Well, what’s the verdict?

We both loved it. BSA has disclosed it now has a distributor for the UK and Ireland but still needs dealers. Yes, it was a little premature in getting us all excited with the unveiling, which has riled a lot of social media trolls (have they really nothing better to do?), but the ball is now rolling – these things take a lot of time.

The bike we rode – as we’ve admitted, briefly – was a production-ready prototype and looked great. This was surrounded by the latest electric bikes, by heavily modified and supercharged bikes, by two Brough Superiors – and yet visitors were always around the Gold Star, asking questions, prices, spec, and more.

On the way down the hill at more modest, town-like speeds, the crowds were loving it and it just felt so easy to ride. One of the race bikes broke down as we neared the finish and I was so confident on the bike that I popped it into third and sat it on idle as I helped pull the stricken bike and rider along. No issues.

Take our first ride with a pinch of salt; we didn’t ride it coast to coast. But the first bike from a new manufacturer where design is stunted by having to look as much like the original as possible has all the hallmarks of a winner. Build quality of a Triumph? Doubtful. Build quality of a Royal Enfield? Around the same as their latest bikes – good. But Enfield and Triumph have a number of models to choose from – BSA has one. And will you have a local dealer?

STOP PRESS: Prices have been released – from £6500-£7000 plus On The Road charge, which is not disclosed (why, BSA?). That’s smack in between its two main rivals – how remarkable. For that price, in our opinion, BSA has a winner and won’t be able to build enough.