The GOLD STAR earned its name in the pre-war years when the famous Brooklands Track still flourished as the castle of speed in Britain, the center of the motorcycle world. The British Motor Cycle Racing Club awarded a small, enameled (and blue) gold star to its club badge to the 181 riders who averaged over 100 mph during a race at Brooklands. This award was extremely coveted and marked man and machine as supremely capable and extraordinary. The feat was beyond the reach of all but a few.

A specially-tuned BSA single was placed in the hands of a famous rider during the thirties and indeed, the combination won a Gold Star for the company. Putting the name to good use, BSA applied it to only its top, hand built, dyno-tested production road racers, top scrambles racers and a few racers for the street. Legends of GOLDies doing over 70 mph in first gear (!) grew to illustrate the all-or-nothing approach to life of a Gold Star man.

Too loud for the street meant just right for the owners of Gold Stars. The “twittering silencer” was the last iteration of the Goldie “muffler” which made a pleasant sound (for the rider) when the throttle was rolled off or “on the overrun” as one might have said in Britain at the time.

Each Gold Star eventually became virtually a custom ordered racer. Many options were available from the factory when you ordered your Goldie. These included not just the general category such as scrambler, roadster, clubman’s trim, Daytona racer and more, but meant the size of the fuel tank, size of front brake, size of carburetor, composition and type of wheel, cams, gearbox ratios and more. Gearboxes alone offered a rider a choice of eleven standard sets of gearbox ratios so that it became necessary to stamp atop each gearbox what ratio set was inside to keep matters straight! Somewhat the same applied to camshaft and compression ratio. Before the engine could pass inspection, it had to give 40 hp “on the brake” at the works (dyno today). An owner received a signed sheet with his bike showing the dyno testing results for his individual bike’s engine. Of course, those failing would be returned for rectification.

Gold Star BSAs were the first café racer which in turn is the predecessor to the sport bike of today. Clip-on handlebars for the street, rear set pegs and controls were practically unheard of until the Goldie took command of the streets. It is said that BSA lost money on each Goldie built and sold, such was the price of hand-building racing bikes for the street. These bikes so dominated their classes at the Isle of Man Manx GP, that virtually all entries in some years were Gold Stars, making the competitors very unhappy and leaving the crowd with little doubt as to the winning brand. In short, the legend and the fact of the GOLD STAR were really unsurpassed, for its displacement classes. A racer for the street; every motorcyclist’s dream come true.

In the end, the cost of producing the bikes virtually by hand in a production line world doomed the Goldie. By 1962, it was apparent that the design was outdated and cost prohibitive. It may have even been good news to BSA then that Lucas would discontinue the mag-dyno necessary for the Gold Star, ending its run as a production bike. Some were built in the following year by special order, but 1962 is generally thought to be the final full year of the Gold Star.

Only slightly less confusing is the stamping on the inner case of the transmission or gearbox indicating the bearings and ratios inside. In this particular bike, the most coveted of all, the RRT2 is found. This indicates that the ratios are “road race” and that both shafts “T2”(both) run in needle bearings rather than plain bearings as the lesser boxes have.

THIS IS AN ORIGINAL, MATCHING (corresponding) NUMBERS GOLD STAR CLUBMANS.

It has been painstakingly restored and may be the finest Gold Star in the world. The engine was restored by a former BSA dealer in Dallas, Texas, STOVALL’S CYCLE of Dallas. They had been long-time dealers of not only BSA, but Matchless and other brands. As racers of Gold Stars, they are knowledgeable of the marque and the Goldie in particular. As such, the original receipt from them documents a restoration of both engine and forks. This was done in 1994 using NOS BSA parts, not reproduction parts. This engine and indeed this motorcycle have not been run since its rebuild as it is most difficult to win shows with a running (and leaking) motorcycle. Back then, 13 years ago, bikes didn’t have to run to compete.

6783 has records from The Sandy Bandit, Big “D” Cycle in Dallas, Steve Tonkin in Britain, Len Haggis specialist in Goldies in Britain, Bell engineering, the top chroming and polishing artists in the US at the time and more. The parts, original bike and labor amounted to over $30,000 in 1994. Cost was no object for the rebuild of this bike.

Mechanically, the carb is an AMAL GP 1 ˝”, the front brake the 190 mm alloy high performance brake and RRT2 equipped GOLD STAR Clubmans. Restored to top, show winning condition, it uses a belt drive primary as it is concealed but important to long and easy use. The gearbox deserves mention. RRT2s don’t grow on trees but we found one NOS, never used in New York at a king’s ransom. In it went. Never run.

Getting the correct hammer tone paint finish on the front brake is apparently beyond the abilities of almost anyone, including the British National Motorcycle Museum as their Goldies have either polished alloy or some other finish. Not the original one like this bike which took many tries to finally achieve the correct, perfect and as-sold finish. Of course, the very rare optional DUNLOP alloy wheels, front and rear are installed with Buchanan’s finest stainless spokes. In short, this bike has the rarest parts, not run after rebuild, just turned over every month. It won the toughest class for bikes in effect at the time and surely could win anywhere again.

Finally, although it’s all there, show bikes aren’t tightened down like riders are as it pops paint. If you intend to ride this bike, it should be gone through and EVERYTHING greased and tightened before starting.

I have all the receipts.

This bike won at Del Mar- and the trophy you see goes with it. It was shown at the CYCLE WORLD MAGAZINE Show. The signage goes with it.

You will be the third owner of this Clubmans.

This item cannot be purchased from the website. Please contact Harris Vincent Gallery to make purchase arrangements.