Source: Bike Bound
[[{“value”:”Aldana-Inspired BSA A65 Street Tracker from Richard Bloomfield…
In 1964, BSA introduced the Lightning as a sporting roadster, a hotter version of the company’s A65 twin. The bike’s twin-carb unit construction engine was lighter and less costly to produce than its predecessors, and performance was properly tweaked to compliment the Lightning name.
“The engine’s high compression pistons and sports camshaft gave it nearly 50bhp, and the top speed easily exceeded the magic ton.” –Classic Motorcycle
While the Lightning was produced in the waning days of the BSA factory in Armoury Road, Small Heath, and couldn’t boast the mechanical wizardry of the machines coming out of Japan at the time, it had a mystique all its own, carrying the torch of the British twins that once dominated flat tracks, desert races, and road racing circuits.
BSA Lightning from James Bond “Thunderball”
Enter our new friend Richard Bloomfield (@forcefed_vw), a hobby builder who began working in a small motorcycle shop when he was 16, learning the ropes at the height of the two-stroke era, but didn’t get back into bikes until about 14 years ago. The ’72 BSA A65 Lightning you see here began as a true basket case:
“It was broken up in 1982 and placed into various tins, boxes, and margarine tubs, and left to gradually rust.”
Richard decided to resurrect the bike as a street tracker, taking his inspiration from the BSA Trackmaster of one of the most colorful racers of all time, Dave Aldana — a personal favorite here at BikeBound.
Known in On Any Sunday as “that crazy kid from Santa Ana, California,” Aldana is a four-time AMA Grand National champion, AMA Motorcycle Hall-of-Famer, and continues to race to this day, clad as ever in his signature suit of bones leathers. We’ve had the pleasure of seeing Aldana on the track at events here in our home state of Georgia — he’s still blisteringly fast and aggressive at 60+ years old.
As for the build, the crusty chassis was in dire need of reconditioning. Richard detabbed the frame, gusseted the headstock and downtubes, and replaced the large original rear hoop with a smaller and narrower one. He designed new battery brackets and seat mounts in SolidWorks for the laser-cutter, and the frame was powder-coated in a lovely “mouse grey pearl” — an unexpected color that really highlights the rest of the bike.
Photo: @ben_j_blight
The tank is a Triumph T140 US-spec unit with Monza filler cap and a modernized BSA logo. Richard chose the tank design and colors while Kevin aka “Skin” at AiryArts laid down the paint.
“I also wanted to combine some 70’s style custom paintwork onto a flat track bike without overdoing it… It’s candy red over silver metallic with a chequered diamond pattern. The white outline and black outlines take inspiration from Dave Aldana.”
The 650cc twin is now running Mikuni VM carbs with big XR750-style K&N filters and an exhaust designed by a friend who used to build and race supercharged grasstrack sidecar outfits. Richard modified a set of GP-style silencers into short megaphones.
The swingarm was notched and braced for wider rubber, and Richard designed several other parts in SolidWorks that were laser- or water-jet cut for the build. While he doesn’t name his bikes, this BSA street tracker was aptly dubbed “Chequered Past” at its first bike show. While it may look like a race track refugee, it’s actually going to be street legal.
“The bike is registered as historic but will be MOT’d once it’s had a shakedown. It has discreet headlight and tail lights so can be used after dark.”
This BSA just missed the recent Bike Shed Show as Richard didn’t have the saddle quite finished, but it should be making the rounds in the UK this summer and quite a lot of fun on the street. Too bad it’s on the other side of the Pond, as we’re sure Aldana himself would love to give it a rip!
Below is our full interview with Richard for those who want to delve into greater detail. Enjoy!
BSA A65 Street Tracker: Builder Interview
Photo: @ben_j_blight
• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and your workshop.
My name is Richard Bloomfield, I’m a hobby builder working out of a single garage in Poole. I don’t have a long history of riding bikes having received my license about 14 years ago. Prior to that, the only “bike” I’d owned was a tuned up DT50 when I was 16. Around that time, I was at school and had a Saturday job at a small motorcycle garage in the village I lived in. I wasn’t qualified to work on them, so my job consisted of cleaning bikes to get then ready to sell.
It was the two-stroke era so many of the bikes that came in for repairs were RD350 YPVS and motocross bikes: CRs, RMs and YZ. I watched and learned a bit about porting and tuning which is something the owner was quite renowned for. I ended up with a car rather than a bigger bike. It got me and a few friends to the skateboard parks.
Photo: @ben_j_blight
• What’s the make, model, and year of the donor bike?
The bike began as a basket case 1972 BSA A65 Lightning. It was broken up in 1982 and placed into various tins, boxes, and margarine tubs, and left to gradually rust.
• Why was this bike built?
This is the second flat track style bike I’ve resto-modded. The first is an XS650 that was finished a couple of years ago. Both are bikes I built for myself as an amateur builder. I felt that I could improve on the XS by using the correct tyres and wheel choice rather than using adventure tyres.
In order to do that, I’d need to change the forks, yokes, add disc brakes, wider 19” rims and try to make it look as close as possible to a built for racing Trackmaster. Most street trackers end up with a bulky headlight and front mudguard that for me, ruins the lines and authenticity. The donor bike wasn’t complete and not a bike I’d choose to restore (too ugly).
• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?
The design was based loosely on Dave Aldana’s BSA Trackmaster. I’d seen a couple of French-built bikes that I liked but didn’t want to copy the paint scheme. I also wanted to combine some 70’s style custom paintwork onto a flat track bike without overdoing it.
Aldana on a unit BSA
• What custom work was done to the bike?
The frame was mildly altered by cutting the hoop off the back and replacing with a smaller, narrower hoop with a mudguard bracket. The pillion brackets and various lugs were removed. A gusset was added to the down tubes for additional headsteady to anchor onto and to mount the twin output coil.
New brackets for the battery, seat mounts were designed using SolidWorks and laser-cut. The frame was powder-coated in “mouse grey pearl” — an odd choice but it highlights the polished parts and contrasts with the paintwork.
The tank is a Triumph T140 US-spec shape with a Monzo style filler cap and a handmade mounting machined from aluminium. A 3D printed carbon/ nylon cap featuring a modernised version of the BSA rifles logo with AK47 and a shotgun covers the top. The tank was painted by AiryArts in Ferndown. He’s a very skilled and well renowned custom painter. It’s candy red over silver metallic with a chequered diamond pattern. The white outline and black outlines take inspiration from Dave Aldana.
Carbs are Mikuni VM with the biggest K&N filters I could fit, reminiscent of the Harley XR750s. The exhaust was designed and mocked up by an old friend who used to build and race supercharged grasstrack sidecar outfits in the 70s.
The finish items were formed locally and ceramic coated. The silencers were GP-style that I altered to make short megaphones. Rear brake uses a Yamaha MT-10 master cylinder mounted on a home-designed bracket. The brake hanger was designed by me and is waterjet-cut using files I generated in SolidWorks.
Swingarm is notched and braced in order to accommodate the wide tyres. The bike is registered as historic but will be MOT’d once it’s had a shakedown. It has discreet headlight and tail lights so can be used after dark. The design is my own and was successfully used on my XS650 project.
• Does the bike have a nickname?
I don’t name my bikes or cars but the bike was recently labelled “Chequered Past” at its inaugural bike show last month.
• Any idea of horsepower, weight, and/or performance numbers?
These bikes made about 40hp (with a tailwind). The addition of Mikunis and a free-flowing exhaust add decibels rather than power. It is quite light though so should be quite good fun.
• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?
As yet, the bike is still in shakedown phase. I’m experimenting with the final gearing as it feels very high ratio. Its tyres will take some getting used to.
• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?
The colour choices and my tank design have been very well received despite being a bit of a gamble. Sometimes you have to go with your instincts. The handmade seat and dummy bum pad hiding the electronic ignition worked well. I’m particularly pleased with the way the rear brake worked out.
• Is there anyone you’d like to thank?
I’d like to thank my old friend Richard Stephens for the consultancy work, exhaust design, lathe operating, and continual motivation to get it done. Skin at AiryArts for turning my felt pen design into reality.
Follow the Builder
Instagram: @forcefed_vw
Paint: www.airyarts.com | @airyarts
Photography: @ben_j_blight at the SBomb Vintage Workshop in Poole.
“}]]
