281:
a shaft. The alternator was to the left and the primary drive was via a duplex chain to a multi plate clutch. The four speed gearbox was at the rear of the vertically split crankcase. The frame was single loop with twin rails under the engine and pivoted fork rear suspension, and both wheels were 17 inch with full width cast iron hubs. An oil tank was under the seat on the right matched by a toolbox on the left. Between them was an ignition switch panel hiding the battery. The headlamp was fitted in a nacelle which also housed the instruments and switches as was fashionable at the time. Deeply valanced mudguards were fitted to the standard model, making it look heavier than it actually was.
289:
32:
429:
the engine had a special camshaft to lower the tune for off-road trials use (for more "plonk"). The first series competition frame with single down tube suffered rear tyre clearance problems in heavy mud. This was largely resolved in the later twin down-tube competition frame with its wider swing arm. The C15T proved to be competitive at club and national levels, and it remained unchanged in the BSA range until 1965.
417:
458:
points gap required far too much careful setting for a rugged competition motorcycle. The scrambler C15 shared the same frame as the trials (designated with a C suffix), had a larger exhaust valve, higher compression ratio and modified camshaft for more power. It was unsilenced and had special tyres and strengthened fork springs with rubber fork gaiters to protect the seals.
367:
379:
343:
355:
394:
In 1961 the 'Super Sports' model (SS80) or C15 Sportsman joined the range, with a tuned engine, roller big-ends and lower handlebars. A faster 350 cc version, the SS90 based on the BSA B40 was also added to the range but was not a big seller to the general public – as it was too big for learners
280:
The C11 engine had an iron barrel and alloy head with overhead valves operated by pushrods which ran in a separate tube to fully enclosed rockers. The camshaft was geared directly from the crankshaft with skew gears driving the oil pump and the contact breaker assembly mounted behind the cylinder via
272:
became head of the BSA automotive division and in 1958 BSA introduced the concept of unit construction, where the engine and gearbox were combined in one piece rather than as separate components. The BSA C15 'Star' was the first unit construction model and proved more reliable and economical than its
457:
The BSA C15S was the scrambler (motocross) competition version of the 250 cc Star produced between 1959 and 1965. As with the trials model, the C15S saved the weight of a battery through an 'energy transfer' electrical system which was notoriously unreliable. The problem was that the timing and
428:
version with a higher clearance frame fitted with a reinforced plate, special gear ratios suited to off-road use, a 20" front wheel in the UK and a high level exhaust pipe. A special tank and optional lighting allowed it to be converted for legal road use. Still with an iron barrel and alloy head,
284:
A successor to the C11, the C15 had a completely redesigned frame and 250 cc engine. The bike proved to need careful maintenance, being prone to oil leaks, electrical faults, gearbox problems, valve-gear failures, a weak big-end, and clutch adjustment problems. Initially, the contact breaker
403:
The BSA C15G was produced from 1966 to 1967 and was the last version of the C15 engine with the ball bearing timing side main bearing, roller drive side and strengthened crankcases, larger oil pump and needle roller gearbox
225:
bike. For most of that period, after the introduction of 'Learner Laws' in 1961, a 250 cc was the largest capacity solo machine that a learner could ride unaccompanied when displaying
466:
The BSA C15 Starfire
Roadster was produced between 1963 and 1964 with chrome mudguards and tank side panels. Re shaped seat and tank, which gave the bike a more modern appearance.
244:
Producing only 15 bhp (11 kW), the C15's lack of power meant that it was hard for the BSA to compete with the more sophisticated
Japanese motorcycles (such as the
673:
285:
housing protruded at the rear of the cylinder above the gearbox, but was later relocated to the right-side crankcase, accessed via a circular plate.
395:
and too small for those who had passed their motorcycle test - but the B40 was ideal for military use including use with the
British Armed Forces.
1352:
312:, from 1966 onwards the C15 bottom-end (crankcases, bearings, oil pump with circulation system and gearbox components) was similarly upgraded.
1357:
1285:
269:
601:
573:
488:
288:
1347:
1311:
666:
215:
64:
710:
1097:
1074:
31:
261:
438:
305:
1342:
659:
1321:
1316:
483:
154:
43:
896:
746:
366:
342:
947:
932:
774:
354:
309:
297:
208:
106:
378:
1039:
779:
741:
809:
789:
848:
301:
1034:
705:
597:
569:
425:
265:
234:
222:
97:
756:
731:
1306:
1235:
1209:
1173:
804:
751:
736:
682:
616:
528:
174:
144:
134:
124:
109:
59:
264:
marque in 1951, and the BSA C15 250 cc four stroke was derived from the 200 cc
635:
906:
814:
794:
726:
1336:
1270:
1240:
1214:
1188:
1069:
1024:
1008:
998:
993:
988:
911:
891:
886:
881:
876:
769:
323:'Barracuda' models, which had a quickly detachable rear wheel and 12 volt electrics.
320:
120:
113:
416:
1275:
1029:
799:
784:
1301:
1204:
1126:
219:
1178:
1152:
1147:
1142:
1092:
764:
446:
442:
249:
211:
1265:
1183:
245:
238:
184:
437:
In 1964 and 1965 the overbored 500 cc BSA C15T 'Trials Cat' ridden by
1280:
1003:
405:
102:
16:
British, 250 cc single cylinder motorcycle, produced by BSA in the 1960s
1245:
1230:
1168:
1049:
1044:
983:
978:
973:
968:
952:
942:
937:
927:
901:
871:
866:
861:
856:
316:
296:
BSA developed an increased capacity 441 cc model, marketed as the
274:
226:
82:
840:
835:
830:
445:
Championship. This success led to the development of the 441 cc
514:
1960, p.60 George Newnes Ltd., London. Accessed and added 2014-10-21
651:
415:
287:
164:
474:
The BSA C15P was a police model produced between 1963 and 1967.
655:
129:
67 mm × 70 mm (2.6 in × 2.8 in)
233:
derivative was added in 1961, and off-road versions, for
169:
6 inches (15 cm) front and rear with full width hubs
1059:
336:
The 1959 C15 Star was the first model in the range.
218:
from
September 1958 until 1967, and was BSA's first
1294:
1258:
1223:
1197:
1161:
1135:
1119:
1110:
1083:
1017:
961:
920:
823:
719:
698:
689:
193:
183:
173:
163:
153:
143:
133:
119:
96:
88:
78:
70:
58:
50:
38:
524:
522:
520:
315:In 1967 the 250 cc C15 was succeeded by the
252:) which began arriving in the UK in the 1960s.
667:
559:
557:
555:
553:
551:
549:
547:
507:
505:
503:
8:
24:
1116:
695:
674:
660:
652:
304:. Following development work in producing
30:
23:
587:
585:
268:, itself coming from the 150cc Terrier.
499:
338:
149:Coil with 60 watt Lucas RM13 alternator
1064:
241:, were also available in the range.
7:
229:in the United Kingdom. A road-going
214:manufactured by the British company
42:BSA Motorcycles Ltd., Armoury Road,
179:3.25 x 17" front and rear
105:249 cc (15.2 cu in)
92:BSA B25 Starfire, BSA C25 Barracuda
207:was a 250 cc single-cylinder
14:
139:15 bhp (11 kW) @7000rpm
489:List of motorcycles of the 1950s
377:
365:
353:
341:
594:British Motorcycles of the 60's
389:
1353:Motorcycles introduced in 1958
348:1959 BSA C15 Star - right side
1:
1312:Birmingham Small Arms Company
564:Kemp, Andrew; De Cet (2004).
360:1959 BSA C15 Star - left side
65:Birmingham Small Arms Company
533:, 22 April 1965, pp.508-511
189:51.25 inches (130.2 cm)
1358:Single-cylinder motorcycles
621:, 29 July 1966, pp.112-113
1374:
441:won the 500 cc World
390:BSA C15 'Sportsman' (SS80)
384:1959 BSA C15 Star - clocks
372:1959 BSA C15 Star - engine
273:predecessor, the pre-unit
29:
623:Sturdier BSA two-fifties
1322:Norton Villiers Triumph
1317:List of BSA motorcycles
568:. Mirco. Bookmart Ltd.
484:List of BSA motorcycles
159:Four-speed, chain drive
1060:BSA C15 Sportsman SS80
761:A65 Firebird Scrambler
747:A10 Spitfire Scrambler
421:
293:
1040:B25T Victor Trail 250
775:A65 Lightning Clubman
625:. Accessed 2014-10-18
596:. Osprey Publishing.
566:Classic British Bikes
541:. Accessed 2014-10-18
512:Motor Cycle Data Book
419:
298:BSA B44 Shooting Star
291:
46:, Birmingham, England
1348:Standard motorcycles
780:A65 Lightning Rocket
742:A10 Rocket Gold Star
114:Amal 375 carburettor
1035:B25SS Gold Star 250
948:B44 Victor Roadster
790:A65 Spitfire Hornet
592:Bacon, Roy (1988).
433:BSA C15T Trials Cat
424:The BSA C15T was a
308:'s works B40-based
26:
979:B40 Sportsman SS90
953:B44 Victor Special
897:Gold Star Catalina
841:A7SS Shooting Star
422:
302:BSA Victor Special
294:
21:Type of motorcycle
1330:
1329:
1254:
1253:
1106:
1105:
938:B44 Victor Enduro
933:B44 Shooting Star
872:B50T Victor Trail
535:C15 Riders Report
266:Triumph Tiger Cub
260:BSA acquired the
223:unit-construction
201:
200:
1365:
1117:
862:B50MX Moto Cross
757:A10 Super Rocket
732:A10 Golden Flash
696:
676:
669:
662:
653:
647:
646:
644:
642:
632:
626:
614:
608:
607:
589:
580:
579:
561:
542:
526:
515:
509:
462:BSA C15 Starfire
381:
369:
357:
345:
34:
27:
1373:
1372:
1368:
1367:
1366:
1364:
1363:
1362:
1343:BSA motorcycles
1333:
1332:
1331:
1326:
1307:BSA motorcycles
1290:
1250:
1241:B33-3 Blue Star
1236:B22 Empire Star
1219:
1215:R33-5 Blue Star
1193:
1189:W33-8 Blue Star
1157:
1131:
1112:
1102:
1085:
1079:
1025:B25FS Fleetstar
1013:
957:
916:
892:DBD34 Gold Star
867:B50SS Gold Star
819:
810:T65 Thunderbolt
805:A65 Thunderbolt
752:A10 Super Flash
737:A10 Road Rocket
715:
691:
685:
683:BSA motorcycles
680:
650:
640:
638:
634:
633:
629:
615:
611:
604:
591:
590:
583:
576:
563:
562:
545:
527:
518:
510:
501:
497:
480:
472:
464:
455:
435:
414:
401:
392:
385:
382:
373:
370:
361:
358:
349:
346:
334:
329:
319:'Starfire' and
258:
110:single cylinder
74:1958–1967
22:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1371:
1369:
1361:
1360:
1355:
1350:
1345:
1335:
1334:
1328:
1327:
1325:
1324:
1319:
1314:
1309:
1304:
1298:
1296:
1292:
1291:
1289:
1288:
1283:
1278:
1273:
1268:
1262:
1260:
1256:
1255:
1252:
1251:
1249:
1248:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1227:
1225:
1221:
1220:
1218:
1217:
1212:
1210:R5 Empire Star
1207:
1201:
1199:
1195:
1194:
1192:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1174:Q8 Empire Star
1171:
1165:
1163:
1159:
1158:
1156:
1155:
1150:
1145:
1139:
1137:
1133:
1132:
1130:
1129:
1123:
1121:
1114:
1108:
1107:
1104:
1103:
1101:
1100:
1095:
1089:
1087:
1081:
1080:
1078:
1077:
1072:
1067:
1062:
1057:
1052:
1047:
1042:
1037:
1032:
1027:
1021:
1019:
1015:
1014:
1012:
1011:
1009:ZB32 Gold Star
1006:
1001:
999:DB32 Gold Star
996:
994:CB32 Gold Star
991:
989:BB32 Gold Star
986:
981:
976:
971:
965:
963:
959:
958:
956:
955:
950:
945:
940:
935:
930:
924:
922:
918:
917:
915:
914:
912:ZB34 Gold Star
909:
904:
899:
894:
889:
887:DB34 Gold Star
884:
882:CB34 Gold Star
879:
877:BB34 Gold Star
874:
869:
864:
859:
854:
851:
849:A50 Royal Star
846:
843:
838:
833:
827:
825:
821:
820:
818:
817:
812:
807:
802:
797:
792:
787:
782:
777:
772:
767:
762:
759:
754:
749:
744:
739:
734:
729:
723:
721:
717:
716:
714:
713:
708:
702:
700:
693:
687:
686:
681:
679:
678:
671:
664:
656:
649:
648:
627:
609:
602:
581:
574:
543:
516:
498:
496:
493:
492:
491:
486:
479:
476:
471:
468:
463:
460:
454:
451:
434:
431:
413:
410:
400:
397:
391:
388:
387:
386:
383:
376:
374:
371:
364:
362:
359:
352:
350:
347:
340:
333:
330:
328:
325:
257:
254:
199:
198:
195:
191:
190:
187:
181:
180:
177:
171:
170:
167:
161:
160:
157:
151:
150:
147:
141:
140:
137:
131:
130:
127:
117:
116:
112:, alloy head,
100:
94:
93:
90:
86:
85:
80:
76:
75:
72:
68:
67:
62:
60:Parent company
56:
55:
52:
48:
47:
40:
36:
35:
20:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1370:
1359:
1356:
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1338:
1323:
1320:
1318:
1315:
1313:
1310:
1308:
1305:
1303:
1300:
1299:
1297:
1293:
1287:
1286:Edward Turner
1284:
1282:
1279:
1277:
1274:
1272:
1271:David Garside
1269:
1267:
1264:
1263:
1261:
1257:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1228:
1226:
1222:
1216:
1213:
1211:
1208:
1206:
1203:
1202:
1200:
1196:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1182:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1167:
1166:
1164:
1160:
1154:
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1146:
1144:
1141:
1140:
1138:
1134:
1128:
1125:
1124:
1122:
1118:
1115:
1109:
1099:
1096:
1094:
1091:
1090:
1088:
1082:
1076:
1073:
1071:
1070:C25 Barracuda
1068:
1066:
1063:
1061:
1058:
1056:
1053:
1051:
1048:
1046:
1043:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1022:
1020:
1016:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1002:
1000:
997:
995:
992:
990:
987:
985:
982:
980:
977:
975:
972:
970:
967:
966:
964:
960:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
943:B44 Victor GP
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
929:
926:
925:
923:
919:
913:
910:
908:
905:
903:
900:
898:
895:
893:
890:
888:
885:
883:
880:
878:
875:
873:
870:
868:
865:
863:
860:
858:
855:
852:
850:
847:
844:
842:
839:
837:
836:A7S Star Twin
834:
832:
829:
828:
826:
822:
816:
813:
811:
808:
806:
803:
801:
798:
796:
793:
791:
788:
786:
783:
781:
778:
776:
773:
771:
770:A65 Lightning
768:
766:
763:
760:
758:
755:
753:
750:
748:
745:
743:
740:
738:
735:
733:
730:
728:
725:
724:
722:
718:
712:
709:
707:
706:A70 Lightning
704:
703:
701:
697:
694:
688:
684:
677:
672:
670:
665:
663:
658:
657:
654:
637:
631:
628:
624:
620:
619:
613:
610:
605:
603:1-85648-166-2
599:
595:
588:
586:
582:
577:
575:1-86147-136-X
571:
567:
560:
558:
556:
554:
552:
550:
548:
544:
540:
536:
532:
531:
525:
523:
521:
517:
513:
508:
506:
504:
500:
494:
490:
487:
485:
482:
481:
477:
475:
469:
467:
461:
459:
452:
450:
448:
444:
440:
432:
430:
427:
418:
411:
409:
407:
398:
396:
380:
375:
368:
363:
356:
351:
344:
339:
337:
331:
326:
324:
322:
318:
313:
311:
307:
303:
299:
290:
286:
282:
278:
276:
271:
270:Edward Turner
267:
263:
255:
253:
251:
247:
242:
240:
236:
232:
228:
224:
221:
217:
213:
210:
206:
196:
194:Fuel capacity
192:
188:
186:
182:
178:
176:
172:
168:
166:
162:
158:
156:
152:
148:
146:
145:Ignition type
142:
138:
136:
132:
128:
126:
122:
118:
115:
111:
108:
104:
101:
99:
95:
91:
87:
84:
81:
77:
73:
69:
66:
63:
61:
57:
53:
49:
45:
41:
37:
33:
28:
19:
1276:Bert Hopwood
1065:C15 Starfire
1054:
1030:B25 Starfire
785:A65 Spitfire
711:A75 Rocket 3
639:. Retrieved
630:
622:
617:
612:
593:
565:
538:
537:collated by
534:
529:
511:
473:
465:
456:
436:
423:
402:
393:
335:
332:BSA C15 Star
314:
295:
292:BSA Starfire
283:
279:
259:
243:
230:
204:
202:
155:Transmission
39:Manufacturer
18:
1302:BSA Company
1113:motorcycles
845:A50 Cyclone
692:motorcycles
618:Motor Cycle
530:Motor Cycle
449:Scrambler.
256:Development
220:four-stroke
79:Predecessor
51:Also called
44:Small Heath
1337:Categories
907:Unit twins
815:Unit twins
795:A65 Rocket
765:A65 Hornet
727:A10 series
641:26 October
636:"BSA C15T"
539:Mike Evans
495:References
447:BSA Victor
443:Moto-Cross
439:Jeff Smith
420:Trials C15
408:bearings.
306:Jeff Smith
212:motorcycle
71:Production
1266:Doug Hele
1259:Designers
246:Honda C71
239:Scrambles
197:3 gallons
185:Wheelbase
89:Successor
1281:Val Page
1055:C15 Star
974:B40 Star
853:A50 Wasp
800:A65 Star
690:Post-war
478:See also
470:BSA C15P
453:BSA C15S
412:BSA C15T
406:layshaft
399:BSA C15G
300:and the
227:L-plates
103:4-stroke
1205:Model L
1127:Model E
1111:Pre-war
1098:Sunbeam
1075:Sunbeam
321:BSA C25
317:BSA B25
275:BSA C11
262:Triumph
205:BSA C15
83:BSA C12
25:BSA C15
1224:250 cc
1198:350 cc
1179:Sloper
1162:500 cc
1153:M34-13
1148:M34-12
1143:M33-10
1136:600 cc
1120:770 cc
1093:Bantam
1086:stroke
1018:250 cc
984:B40 WD
962:350 cc
921:441 cc
824:500 cc
720:650 cc
699:750 cc
600:
572:
426:trials
327:Models
310:Victor
235:Trials
231:Sports
165:Brakes
125:stroke
98:Engine
1295:Other
1184:W33-7
175:Tyres
135:Power
1004:Fury
928:B 44
643:2009
598:ISBN
570:ISBN
250:CB72
248:and
237:and
203:The
121:Bore
54:Star
1246:C11
1231:B21
1169:M20
1084:Two
1050:C12
1045:C11
969:B31
902:M20
857:B33
216:BSA
209:ohv
107:OHV
1339::
831:A7
584:^
546:^
519:^
502:^
277:.
123:/
675:e
668:t
661:v
645:.
606:.
578:.
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