Post Sale Update: After 14 bids on eBay, this BSA Lightning did not meet reserve at $6,001. It was then relisted and again did not meet reserve, this time at $6,991.
The BSA Lightning was the British firm’s attempt at an all-around streetbike, slotting between the Spitfire and Thunderbolt. At the time, it was one of the fastest motorcycles available – able to top hit 108 miles per hour, and it’s one of the lasting legacies of Birmingham Small Arms, as just a few years later, the Japanese invasion of reliable motorcycles would put BSA out of business.
The Lightning sold for just $1,305 back in 1967, and the 53 horsepower 654cc parallel twin engine was powerful enough to be a rival to the Triumph Bonneville. BSA owned both companies at the time, and tried to differentiate them in the market by selling Triumph as performance-minded, while BSA was sold as being more reliable and a better option for daily commuting. Motorcycle Classics has a great comparison between the Lightning and the Bonneville, read it here.
The BSA Lightning also enjoyed some fame as a minor vehicular star in the Bond movie, Thunderball. A Lightning with a full fairing destroys a villain’s car with rockets – check it out here on IMCDb.
This specific BSA Lightning has spent the last 16 years with the same owner, and now it’s time to find it a new home. It’s been turned into a mild cafe racer, with Clubman bars and a cafe seat, as well as Borrani wheels, Hagon shocks, and Supertrapp exhaust, all of which are excellent modifications that a new owner should not be concerned about. Loyal readers will know that we love light patina on old bikes, and this Lightning fits the bill – the chrome is in great shape, but it still looks like this bike has been ridden and enjoyed.
Find this BSA Lightning for sale here on eBay with bidding up to $5,000 and the reserve not yet met in East Hampton, New York.
