. I would choose this
Hi and thanks for the comment. Have you considered that RE Interceptor is priced 'on the road' whereas BSA Goldstar is +£300 OTR. Unless they have dropped that but that is what the situation was when I was looking at the BSA.
@@MindfulMotorcyclist the base interceptor is 6200 otr and the base BSA is 6500 plus otr? Both good value and the BSA is probably going to go up in price eventually
Apparently it’s got a removable baffle!..wish one of these loan bikes was rid of the ruddy thing so we can listen to how it REALLY sounds !!!😮
Thanks for the comment, very interesting there. I should have taken some hex keys with me and removed it 😂just for 5 mins!
Unfortunately bsa hyped this bike up then proceed to let people down. Yet another wait for pre orders , and like you said, if you order now its going to be June, July that's just ridiculous, when you can walk into a royal enfield dealer and buy one on the shop floor or get one within 4 weeks. There's all this hype with the demo bikes , but let's see if they can deliver the goods when it matters , there's alot of people watching that space 😉
Hi 1gp100, thanks for the comment. Yes it is a bit of a pain having to wait so long and BSA don't yet have the manufacturing capacity to churn out bikes so if you're a long way down the waiting list it could be many months. I do wonder if they will begin to pop up for sale on the second hand market next winter however, once all the buzz has died down...
Good job my friend..i learn many interesting things about this motorcycle.. thanks.. greetings from Greece..
Thanks Dimitri for the comment, appreciate the kind words and greetings. Hope you are enjoying the warmer weather compared to the UK😊
Good review the bike sounds like a generator I think RE still have it
Thanks for the comment Chris. I think the engine is over square so it's not sounding quite like the BSAs of old...
Good review. IMHO, give BSA another year to work out bugs. Bike needs a center stand, bar head mirrors, and heated grips. The radiator needs a re-do as in trimmed to the frame. I think this bike is a niche market enthusiasts machine. You’re absolutely correct in the pluses of the R.E. but BSA will catch up.
nope, this is the venerable rotax engine modernized for emissions.
Thanks for the comment mldiode, it's going to be interesting looking at reviews a year down the line from owners and of course checking the second hand market to see if they are popping up and for what prices.
I am seriously thinking about this bike but will wait a while to see how it fares on some long term reviews. The dials don’t go backwards. They just start in a higher position.
Yes that was a bit of a verbal slip there. Ummm yes I personally would perhaps pick up one of these when they become available second hand with
Nice review, I hope the bike and BSA themselves become a success. I'm not a massive fan of the look of the Gold Star, something about the engine profile and the seat and rear mudguard arrangement that I can't quite put my finger on....yet the radiator doesn't bother me. The instrument cluster looks great though, and I'd love to give one a go. It's a shame that they've created a little bit of negativity over the production and communication, I think with that in mind this could make a great second bike but I personally wouldn't have the trust to make this my only one. Hopefully they'll be out in the wild before too long.
The only problem to look for is reliability. If its reliable in the long run, it should do well
Hi Ben, thanks for the comment. I wish BSA well and having some competition for RE will only benefit both sides. With a few slight updates to the engine detailing, exhaust and trim pieces it could be made into a stunning bike. The radiator, well some hate the look of but I think you would get used to it. Regarding the negativity over delays in getting bikes out I'm told they could either release them early with problems and suffer the reputation damage as a result or hold back, sort the issues and get them out 'right' as it were. They chose the latter, which long term was probably the correct decision.
2nd bike ?? It's gonna be my 4th bike ...
Reliability ... of course it's going to be reliable . It's a rotax motor AND BMW use this engine in their s650 . If it's good enough for BMW it's good enough for me !! How about YOU ... 😃😃
Good honest review thanks ! agree with others ( youre obviously not being paid for comment )
Thanks Tom for the comment. Appreciate the feedback...
Not bad but I’d be more interested if it had an RE badge on it. There’s not a lot of point in competing in the low power cruiser market any more…Triumph are more sensible having a strong super bike range and not trying to compete in the Classic sub 50 horse power market place. RE have that market now because they’re damn good.
Hi Phil, thanks for the comment. Yes RE have been dominating recently and going from strength to strength!
As someone who rides Triumph scrambler (900) daily I have seen some customs scramblers from this BSA, and I would definitely opt for that, especially as this is a single 650 cc so should be perfect for rough terrain.
I am thinking about getting bonnie t120 (or speedmaster) for highway and city runs, so wouldn't mind get this one as scrambler.
Thanks for this comment. I actually now own the BSA (this video is over a year old) and I plan to scramblerise (made up word 😊) the bike. Thanks for your suggestion.
@@MindfulMotorcyclist Yeah gr8 idea m8. Espexially with single, it will give it better traction. Hopefully you will share a vid if you do that 😉
waiting for Yezdi Roadking 650 which is based on BSA Goldstar in India. Thanks for an insight review of what jawa yezdi is going to introduce in India.
Hi storm_brkr, thanks for the comment. Though we won't get it here in the UK the Roadking looks like a great bike, the engine will be a nice feature of both this and the Goldstar...
@@MindfulMotorcyclist yes definitely with more torque than its rival 🙂
Firstly the Royal Enfield is a twin so no its not its main competitor at all.
Its main competitor is the Royal Enfield Classic 500 which is also a big single. In terms of styling it is similar to the Interceptor yes.
But we are really talking twins and singles at that point.
The cons with the BSA Goldie
1 it doesn't leak oil so you won't need to clean your garage floor or drive way.
2 you won't have to steal points from someone mini minor to get it going again.
3 you won't get to pay big $ to get the megneto rewound.
4 Your Gaurds wont rust
5 You don't get to play with an Advance / Retard leaver.
6 it doesn't come with a decompression leaver.
7 You won't lock your rear wheel is you accidentally select too lower gear for the revs your doing.
8 Ypu won't find mis mached parts on it.
9 Parts will be avaliable and cheap.
10 You will have to deal with alot of non motorcyclists compliments on how great your restoration looks.
Now for the Pros
1 Your not going to be able to remove the smile from your face when your down the road on it.
2 Very low maintenance cost and very easy to work on.
3 Do i need another Pro with all those cons?
As far as the water cooling and radiator the more i look at the bike the more i don't mind it. At first glance yes i was one who didn't like it either but now it completely doesn't bother me a bit.
Im in Australia and we won't be seeing these bikes for some time yet but i will have to try one when they arrive i think.
To me as long as the bike can do the ton its got plenty of power for the general road. I believe with a stage 2 this bike will do the ton comfortably.
As for the agriculturally sound thats definitely what single enthusiasts love.
Its powerful enough to get you out of trouble and aslo into trouble.
Plenty of power to pass a big truck on the freeway effectively and safely is all you need in real world public road motorcycling.
I own a RF Interceptor 650 so im not talking from a bias point of view.
It not a good idea to by a bike of any first production model really beacuse theres alway the chance of a recall or glitches to be ironed out. But saying that its known they they can be the ones sorted after when they become vintage if all is well. But thats a thing of the past i believe when records were broken on the race tracks etc. Not so much with these bikes but i could be wrong?.
Hi ER, I hate to say this bluntly but perhaps you are incorrect here. The Interceptor and the Goldstar are going head to head because the are both revitalised British brands, both around £6500, both have 45-47bhp, both modern retro looks and both having feel prioritised over power/technology. The classic 500 has been discontinued by RE, replaced for the moment by the Classic 350. MCN has just done a head 2 head feature comparing the BSA GS to the RE INT650, they wouldn't do this if there weren't many buyers out there looking at these two options. I agree with you on the other points that its not a good idea to buy the first of something and I liked your list of pros and cons, very amusing and make a lot of sense. Thanks for the comment.
Wow great review on great bike !
Thank you Leah! Much appreciated 😊
Can I ask, what is it like when putting into first gear? Does it jump when it goes into gear I'm wondering,
Hi Kealan, thanks for the comment. I didn't notice any 'jump' no. Goes into gear and pulls away smoothly...
@@MindfulMotorcyclist thats a positive for the gearbox 👍
Classic legends are offering a new radiator which is good for engine and heat management.. I hope bsa gets it
And one more thing those suspension have dual features... If you the top of the suspension that will adjust the preload of ur bike.. And lower one will adjust the rebound of ur bike..
Really there is a new radiator? That will make a lot of people happy if comes to BSA.
@@MindfulMotorcyclist yes sir.... The bsa parent company CLASSIC LEGENDS is making other 2 vehicle too.. JAWA and YEZDI .. The bsa suspension is from yezdi roadster seat is from jawa 42 (My bike in my profile picture) ... All these bikes have got upgrade with a new radiator which small and thinner in comparison to the one which you have shown in the video..
The BSA aside I'm impressed you had a random rambler also a Moto Morini rider,I have 3 Morinis by the way!
Thanks Dave for the comment. I just put up a short review of the Morini X-Cape, that's a great bike too. Do you have classic Morini's or the modern variants?
@@MindfulMotorcyclist I have 3 classics,a 1978 500 Strada,1975 3 1/2 Sport and 1956 98cc Sbarazzino.
Interesting motorcycle, but I am struggling to justify buying it as I already have a 67 650 Lightning and I would have to relearn how to ride it with the backwards shifter & brake on the new one
has to be watercooled? it doesn't. The same can be easily achieved with oil cooling
This is what BSA themselves said, I'm no expert on engine design so I'm going off other sources when they say a 55NM/45Bhp single can meet Euro5 only with water. Perhaps it can with oil cooling...
@@MindfulMotorcyclist well, and they lied a bit ;) otherwise every retro bike on the market other than Triumph t120 and 100 would be far gone. R nineT is the best example of what can be done - 109Bhp and 116Nm with just oil cooling. And talking about single cylinder water cooled bike and 650 ish cc - look at the Husky Vitpilen 701 specs - 75HP, 71Nm, 157kg dry. That's worth the name of "gold star" and a bit more exciting. But that is not as cheap as buying old beemer f650 lump from 90's ;) Plus side could be reliability though, but that still has to be proven ;)
Thanks for the video. IV got one question are they gonna make a model for adults too
Not your cup of tea then. Why don't you like the bike out of interest?
@@MindfulMotorcyclist no no it's a nice bike but the size. ?!? Seems to be for very small people
@@y3034 Low seat height granted, good for short riders and anyone can flatfoot it seems
i need to get a ride on one i did have a real one a few years ago no doubt this one will ride much better 😂
Available at dealers now to ride on, no snow and you're good to go! 👍
Very balanced review, thanks
Thanks for the comment James, appreciate the feedback
Good work there well done 👍👍👍😎
Thanks for stopping by ER! Will look forward to your thoughts in a video on the BSA...
love the review very detailed ,what can you tell me about youre heated gloves ?thanking you johnny
Thanks John for the kind feedback. The gloves were a present a couple of Christmas ago from the girlfriend. RST thermatech I believe they are called. They are quite bulky but the warmth is a great thing to have in winter. Batteries fit into the wrist of the glove where there is a little pocket. Lasts about 2hrs on max heat, there are three settings. There's a very old review of them on this channel, maybe that will be useful but please excuse the quality. Wasn't so good back then ☺️👍
I just love your jacket - can you tell me what it is? As for the bike, there's a lot to like. I think your summary is fair - it's pitched against the Interceptor which is cheaper and a well-established product. It does offer that 'big single' character which is like the heart of British motorcycling. Overall it seems decent value in terms of quality vs price, if not quite in the Royal Enfield territory. Most things look right, I'm ok with that radiator now, it's a little reminiscent of the radiator on an old Scott two-stroke so it's in good company. A big omission for me is a centre stand. I don't know whether that will be an accessory option but when you're trying to squeeze a few bikes into a single garage then a centre stand helps you make the best of the space available, as well as being more secure generally.
Thanks Roverchap for your comment. The jacket is a Spada Staffy Wax Jacket, it was bought as a present for me last Christmas and I've loved using it. Cheers.
thanks so very much great video great bike
Thanks for your comment! Glad you like it...
I could certainly sort those mudguard stays a lot better, the ends are just Quashed in a vice,giving it a cheap fix, i made some tooling to give them a more rounded and professional finnish, if the factory fly me to India i would gladly show how its done.
Hi Richard, thanks for the comment, I expect they've had to make a few bits down to a price.
that would be a good bike for you. it looks good on you. 😊
Thanks Dan I'm a big fan of the GS, and I feel now I've given it time to understand its flaws (which it does have and so do most bikes) so watch this space 😄.thanks for the comment.
Isn’t a problem with the Enfields that you have to get the shims checked every 3 thousand kays? The BSA services are every 5-6 kays. Early adopter or not, a 650 single is not something I could pass up. You could still get a Himalayan or a Scram with knobbies for some green landing or gravel fire trails we have a lot of in Australia.
Enfields do have shorter service intervals, that is for sure. 3000miles or 6000miles depending on whether you believe the 'check' service constitutes an actual service!
@@MindfulMotorcyclist I do since you don’t have an option but to take it to a dealer and get it done there.
you get a centrestand on the interceptor and a toolkit, re has a race series in india so the engines are race proven, the enfields are also a piece of cake to service at home, im sure the rotax engine will be solid but it doesnt sound anywhers near as nice as a standard 650 enfield
Hi Rover, thanks for the comment. Bear in mind this is an exhaust with the baffle in, remove the baffle and it would sound more aggressive...
I think it's got the edge on looks compared to the interceptor, also it's probably going to be more exclusive, and it needs less mods by the look of it, it's definitely more authentic looking.
Hi Ray, I tend to agree with you. Looks wise, it probably pips the Interceptor, the tank and the instruments are highlights for me and in power too it probably has just a little bit more ooomph. Interceptor wins in sound for me anyway. Thanks for the comment.
But single cylinder engine vibrates. Higher cc should be twin cylinder.
Which will you buy interceptor or goldstar
Neither at the moment I am enjoying my own motorcycles, thanks for the comment.
Seems more wieldy and a little more fun than the Interceptor. Both are relatively low powered. I think I'd prefer the lighter Goldstar.
It's got a little more poke in my estimation but yes as you say both aren't quick. Looks wise the BSA probably has it, but again that is subjective.
Its not a "decorative shroud". Its there , as would be a gaiter, to protect the fescalised surface the fork seal has to run on. Taking it off is decorative!!!
Thanks xtc for the comment. I wasn't sure exactly what purpose it served.
@@MindfulMotorcyclist The purpose is to inform. Long term the forks will rust and pit and wear out the seals. Just replacing the seals will not work and the bearing surface will need regrinding. Not a concern to those that buy new and pass on trouble to those not well off enough to do the same
Sorry I mean to say I wasn't sure of the purpose of the fork shroud...
21:05 made me confused whether to wait for a Goldstar or buy an interceptor right away.
I not convinced if it is truly a British heritage. BSA stopped production, then this Indian company Mahindra bought rights and started this. Unlike Royal Enfield which was in continuous production.
Mahindra also did the same with Czech JAWA and failed miserably. I hope BSA would truly be worth the wait.
It's your money at the end of the day and depends on everyone's circumstances. I like to ride mainly in the best 3 seasons of the UK and particularly on a bike with chrome and classic touches that needs cleaning each time you put it away. I would be put off waiting until July for a bike when I can pick up an Interceptor new or nearly new in time for spring...
Its irrelevent where they are made.
The relevance is that they are cheaply built.
I dont see this comparison with the Interceptor. Already the happy owner of a W650 I would be looking for a big single and will therefore get a test ride on the BSA.
If you want a big retro single then it's just the BSA in the running really unless your willing to look at Chinese made bikes like the Mash 650 which personally I think are a little below the BSA in quality...
Please note Mahindra usually launches an automobile on what is essentially an intriductory price and if it is a hit, in six months they will raise the price quietly.
To be fair I think most brands do just the same, all RE’s have gone up a fair bit since launch, it’s just how it is. I want the BSA to be a hit and it’s good for India if it is because it means more good jobs and all the rest of it. I hope Mahindra step up and grab this opportunity with good dealers, service, aftercare.
@@jfro5867 They seemed to have addressed the major downers from preprod review, related to suspension being not that good. The thing that is working for BSA is that Mahindra has deeper pockets than Eicher, but BSA do not have the same kind of romantic backstory RE has. In India if someone says BSA, the only thing that comes to mind is a bicycle company called BSA SLR which was popoular when I was in school. BSA as a motorcycle brand has no brand recollection in India. So this bike is meant only for the west
@@vishnumohannair8791 Interesting. In the UK I think most motorcyclists (even newbies) will have at least some brand awareness of BSA, even if it’s just from bike meets, old books or photos. Very much like RE had before it’s huge turn around this last 4 or 5 years. In fact without RE’s monumental success I doubt very much the BSA name would ever have been resurrected. IMHO these bikes work well on our roads because they have hardly changed since the 60’s anyway!
@@jfro5867 What is even interesting is that BSA cycles in India owned by another Business group uses the same Brand Logo in India as BSA motorcycles in UK. The three crossed Guns. Classic Motors which is the parent company is trying to access the mass market in India with its JAWA and Yezdi brands which has a better brand value in India. But BSA it would be an uphill climb for them in India not to mention the fact they don't even own their logo in India.
I think if the Gold Star is going to sell it will only sell on brand name and nostalgia - initially. For a brand that is new to market it's way overpriced when comparing to the Interceptor. They should be marketing this at around £5500 to get a foot in the door. Expensive doesn't necessarily mean good. The first batch of owners are going to be the ones that sort any issues that arise with the bike and that could well be frustrating when it comes to repairs, parts availability etc. Aesthetics, it's all very subjective of course, in addition to that horrible rad up front I think they could have made more effort with the exhaust finish, perhaps gone the chrome route, stickers/decals on the engine, definitely naff and cheap looking. I hope it does well for BSA and hope the company prospers but at 7 grand a pop no thank you, I'll stick with my REs. Fair review by the way.👍
Hi Jonathon, nice to see you on here! I agree about the pricing, £5.5 and I could have been tempted
the old singles ironically where a little agricultural.... i remember chatting with an old biker when i was young... he said why buy a twin there is twicw as much to go wrong, lol a sound philosphy perhaps.... i had a Golden flash A10 from 1956..... i would love this bike but i wonder can i replace the BSA stickers with Malhendra stickers....
Why does everyone think that the dails go backwards? They turn clockwise like the rest!
Unfortunately, in the world of TH-cam 1 reviewer says something and it morphs into a bit of an online 'fact'. We all watch each others reviews and sometimes you might subconsciously pick up on a descriptive or idea which perhaps isn't fitting or correct. Everyone is guilty of it to be honest, I've slipped up on this one I have to admit.
Yes and we know that you bought one!
I did buy one quite a while after this video. I was put off by the negative stuff online...
2015 BMW F650CS Scarver again ?
Yes the origins of the rotax engine are probably same unit used in the BMW 650 funduro, I've done a video a while back going into this a bit more detail. Still it rides nice enough.
Interesting review and it seems to be fair. I'm beginning to feel that BSA have fallen between producing an affordable retro, similar to the RE Interceptor, and not being quite premium as a Triumph.I do prefer the BSA's styling to the Interceptor, but it's a lot to expect someone to pay 1000 pounds, more, for it. I think I would wait for the RE Classic 650 and see if that is alright, or stump up the extra money for the Triumph. BSA have really messed up introducing the bike. Maybe they should have ironed out the design glitches before revealing the thing.
Nearly half the price of the Triumph and you're carping about a few hundred over the Inter? As TMF pointed out, this falls between the two, fit n finish, Brembos, poke.
@@AuxesisHyperbole666 Yes, but there're other things that cast doubts on it.The transfer insignia, the welding, the radiator. Also the Speed twin is not twice the price. As for the Interceptor price, the Gold is not a few hundred more it is a 1000 more. That's a lot of money.
Thanks Keddw for the comment. BSA have removed the '+OTR' from the website so it might be that the gap in pricing narrows a little from what I mentioned (Royal Enfield list the prices as on the road). I would have to check with the dealer whether it is still +£300 for essentially a PDI and registering the bike... As far as the other comment referencing BSA falling in between RE and Triumph, I don't actually agree here. I would put BSA and RE on par (ish) and then Triumph quite some distance ahead. If you look at the side profile (fin stack, engine casings, panels) of the bike the Interceptor is actually ahead in quality. Finally, the new Triumph Speed Twin 900 is £8.5k 64hp and while it is a little more 'plain' than it's 1200cc big brother it's not double the price of the Goldstar and could be a better offering.
@@MindfulMotorcyclist Thanks for the reply. It will interesting to see if the new big RE classic- if it comes out- will be air cooled and appeal to the single cylinder fans more than the BSA, but perhaps they wouldn't be compliant with Euro regulations. I like the Speed twin, but it is expensive and there is something a bit yuppyish about it.😄..
As a former owner of a new BSA Lightning and all of the problems I had with that bike and the lack of dealer support just brings back too many bad memories.
So why would I want to subject myself to the aggrevation of owning another one.
When it finally gets released in the states I see lack of parts and dealer support should you have a problem on the road.
Thanks for the comment Michael. I would say though that Mahindra (through Classic Legends) have bought the rights to market the BSA name, I wouldn't imagine there being much carry over from BSA of old operationally at least. Not to say the problems you mention won't pop up, but I think they won't be down to historical reasons.
Lol move on.
the guages dont go backwards, they just start in a different place
Thanks for the pointer. I'll make sure to mention that next time.
The dials do not go backwards, they start in a different position like the original.
Yep 👍
Nice Jawa
Play nice Jeff 😀
Has removable baffles if you want more noise!!.
You need to drill out the rivets for the baffle to be removeable
I agree with the fairness os the interview - good job. I’m glad I’m not the only one that noticed the overall amount of welds seemed excessive (Brian Perry’s comments). Two questions, did Rotax just design the engine or do they manufacturer it as well? 2, did you use the term “agricultural” on purpose given that Mahindra makes farm equipment? I was surprised when you said you would stick with RE as you seemed smitten with the BSA. Then again, so does many of the commentators so that’s a big problem for BSA. Observation form the US. Indian was revived as a premium product to go head on with HD. It’s been found it’s buyers are mainly disgruntled HD owners and HD haters so that there was no cross shopping nor did they take very many customers from HD. I think BSA may be in the same boat as it appears RE owners are very (extremely) loyal. Meaning BSA MAY need to get customers who just don’t want an RE. Thoughts?
Hi JW, thanks for the comment. Some sources state that 'The brand [BSA] partnered with Rotax among many others to work on the engine’s smoothness] but the original articles from 2021 state that the Goldstar will use a 'Rotax-made engine. It will be an updated version of the 652cc 655 single-cylinder unit previously supplied to power the Aprilia 650 Pegaso and BMW F650 Funduro'. I guess it is made by Rotax still unless BSA have brought the engine manufacturing in-house. I read an interview that stated that the Technical University of Graz (Austria) had been responsible for making the engine look period. I used the term agricultural as it just feels a bit rough and ready to me, the link to Mahindra's other divisions was pure co-incidence! Regarding my conclusions I think that was also the problem, there was a lot riding on this test ride for me and I was fairly smitten with the idea of the Goldie, for me but also as a bike to feature on here. Sadly, I feel let down by the test ride and won't be following this with a purchase. On the final point, the salesman did reveal that his dealership had secured 17 pre-orders, there are 20 UK dealerships now so if we assume the others are following similar trends (his dealership was first to secure the Goldstar contract, so we must assume the others are behind in sales) we can say 10-15 pre-orders per dealer and therefore 200-250 bikes pre-ordered since July 2022. Royal Enfield sell probably that many Interceptors every month as we can see the Classic 350 and Interceptor 650 trading blows to be the winner of the Modern Retro category in the MCIA freely available statistics. When the Interceptor is winning the numbers are around 180-220/month. Very rough maths but I expect it's hurting RE a little bit but they aren't losing sleep, especially when they are launching so many new models to get consumers excited!. Thanks for sharing about HD and Indian by the way, very interesting!
@@MindfulMotorcyclist Fun fact. An attempt was made to rebadge a Royal Enfield Constellation (great bike BTW) as an Indian back in the 50’s. It wasn’t a good idea.
Well done.
Thank you Sam for the comment and the support.
I wouldn’t have it either over the interceptor. I couldn’t cope with the Australian clocks maybe I’m a bit OCD but no. Why did they do that?
Hi Mickey, thanks for the comment. They did the needle sweep in such a way because it is true to the original Goldstar so it's 'in-keeping' so to speak.
@@MindfulMotorcyclist I only rode one once and it was in the Isle of Man while we was over there for the TT.
Must admit I didn’t have time to look at the speedo. What stuck in my mind was the high first gear close ratio box.
Do some reviews after 20,000 miles in all weathers.
What are your thoughts on that then Rob? - I’m interested
@@philtucker1224 I started riding English motorcycles in 1968 with Greeves and BSA bikes, followed by Triumphs, which, while aggravating at times, were also virtually unbreakable. The new "Gold Star" seems to have been engineered on the fly, and I fear that, coupled with questionable quality control and less than good quality materials will make the new one not a good bet for longevity.
@@robertodebeers2551 yes I can see where you’re coming from on that. Kind regards.
Hi Robert, I'd struggle to do 20,000miles on an hour test ride 😂. In all seriousness yes we need long term reviews and I expect at the end of 2023 we will start to see a few pop up...
Owned a 1972 BSA Victor 500 cc thumper and a 250 cc BSA street bike. Fun bikes but now ride Moto Guzzis and never look back--Mike
Thanks Mike for sharing! Some of the new Guzzi offerings are lovely, transverse V twin, looks ace.
Pls review jawa bobber 42.
Hi hooligan thanks for the comment. We don't have that motorcycle here in the UK sorry 😔
@@MindfulMotorcyclist ok sir.
I've now watched three vloggers accounts of the new 'Goldie', as the original bike was fondly known. I'm struck yet again by the fallacious comparison between the RE Interceptor and this new bike. As you correctly point out one is a twin cyclinder and the other a single.
There are two common denominators linking these bikes, one is they're built in India and the other is that what lies at their heart is the desire to recreate an essentially retro-vibe likely to appeal to bikers looking for something beyond the current crop of modern two-wheelers.
As a biker of advancing years I don't recall the motorcycling press, the only source of such comparisons back in the day, comparing the DBD-34 Goldstar with say the Triumph T100 other than to point out the price difference, as you've done here and maybe some performance comparisons. The feel of those bikes was completely different, the reason riders chose those machines over each other was a prefererence for the dramatically different engine characteristics each bike delivered. Is this surely not the case now, or are motorcycles now so characterless as to blur into each other seamlessly as seems to be the case here?
I'm always happy to embrace the new, I have a Himalayan and love it's unique characteristics. I've also owned over the years British bikes from the era of the original Goldstar and recognise that they were very different propositions to today's bikes. No less rewarding to ride, but very different in their character, one from the other. BSA and RE are producing attractive looking bikes realistically priced, which are fun to ride and look good. Please critique them on their own merits and avoid mixing and matching their distinct characteristics. Or we'll be consigned to a world of Retro-Fetishism fussing over how authentic the rims of the retro-looking clocks are and loose sight of what we ride motorbikes for in the first place.
Hi Mslattery, thanks for the comment. You make a great point but allow me to respond...
Let us consider the user manual of my father's 1971 1.8L Vauxhall Viva in which it gave instructions on how to check and adjust the valve timing. These days, a modern car manual comes with some fancy marketing pictures and a warning to the driver not to drink the battery acid. That should be some indication of how things have changed!
I believe things have changed in our industry too and potential purchasers of motorcycles can be binned into respective genres such as sportbike, modern retro, adventure bike, cruiser etc, based on the application but also the image they are looking for (vain perhaps...rightly or wrongly). So if you want a full on adventure bike and have £18k+ to spend you will either get a BMW GSA, a Ducati Multi V4 or a Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally, this person is unlikely to debate the inherent stability of a 1250cc opposing twin versus the top end of the V4, more likely they will compare features (many gimmicks), aesthetics, whatever PCP deal is best at the time and opinion from online reviews of which the 'head-2-head' comparison format is very popular. Say you want a litre bike you don't care if it's got 180hp or 205hp, if it's team green or blue, they are all going to scare the daylights out of you regardless of a crossplane crank or semi active suspension. Unless you have some particular brand loyalty or are using the bike for the track where any differences become somewhat obvious most of these options meet the threshold for your requirements.
Getting to the point many people will look at these reborn 'brit bikes' with their long single seats, twin analogue dials, historical touches and chrome exhausts and see various options available based on a set budget typically with RE being cheapest and Triumph being most expensive. I myself would look at the Goldstar, Interceptor and T100 and just see what each one offered as a package (in business we would say value proposition) for my investment coupled with my experience of that brand to date positive or negative. Coming round back to my opening point peoples priorities have changed and engine type is no longer the deciding factor particularly in a world of Euro 5 and IC engine performance stagnation since about 2005! I did actually compare the BSA to the Himmy in engine feel being a single of 'similarish' capacity but I think fetishism over retro dials is here to stay sadly! Thanks!
@@MindfulMotorcyclist Great points you raise here and I think a fair assessment of the state of the industry. On the plus side, the market is flooded with options to suit all tastes and budgets, in fact we're spoilt for choice. This being in stark contrast to when I first slung a leg over a bike when it was a case of selecting a bike least likely to let you down.
Being a rider on a budget, I've tended to always go for pre-owned machines and selected bikes toward the higher end of the range which due to the passing of a decade or so are now affordable, to me at least. Maybe thats why I'm more sceptical about the hype and marketing that surrounds new releases. I have time to form an opinion about what stands out and appeals to me. Most importantly I can let the idea of owning a particular machine grow on me to the point where I just have to go looking for one. The thought of visiting a showroom and just coughing the cash for a new bike simply dosen't appeal.
My Value Proposition is a quality bike at a below market value. I'm the type of consumer that marketing people would wish consigned to the fires of hell.
I really want to like this bike.... But,,,, more expensive than RE????? And,,, that radiator??? It would have to ride very well indeed.
Fair comment, it is nice and I think they are selling well. You either are willing to pay for a BSA or not I guess.
Is the engine oil separate from the gearbox oil?
Hi Dave, as far as I know it's the same oil for engine and gearbox...
@@MindfulMotorcyclist - It would be nice to use the less expensive car engine oils and the transmission oils with solid lubricant additives, but I guess the lack of a primary chain is a good trade-off.
Lets look at what the bsa has got going for it .. brembo brakes . 4 valve head . Twin cam motor using shims not those horrible tappet adjusters . Twin spark 4a better burn . Slipper clutch . If BMW use this engine how can anyone question it ? S650 ... ????? 😃
Good points there, servicing won't be as bad on the BSA by far! Most reviewers including me missed this stuff. Appreciate you commenting 😊
When coming thailand?
Probably not for a couple of years I assume!
I see this bike has a claimed top speed of 103 mph, while in 1953 the Gold star was capable of 110 mph, now that is progress!
Yes it’s called trading performance for usability I think. I understand the original gold star was a right pig to own and ride in real world traffic situations.
I agree, it's top speed isn't really relevant in this class of motorcycle. If you want speed then an early 2000's litre bike is your best bang for buck!
In my opinion, the reason that this bike will fail is the very thing that BSA are using as it’s selling point, namely nostalgia. This is because; 1) there are not enough “old gits” like me (I’m in my mid ‘70s) who can remember a Gold Star and who still ride. 2) those who can remember the “Goldie” will discount this bike out of hand as there is absolutely NO comparison; it’s simply a bike with a red tank badge. 3) anybody who is not bitten by the nostalgia bug sees only an expensive, single-cylinder, bike. 4) anybody wanting a simple commute bike have a myriad of alternative much cheaper bikes to choose from.
Fair comment, jury is still out on this one commercially at least. I went on to purchase this bike so please see my owner's review, which might be of interest to you. Regards, slightly younger albeit grumpy git 😀
@@MindfulMotorcyclist - Please believe me when I say that I WANT this bike to be a success! I know that Covid, Brexit and Ukraine have all consorted to bugger-up the launch of the bike and the lack of dealership doesn’t help. I just hope that “extras” such as those available for the Royal Enfield become available soon as, in its present state, it’s hard to see what demographic they are aiming at?
Me too, I like mine and I want the company to do well but in the face of Triumphs new 400s, Royal Enfields huge sales they have an uphill battle on their hands.
Oh and the demographic seems to be older riders, perhaps who had a BSA the first time. I don't think they are 'cool yet with the youngsters... just my opinion
quite doedely ride
Doedely? What does this mean? 🤣
I road tested this bike last Tuesday.....your views on it are very similar to mine....except you seem to like the exhaust note....I hated it.....sounds like a little 125 to me.....
Yes it goes quite well...its fast enough.
But when I took it back....I didn't feel the need to ride one again.....
I do wish BSA well.....I was to see the BSA name up there in lights.....but to me.....its not worth the price.
I am a retro bike lover by the way.....not into modern looking bikes.....I own a modern retro and a BSA Bantam.
Hi Nick, thanks for the comment and for sharing your views on the bike. I too want BSA to do well, I think for RE to have some solid competition would be a great thing for the owners and riders of modern retros. Which bike do you own by the way?
@@MindfulMotorcyclist Just remembered...I hated looking down and seeing Black Handle Bars....Gee a Gold Start is about chrome.
I know some of the gold stars have chrome bars.....but IMHO all should....chrome Exhausts as well.....they were also black.
Not sure I get the point of this bike. It’s trying to emulate a bike that will appeal mainly to a bunch of riders who are thinking of either giving up or buying a bike that is lighter and easier to handle. Wonder how it compares to the BMW GS650.
It's a modern retro for folk who love the look of an old school motorcycle but don't want the reliability problems and lack of tech/ features.
I just bought a 2019 Continental GT in showroom condition and full dealership history with 3500 miles on the clock for just £4000 (had DNA filter and TEC pipes too) . Absolutely no reason to buy new for £7k when there are deals like that about. The 650 twin engine from RE is so nice. I don't know what it is about the BSA that I just don't like, maybe it's the plasticy finish and engine that just make it look a bit tacky compared to the Enfields that just look authentically old school.
I have to say though, the BSA scrambler looks gorgeous!
Thank you for the comment. How do you find the Continental? I was put off by the more aggressive riding position compared to the Interceptor but I would like to hear from an owner. I think you got a great deal there and yes there's no need to buy new, I am not a fan of a £250 (oil change) 300-500 miles into running in a bike which is also part and parcel of buying new. Plus all the restrictions on riding below 4k rpm or 50mph when the engine is fresh etc...
@@MindfulMotorcyclist I don't mind the riding position but I haven't tried the interceptor so I can't compare them. I love the look of the GT and figured I could just sell it in the spring without a loss if I didn't get on with the riding position. I was expecting it to feel a lot more aggressive but you're almost upright when the arms are outstretched and above 40 miles an hour the wind resistance takes all the weight off your hands. I would imagine it doesn't feel aggressive at all if you came from a sports bike. I'm yet to do more than a 3 hour ride on it but it's fine for me to do around 2 hours before stopping for a bite to eat and stretch the legs. It looks so good that I don't mind stopping a bit more frequently than a mid control bike haha
Can't help feeling disappointed by this one, RE Classic 350 seems more characterful and at least as good on the country roads.
Hi Tony, thanks for the comment. Yes a few people have said now that the main competition for the Goldstar is not actually the Interceptor but it is the discontinued Classic 500 or even the Classic 350. To me the ride reminded me of my Meteor 350 perhaps a little more than the Interceptor. OK power wise the BSA is much higher but riding character it is similar to RE's singles.
@@MindfulMotorcyclist That character doesn't come across in any of the reviews I've seen. A big single should be a relaxed, low-revving plodder but this doesn't seem to have any of that about it. The image BSA uses in its PR materials is of a journalist doing a burnout, which is about as off-putting as it gets for me.
@@tonymiddlehurst8438 Yes I remember the burnout clip, there was also the video of the Goldstar being ridden through a forest with music overplayed so loud it masked the engine noise. The PR and launch of this bike hasn't been flawless to say the least.
Like everything about this bike except the exhaust sound. It could easily be a 250, based on that sound.
Hi Big Red, thanks for the comment. Bear in mind the baffle is still in the exhaust, which will be damping the sound. Also with an aftermarket pipe on there, it might be transformed. Cheers