BSA’s best in Christchurch
NZ’s BSA National Rally 2021 • 26-28 February, 2021 – Christchurch, NZ
The Cracroft Guiding Centre in the Garden City of Christchurch in the South Island’s Canterbury Plains provided the venue for the 26th National Rally of New Zealand’s Canterbury BSA Owners Club Inc. (est. 1979). Fifty-one faithful from around the country converged on the Friday for registration and an evening BBQ. Saturday morning, rally day, provided the participants with a diverse route around the base of the city’s Port Hills to the seaside suburbs of Redcliffs and Sumner. Leaving the coast, a climb up Evans Pass road to the summit carpark afforded the punters a scenic view over Lyttelton Harbour, which is, in fact, an ancient extinct volcanic crater, filled with sea water. The route descended into the port township of Lyttelton and continued along the natural harbour’s picturesque bays to Gebbies Pass turnoff, which brought the group back into the Canterbury Plains again and merging them into the SH75 Christchurch – Akaroa route. At Motukarara, the BSA devotees were welcomed to view a private Rolls Royce collection, before heading to Ray Drury’s motor museum in the Christchurch suburb of Halswell on the way back to the Cracroft rally base.
The second part of the day was spent with bike judging and evening dinner, including prize giving. Sunday morning, after a successful weekend spent together, meant leaving one’s brothers in arms again until next year and riding home into New Zealand’s late summer sun.
Rally organiser Thomas Brown bought his 1954 Golden Flash in March 1963, which means he’s owned his BSA for over 57 years. Bikes or cars weren’t very easily available back in the 60s. For example, to buy a brand new car, you had to have overseas funds. Thomas paid 165 Pounds for his Golden Flash in 1963. These bikes were built from 1950 to 1963, which was a pretty good model run. Thomas still loves his bike and reckons it’s the perfect bike, which can run 55mph all day. Back in the day he bought it for leisure, but also for a bit of commuting to the ship yards, although not every day, due to the cost of petrol and the low cost of commuting by train for a young apprentice in comparison.
According to Jim Nimmo, he bought his BSA in the 70s, because he couldn’t find a Norton. He’d written off a Commando in September 1977, but couldn’t find another one to replace it with. A few months later, a 1974 Thunderbolt was advertised in a local newspaper advert. He subsequently rang the guy and bought it from its original owner on 18th January 1978, a mere 43 years ago. His bike’s fuel tank is not as common over here, since most BSA’s sent to New Zealand were American imports, fitted with the tear drop shaped fuel tanks. The bike was originally painted black, but Jim went through different colour schemes until she settled in her current green livery. Jim reckons that the brakes are worse than useless. Besides that, he’s had the bike converted to roller bearings, but otherwise keeps her back to standard as much as he can.
Didier Le Guen bought his 1972 Lightning four years ago, because he liked the look of it. He wanted an oilin-frame, because he’s had a Triumph in the same vein before. Didier reckons his Beesa is quite torquey, but could do with a bigger tank to increase its range. The Lightning has twin carbs and a rev counter compared to the Thunderbolt’s single carb and single clocks and the bike’s brakes are apparently quite good.
As a now forty-year-old bike, it just requires a bit of looking after, like having fitted a new oil pump and oil pressure gauge at some stage.