BSA and National Motorcycle Museum team up to realise a rider’s legacy

Published: 18/09/2023

A determined motorcycling enthusiast is on a mission to honour his late father's legacy by finally getting a 1957 BSA A10 family heirloom on the road for the first time, to make its debut at the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride (DGR) in 2024. After hearing his passionate and emotional story, BSA Motorcycles, together with the National Motorcycle Museum, have agreed to help fund and carry out the necessary work required to complete a restoration that has been 66 years in the making.

Now the property of Richard George, supported by his brother Phil, the A10 has been a staple of their family history for the past few decades but has never made it more than a few metres down the road. Purchased in the late 1960s for ‘next to nothing’ during a time when British bikes were losing favour in the market to imported Japanese models, the A10 first belonged to Richard’s father. After sadly losing his battle to cancer and liver failure in 2021, he entrusted the bike into the hands of his sons with one, simple request: ‘get it fit for the road.’

Richard explained: “I grew up with this motorcycle. I remember watching my father and uncle ride it around the garden when I was young – it was quite a large garden with plenty of room. It’s always been in the family. My dad spent thousands on it. He painted the tank himself, had it re-chromed and took it as far as he could before the illness took over. I took the bike on following my father’s death. I’ve had the electrics redone, had it re-registered, and done quite a bit of work. But I’ve taken it as far as I can. No matter what I do, the clutch keeps dragging, so in order to fulfil my dad’s final wish, I took a long shot and reached out for help.”

Richard contacted BSA Motorcycles through the company’s Facebook page, which has quickly become a community of brand enthusiasts since BSA’s rebirth in 2021. Upon hearing Richard’s story, the company got in touch with the National Motorcycle Museum and agreed to fund some of the restoration works.

Roy Pinto, Marketing Manager, BSA Motorcycles, commented: “Richard’s story encapsulates the BSA spirit perfectly. This is a brand that means so much to so many people, and our heritage and legacy lives on in motorcycling communities and families. When we heard about Richard’s quest, we were touched by his story and keen to help him achieve his goal. BSA motorcycles really have gone down in history as classics and if we can work with Richard and the museum to keep this one alive, we not only further the A10’s legacy, but that of Richard’s father too.”

The BSA A10  gained popularity in the 1950s and 1960s. It was powered by a 650cc air-cooled parallel-twin engine, known for its smooth power delivery and reliability. The BSA A10's iconic design, combined with its comfortable ride and powerful performance, has since made it a sought-after vintage motorcycle among enthusiasts and collectors.

Wesley Wall, a restorer at the National Motorcycle Museum, commented: “When I first looked at Richard’s A10, it was clear that he had already done some restoration work to a high standard, but there is a bit of work still yet to do. It clearly has a clutch problem and will benefit from some adjustments and the addition of some new clutch plates. It has the wrong carburettor and there is a mudguard missing but we can access high-quality A10 parts fairly easily these days, so we can certainly get this fit for the road.”

The final goal for Richard is to make his debut at the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride in 2024. DGR is an annual international charity event where participants dressed in dapper attire ride classic and vintage motorcycles to raise awareness and funds for men's health issues.

Richard remarked: “I’ve never done the DGR before but I know of it and I think it’s a great event. To dress up in my finest clothes and ride this A10 among the BSA and motorcycling community will be a real achievement. It’s what my dad would have wanted.”