Britton’s Beezer

Although we have a thriving classified ads section (we bet that’s the first part you all turn to!), here’s one of ‘our own’ bikes up for sale from former OBM editor Tim Britton, as he explains.

Sometimes change is needed to refresh the outlook or, in the case of old motorcycles, the realisation that one particular model is being underused and might be better off going in favour of The New Project. Such a case has arisen with my BSA B40 pre-65 trials bike.

Covid notwithstanding, it’s only been in one trial in two years, while other bikes have seen much more frequent use. I’m more than fond of the bike and I’ve ridden a Classic Manx Two Trial or several as well as 15 or 16 Pre-65 Scottishes, but it is currently under used so the decision has been made to part with it.

In the pre-65 era, BSA only nominally looked at the B40 as a trials bike. All the team tried it but with the C15 still being a trial winner, the bigger machine was under-developed. Fast forward to the pre-65 scene with modern sticky tyres, electronic ignition and 40 years of development, and the B40 took on a new life.

So, on offer here is a B40 built around a brazed and lugged BSA frame, a GB military engine – though with