MARIA COOMBS
1953 BSA BANTAM D1
I’ve had my little Bantam for three years now and have no regrets. The moment I won it on ebay, I was so chuffed – I loved it. I wanted a British classic for my first bike, partly just to be different and partly because dad used to take me to classic shows when I was younger. Modern bikes don’t really do anything for me, but the Bantam has character and as soon as I got my D1, I just thought... YES!
Rick helped sort the bike out and I watched him rebuilding the engine so I would understand how it works. I learned to ride on a modern bike, so dad taught me about starting and riding the BSA and what I need to do to keep it going. This was followed by a few practice runs around the block and before long I was confident enough to head off to bike shows in Kent and Sussex – even winning some prizes!
I’ve clocked up about 800 miles since and I was sorry the flat tyre prevented the bike from finishing the run – but I was lucky it happened at the lunch stop, with the breakdown van on hand to take it back. I got a lift home that evening and the next day when I turned up at the show, I was delighted to find my friends on the Bantam Club stand had already fixed the puncture.
Old bikes introduce you to some great people – often past owners come up and share their experiences and memories of Bantams when they were my age, saying things like: “I did my test on one of those” or “That was my first bike”. Hearing these stories adds to the joy I get out of riding the bike, making me extremely proud to own it. It’s not exactly speedy (50mph downhill), but I wouldn’t be without it and I have to thank my faithful dad for all his help. I had a great time on the run and will certainly be booking in for next year.
‘HEARING THE STORIES OF PAST OWNERS ADDS TO THE JOY OF RIDING THE BIKE’