1959 BSA C15 250cc Trials Motorcycle

Description

One of the great 'bike marques, BSA actually began as a gun trades union in 1854, when 14 Birmingham gunsmiths grouped to sell arms for the Crimean War effort. In 1861 they decided to form a public company, signed the papers in 1862, and found a site on Small Heath for their factory, opening in 1863.BSA started building bicycles in the 1880s and bicycle components, and followed with motorized bicycles in 1903. In 1907, BSA acquired parts maker Eadie Manufacturing (created by Albert Eadie, general manager of Royal Enfield). They introduced their first 'own' motorcycle in 1910, which ran a 499cc side-valve motor, with Models H and Model K being their staple pre-war 'singles'. Production ceased during WW1 while they pursued their traditional manufacturing, making guns, but returned quickly after the war, making their first V-twins in 1919. Post-WW2, BSA acquired Triumph motorcycles in 1951 and demand was still sufficient for BSA to create a stand-alone entity for its motorbike production, by creating BSA Motorcycles in 1953. 1958's C15 series was the first four-stroke BSA to employ unitary construction. Its 247cc single was the largest capacity bike available to learner riders at the time, and the Trails version allowed the masses a cheap entry into Trails racing, a popular form of motorsport at the time that is still enjoyed today.