Beschreibung:

This machine, believed the only one of its kind ever made by BSA, was ridden by the Small Heath factory's works moto-cross star John Harris in the 1962 ISDT at Garmisch-Partenkirchen in West Germany. At the top of his form in 1962 (he finished third in the British 500cc Moto-Cross Championship that year) Harris was a member of Britain's official Trophy Team alongside Fred Billot (AJS), Gordon Blakeway (Triumph), Tim Gibbes (AJS), Johnny Giles (Triumph) and Ken Heanes (Triumph). A gruelling event at the best of times and a real machine - and man - breaker, the ISDT invariably is won by the team with the best reliability record. And while Harris's BSA came through unscathed, the mounts of many of his team-mates fell prey to minor problems, dropping the British team to second place behind the victorious Czechs. Out on the BSA again for the 1963 ISDT in Czechoslovakia, Harris was not so fortunate, being eliminated, together with Gordon Blakeway, on the first day, a double blow that ended all hopes of a British medal. For the 1964 ISDT in East Germany, '275 GOB' was loaned to rising star John Lewis who would feature in the British Team in 1966, '67 and '68, though not on the BSA. Its days as a works mount over, '275 GOB' was sold directly from the BSA factory to the present private owner. The latter's business is a partnership run with his brother, and for insurance purposes the machine was placed on the company policy, which necessitated registering it in the brother's name. In 1967 the vendor sold the machine to a local dealer, Bridge Garage in Exeter, from whom it was purchased by a Mr Stone. Stone sold the bike to one T Seldon, from whom the vendor bought it back in 1973. Once again, it was registered in the vendor's brother's name for insurance purposes. Restored towards the end of 2003, '275 GOB' had been kept in storage, un-touched, for the preceding 25 years. The machine is reported as completely original, with the exception of the handlebars which have been replaced. Since completion it has covered only the few miles to the MoT station and back. Presented in very good condition, '275 GOB' is offered with its original logbook showing the BSA company as first owner and listing all subsequent private owners, press cuttings (one showing BSA Competitions Manager Brian Martin with the machine) restoration invoices and current MoT certificate. Like the majority of rival manufacturers - Triumph excepted - BSA preferred to campaign its single-cylinder models in off-road competition, using the Gold Star in the 1950s and then the unit-construction C15/B40 and its derivatives in the 1960s. Exactly why BSA chose to build this - almost certainly unique - ISDT twin remains a mystery. The unit-construction A50 and A65 twins were newly introduced in 1962 and Small Heath may have felt that the ISDT experience would expose any weaknesses in their design. On the other hand, with off-road twin-cylinder models for the United States market in the pipeline, it may have served as a test-bed for these. Whatever the reason for its creation, '275 GOB' represents a unique opportunity to acquire a fascinating piece of works BSA competition history possessing impeccable provenance.