Introduction
 The Mortons Media Archive contains the collection relating to The Motor Cycle and Motor Cycling, publications which, in the glory days of the British motorcycle industry, were the two market leaders.
As BSA was then the biggest motorcycle maker in the world it was natural BSAs featured prominently in both magazines. New models, range updates, sporting gossip, event reports, you name it, BSA’s movements and the goings on at Small Heath were reported in detail.
This, the second in The Scrapbook Series, aims to show some of those artefacts, collected together to give an insight into times gone by. Of course, the sheer volume of BSA-related material in the Mortons archive means far, far more has been omitted than included but the hope is that what we’ve put together at least gives an indication of what BSA once was. From the early days of solid and worthy machines, through providing transport for the masses, hardy military mounts, glamorous sporting models, long distance tourers…
BSA made them all and the fact was, they made them better than most. The intention of The Scrapbook Series is to enable images which have been hidden for years to be seen. Although a few pictures will perhaps be familiar – as importance means they demanded inclusion – there are plenty of others that if they have been published before, have long languished either in boxes or been pasted into ‘guard books’ (big, hard-backed approximately A3-sized ‘scrapbook’ where the original pictures were glued after publication) and remained unseen ever since.
In addition, we are also fortunate to have access to magazines going back to the early days of both publications (The Motor Cycle 1903 and Motor Cycling new series 1909) and so from these we’ve managed to reprint a few interesting articles plus there’s also a fair amount of sales literature included – it all gives variety and adds interest and colour. ‘The BSA’ – as the firm was fondly known – was a massive employer in Birmingham and has been a major player in British motorcycling history, with a high percentage of today’s classic enthusiasts having had some contact with the marque, be it learning to ride on a Bantam, lusting after a Gold Star, being hauled around as a child in the sidecar attached to an M21, watching ‘Mooneyes’ Cooper sock it to ‘Ago’ at Mallory in 1971, looking on incredulously as this manufacturing behemoth collapsed… in one way or another, nearly everyone with an interest in motorcycling history has been touched by BSA.
Having ridden and enjoyed so many BSAs it’s easy to understand why the machines command such a loyal following and my hope is that some of those dedicated enthusiasts will find interest and enjoyment in this publication.
Above: Officials of the Goldfield Motor Club of Western Australia with rider H Myers, a regular race winner on his BSA.
James Robinson, Editor
Don't forget..
• 1st book in the series: Scrapbook Series - Triumph
• 3rd book in the series: Scrapbook Series - Norton
• 4th book in the series: Scrapbook Series - AJS / Matchless
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