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An Owner's Honest Review Of The 1956 BSA Gold Star DBD34
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- čas přidán 7. 08. 2024
- In this video we get our friend Dave Mitchell's honest review of the 1956 BSA Gold Star DBD34 classic cafe racer motorcycle.
In this video we take a look at Dave Mitchell's stunning BSA Gold Star DBD34 500 CLASSIC BRITISH CAFE RACER MOTORCYCLE.
Dave is a mechanic and engineer by trade and knows a thing or two about classic motorcycles. This video is just over 14 minutes long. Feel free to use the chapters below to skip to the part of the video that interests you most.
0:00 Introduction
1:38 Carburettor
2:18 Brakes
2:36 Engine
2:57 Non standard components on this motorcycle
3:15 On board riding shot with good sound quality to hear the engine
3:49 Castrol R oil in the fuel
4:23 How it feels to ride
5:16 Living with the BSA Gold Star
5:38 Triumph clutch installed and why
5:54 Suspension
6:16 Brakes
7:09 Lighting and electrics
7:29 Suspension and handling
8:00 Starting
10:09 Reputation of British bikes
11:13 Keeping the engine reliable
12:20 What is the BSA Gold Star good for
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THANK YOU TO
Dave Mitchell for his time filming on the day and taking his bike out for a ride (not that he needs much of an excuse). Dave runs Mitchell's Classics which is a classic British motorcycle servicing and restoration company.
Mobile: 07813 140 928
Email: davidmitchell576@hotmail.com
Dave is a huge fan of Goldtop clothing (he is not sponsored by them) and wears a Goldtop shirt, scarf, gloves and jacket in the video.
Goldtop website: www.goldtop.co.uk/
Facebook: / goldtopengland
Instagram: / goldtopengland
ABOUT THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE CHANNEL
The Classic Motorcycle Channel is for people who love classic, vintage and antique motorcycles. We are passionate about classic motorcycles and produce high quality motorcycle profile videos, restoration videos, restorer profile videos and also anything that takes our interest.
This video was produced by The Classic Motorcycle Channel and Talk To Camera.
Visit Talk To Camera's website here:
www.talktocamera.co.uk
What a beautiful machine. I've been waiting for this all week and, boy, was it worth it. Excellent documentary, well explained, and great views looking through those twin clocks.
Thanks for your lovely comments Chris, they really mean a lot to us.
Great video for the all time iconic Goldie well done !
What a noise. I had to turn my speakers up and listen again!
@@suzukisav Ha; nice one Mark!
@@mikestaniland2276 Thanks Mike!
I bought my first BSA 62 years ago and have owned at least one BSA ever since. I currently have a DBD34 Clubman and a DB34 in Tourer. Dave is so right about starting can hurt you. In May 2020 I snapped my achilles tendon starting the DB34 and still is still not fully healed! That has not stopped me from riding, even at 75, but only thanks to Bob Pearson's electric starts now fitted too both bikes.
My DBD 34 was a ‘56 version. The con rod snapped on the way to work. Crankcase split and at 16 couldn’t afford the repair bill. Loved it.
I could easily buy a " goldie " and just leave it in my living room just to stare at. What a gorgeous machine
Fantastic BSA Motorcycles, i ran a well rebuilt 1951 A10 chopper Every day for 2 years was reliable once i needed to adjusted the 6 spring clutch ,,,,boy o boy it pulled like a train 2 up uP Steep long hills at fantastic speed felt like the Millennium Falcon with vibes that smoothed out at hipper drive speeds 85mph in mid winter ice frosted up me beard .. Great Vid Thank You !
We had a local Goldie enthusiast in N.J. U.S. He always road one of his Gold Stars to events like the Norton Rally at Washington Crossing park on the Delaware river. For years we crossed paths at swap meets but he always had so many people around him that I didn't know how to approach. One day I just walked up and said it's about time I talked British bikes with you, still can't believe how down to earth and humble he was even to the point that he kept turning the conversation back to what I was working on and my brit bike experiences though he was the accomplished one. You just don't meet people like that anymore. Glad I did cancer got Carl a few years later.
That was always my dream machine as a teenager. I had most of the popular bikes of the time and some not so, but never got the Goldie I always wanted. Now I'm just too old. Thanks Dave for letting me see again all that I missed. lovely video.
You're never too old, unless maybe you're even older than me,66 and riding a 1995 Vs 1400 intruder for the last 16 years.
What is. Too old. ??? I want one and I am 73.
it still is my dream at 73
My very first bike was a 1951 Excelsior Talisman twin, a 250cc 2 stroke twin cylinder. Changed that to a new 1955 Ariel 350cc and that to a 1955 Ariel 650cc Huntmaster, Lovely bikes, I had several other BSAs but had to leave them behind when I came to NZ in 1962.This video really revived old memories!
Quick story, 1965, Sitting in the back of my dads Wolesely Westminster we were driving down our road approaching a roundabout when I heard something coming the other way. I pressed my face against the window and saw this guy go round the roundabout, come past us and disappear in a cloud of noise. He was riding a cafe racer, low and loud with lots of engine and chrome and not much else. Zip-over leather jacket, open-face helmet, goggles and socks rolled over his boot tops. It was the coolest thing I'd ever seen and at 8 years old, I knew that was who I wanted to be.
Fast forward to 1975, a Kawasaki dealer in Ruislip had a DBD34 in a featherbed frame with a Lyta alloy tank in prime position in his window and it was for sale. As soon as I saw it I was back in my dads Westminster with the same feeling in the pit of my stomach, it was the most beautiful thing I'de ever seen. I rode up there every night after work and stood at the window drooling and dreaming. Sadly I couldn't raise the money and someone else bought it. Other than not running away screaming when I first met most of the women I ended up living with, that is one of the biggest regrets of my life. So, thanks for reminding me!
(However, I did end up riding and working on bikes since I was 13, worked as a MC courier for far too long, raced TZ Yamahas for a few years, built race engines for a while and wrote half a book about gas flow dynamics before becoming a physical therapist, moving to Wales and learning to ride muni's {mountain unicycles} in the forest so it wasn't all bad. You couldn't make this shit up).
Love the motorcycle...I learned to ride on one just like this one
My dad bought it 20 years ago
Lovely machine remember summer evenings on the A1 in North Yorkshire, on a good evening they would do 125 and we thought that was fantastic - great memories, wish I had one now just to look at.
Hey John, that's fast! Thanks for sharing that and watching!
Mine was fast but not that fast.
@@jackjackson7577 To be honest it took a few miles to get there!
There is no way a Gold Star went 125. A Vincent Black Shadow, yes, but not a bike with half the displacement.
My dad had one of these machines and sold it for about £110 back in the day. About 25yrs ago one of the new owners of it found his old log book in the side panel and contacted my dad and brought the bike to my dad to see it again and have a ride, it was amazing to see my dads reunion with his old bike. Made his day seeing it again 👍🏻 great video thanks
was nice of that bloke to do that
Beautiful bike! My late Dad had one very similar from '66 to '79. I only heard it run the night he sold it when I was 10! Our family is full of stories of "the goldie". Years later by strange coincidence I ended up working with the guy who sold it to him in '66!
Cool bike, great advice. I bought a '71 Norton at Elite Motors in Tooting Broadway & put 7k miles in Europe in the Summer of '71. Vacation of a lifetime!
my friend used to strip his down every winter and rebuild it completely, even got the frame and tank repainted and the chrome all done, then re register it as a new bike, we all thought he was mad, but 90 mph in first wooohoooooo made it all worthwhile and that sound! I had one as well but was not as skilled as him, so I sold it and got a velocette venom, a bit easier for me, good video , thanks from New Zealand
As a Goldie owner myself for the last 30 years, your video is spot on.
Piękny motocykl prawdziwa historia Brytyjskiej motoryzacji pozdrawiam.
Beautiful bike. I remember the smell of Castrol R from being taken to speedway races when I was a boy.
Glad you liked it, thanks for watching!
I had a 56 back in the mid sixties. I had the higher bars, so it was more comfortable to ride. It handled great on and off the road. I kept it for three years then traded it for a 57 Cadillac. At least I could drive the Caddy in the winter. It was a great bike!.
Wow. Thanks for this video. Brought back many memories. My first motorcycle was a 1958 Gold Star 500. It was in 1966 and I was 18 years old. I loved that bike, but did not know what I had. Traded it in on a new 1968 Mark 4 BSA when I got home from Vietnam. Sure wish I had held on to it.
What a beast of first bike to own! Thanks for watching!
Music to your ears , magic machine , not for the faint hearted . Really glad to see you love it .
Excellent commentary dude. Never owned a Goldie, just a rash of old Beezers and Triumphs in my spotty youth. None of them worth two bob, but I did have a Road Rocket I picked up for 45 quid, and an A7 in bits in a crate for 3 quid. Ah, the 60's, the good old days.
This podcast was very revealing. I learned much I didn't know, and your delivery is engaging. Thanks for the upload....
I used to get severe headaches on runs from putting a dollop of "Castrol R" in the tank fond memories though. Lovely machine, thanks for posting
I scrambled two Gold Stars way back, a 500 BB and a 500 DBD, both sold as scramblers by the factory. They were potent and reliable motorcycles and I had a heap of fun on them as a regular club rider. I had one DBD34 Clubman that I found fast, furious and sometimes obstinate to start. I swapped out the RT2 transmission for a standard road box and replaced the GP carb with a spare 10TT9 from one of the scramblers. It became a different motorcycle, handling and performing with a little less speed but a lot better starting behavior. The Goldie was the best of the best and still is if one can afford one.
Had one, great fun, Like you said, after a while the bike becomes part of you.
You got that right Raud :)
Thanks so much for this David. I rode a Gold Star as a daily rider in the eighties and watching this brought it all back to me. Cold rainy mornings in peak hour traffic, keeping the revs up at lights, hoping moister wasn't penetrating through the points cover plate, the whiff of the occasional drop of oil combusting on the white-hot exhaust. A beautifully balanced handling bike, the power to weight ratio and frame BSA got very right. The previous owner did a rebuild, sprayed the tank British racing green, and added a set of drop bars, so along with its inherent style, exhaust note and pull away punch, it was a real head turner. Watching this has made me appreciate again, how fortunate I was to have this riding experience in my life.
Thanks for this. Brings back valuable memories of my Goldie.
What a lovely little video. In my younger days the owner of a black and gold Ducati 900 SS so appreciate this little beauty!
Beautiful I remember my early motorcycle day's slipping the clutch to start off at traffic lights. Just need to take 60 years of my life. Doubt if I could even kick start it now or worse still bump start it. Had 6 different bike late 50's to early 60' lovely day's of motor cycling
Thank you for sharing
Thanks for posting this. I didn't think the DBD34 Gold star came out until 1957. Mine was a 1956 DB34 which I converted from Touring spec. to full Clubmans spec. over time.
Had a problem with the lights getting dimmer the faster I went. Wrote to Bruce Mainsmith at the time and he was stumped also. Finally worked out that the magdyno assembly has a fibre (Tufnol) gear driving the dynamo gear and is driven off the magneto main shaft via a face clutch with a five (?) "fingered" leaf spring. Over time the clutch face on the fiber gear wears down and starts to slip at speed. Fix for this penniless Engineering student at the time was to just retension (bend) the spring fingers. As I had also adjusted the voltage regulator in an attempt to compensate for the slipping clutch, I then had to adjust it back a bit or risk blown bulbs.
The decompression system on that bike in the video is either out of adjustment or something is worn. What must happen is when the decompression lever is activated that lifts the exhaust valve off its seat via a cam in the rocker box assembly and all compression is instantly lost. I used to flood the Amal float chamber for a rich start and as the engine fired, lift the throttle open slightly. There was no idle stop on the 1 1/2" GP carburettor as it is a racing instrument. Curiously at the time it was reported in the motorcycling press that most Gold Star sales were in London and I did ride from my Southampton home into London and back a few times. Bit exciting riding around Hyde Park corner with a Clubmans Gold Star.
My dad had one of these. He was very proud that John Certes was the first owner in the logbook! It’s such a beautiful bike too. He sold it just before my sister was born because his mother told him he was risking not just his life, but the future of his family. As I understand it, a lot of young guys had some serious accidents on bikes around the fifties and sixties.
Yes,I think we all had our share of coming off in those days.
my dad rode BSA's too in the 50's . had a bunch of them
I presume you mean John Surtees?
it didnt help that the ambulance drivers had virtually no medical training! when they attended motorcycle accidents they would inadvertanley cause problems by getting riders with spinal injuries to sit up.
Actually it's John Surtees !!!!
Beautiful bike & superb review Dave - and sounds !.My Rocket Gold Star had the same Eddie Dow Duetto conversion which was dissapointing when I bought it .Taking it to a small local brake service shop , the guy was a former competition racer and recommended new bonded linings in his suggested material.After carefully resetting the levers, the brake was formidably powerful and as you say transformed the enjoyment of riding the bike in a spirited fashion !.
I used to ride one of these many years ago, once road it though central London traffic (complete with RRT2 and clip ones) could hardly walk the next day. It used to vibrate the lenses in my eye glasses loose. Would start and warm up on a hot plug then swap to a cold plug once it was warmed up, plug spanner in one boot and spark plug in pocket.
Beautiful bike. My father nearly bought one from Glanfield Lawrence in Swansea. He chose the Venom Clubman. He remembers taking it up to an indicated 116mph!
Love the sound of the single. My uncle had a 350 Matchless years ago, which I rode, and it sounded similar.
Putting R in the gas tank !! Yes, did that with my Norton all the time, adored the scent.
Dave fantastic video. I bought a b31 plunger 350cc 1953 over a year ago , I love the bike fantastic sound such a pleasure to ride . Took me nearly 12 hours how to start engine!! Thank goodness for CZcams.
Right on Martyn, we passed that onto Dave, he knew exactly what you were talking about!
Now that’s what you call a bike 🏍, you are sooooo freaking lucky 🍀 to own one of those. My dad had one waaaaaaaaay back in the day, he bought it off a lady, who’s husband owned it, sadly, he passed away while trying to tune it on the bike, he was looking at the carb when the front wheel hit a large stone and threw him off, hitting his head on the road and sadly passed away. His wife sold it for next to nothing to get rid of it. My dad actually thought the add for it was priced wrongly, but it wasn’t, he really lucked out in tragic circumstances. I don’t know much more about it than that but it’s a true story backed up with the pictures he showed me in the 70s, those pictures are sadly now long 😞 lost. You’re bike is absolutely stunning 🤩 and such an easy starter.
I built my first British bike in 1979. An AJS 500 single. I put it together from piles of parts from various autojumbles with advice from my Granddad. It had two oil drips at first so I paid extra attention to those and it was great for the next 6 years of riding it to work 12.000 miles a year in all weathers, and polished it up at the weekends for riding with my mates.. It broke down once due to the primary chain snapping after 3 years of commuting. It did leak oil from the pressed steel chaincase due to the crap rubber band seal design, but never dripped on anyones driveway. I've built others since, and if you take care over the assembly they wont leak, and if you recondition all the worn parts properly they will be reliable for many miles.
we used to pour molten candle wax into pressed steel primary chaincases did it on my Domi 99 poured oil on top it never leaked i also had a Rocket Gold Star back in the 60sand 70s now i live in Bulgaria and drive a v6 Landy i buy lots of 60s motorcycle mags ie blue un and green un off E Bay Thanks for this series love it Regards from Bulgaria
Years ago i owned a matchless 500 single. I certainly do remember old school starting procedures!! Love this video!
Glad you enjoyed it Glen :)
Thank you very much for providing such well presented understanding of this motor bike! Your manner produces to the viewer good confidence of learning about this machine.
I think that these videos are the best thing on CZcams really well done and informative
Back around 1965 give or take I used to attend Wimbledon Tech. A fellow student had a Gold Star which he used to race at the weekend but it was also his regular street bike. I remember the carburetor had an enormous venturi (bigger than the one shown, at least that is what my unreliable memory is telling me). I was young, the exhaust note was fantastic (I'm not so sure I'd appreciate that today). I had an old 350 AJS with high compression pistons and scrambles cams but the Goldie was in a different class.
The way it started I was sure you had an electronic ignition conversion for the magneto, but apparently not! When I was a young bloke in the ‘60s a run and bump was a good way to get a Goldie going, but you had to make sure it was pulled back on compression first! Love the Chronometric speedo and tacho, if you pull them apart you will see they are built like a clock.
Mr,DAVE MITCHEL!!! I watched this video a year or so ago!!! I really think this BSA GOLD STAR is the Most Beautiful BSA I've ever. Seen!!! Your a really a Expert on these great Works Riding works of Art!!!!
This was a fantastic video brought back memories for me hearing a gold star at full chat on a summer's evening in the early 70s could still hear it four miles away ... Wonderful thanks for posting
I had a 1957 Gold Star Catalina Scrambler that I rode in competition for some 10 years. It was a marvelous motorcycle and very reliable.
Great job Dave and fantastic video!
Thanks for your lovely comments Amber, Dave is great on camera eh!
When I was a kid of 14, I keep bugging my neighbor to let me ride his BSA. Eventually, he said, " you can ride it if you can start it".
Even though it was "only" a 250, my first solo ride on a "big" single had to wait til my folks bought me a, then brand new, Honda XL 250:)
As a motorcyclist from the late sixties and early seventies I must say the Gold Star wars the ultimate cafe racer . In fact this bike probably started all cafe racing. Boy were they fast.
Love the style of presentation, all of your points bring back great memories and made me chuckle, keep up the content 👍
Wonderful ! I love these videos. Thanks for all the care in creating them, especially for all us old geezers looking back down the telescope. A mate in Bromley had one, and when came over to me in Wandsworth he never got out of first gear !
Glad you like them, love these stories, keep 'em coming!
My neighbour had one of these back in the late sixties when I had a Norton ES2. I was always in awe of the "Goldie" and especially how tall the first gear was. I really really wanted one but sadly never did get one. I should have been more focused and determined.
Goldie, a revered bike and much loved by most at the time. Certainly by myself, although I couldn't afford one at the time. Beautiful bikes.
Right on Tony! Thanks for watching!
Fantastic video about one of my (and everyone else's) favorite bike! So happy I've had the opportunity of owning one.
I have the perfect accessory for this bike. A set of Belstaff boots bought in London in 1976.
Gimme gimme gimme, have you got the white sailors socks 🧦 for them as well. 😂
Lovely documentary and that sound is something else again. Magnificent!
You Sir are a motorcyclist! Today most people riding bikes are consumers who don't do their own maintenance nor do they understand how their bikes actually work...they just buy them then jump on and ride. The motorcycle manufacturers wanted to make their bikes more 'friendly' with all the creature comforts like electric start and such....but I really miss my kickers. The closest bike I've found to the old 'pure' and simple machines are the Royal Enfield Interceptors. Sure...they're fuel injected to meet modern emissions but to me now that's a plus as we can plug a cable in and tune it much better than changing jets and bleeds or monkeying with springs on the ignition.
Wonderful BSA there and thank you for taking the time to show it to us.
Most insightful as one has become accustomed, you made the pertinent sighting of today’s traffic as a deterrent to stalling though also the satisfaction of quiet road escape. Most enthralling 👍👌
Very thorough with good tips full of real experience----love this channel.
Much appreciated Bill, thanks for watching :)
Amazing review of a lovely bike.
Really enjoyed the presentation delivered with honesty.
Thanks for watching Doug and your nice comments!
I've always wanted a gold star, your review was superb! as far as BSA reliability goes, I had a 72' A65 lightning that I completely rebuilt and it ran so well I would bet guys at the bar a drink I could kick start it with my hand... of course nobody believed me so I won a lot of drinks!
Great story Chris, thanks for sharing, would have liked to have seen that!
Hand start A65 Lightening, wow.
Superb and honest tutorial on the legendary British single.
Great video work mate. Love the old bikes. The only thing missing is Brigitte Bardot at 18 yrs old on the back.
Back in the day my mate had a DBD32 .it would do 90 in third and 92 in top .lovely bike .
@Caferacer Wolf A DBD32 was 350cc so I doubt it would do 110!
Considered a DBD34 as a retirement present to myself but in the end opted for its 650cc twin cousin , a genuine '62 Rocket Goldie which has better manners generally. In clubman trim with clipons and rearsets and with an RRT2 g/box fitted just keep it in first for slow speeds round towns and in traffic without needing to slip the clutch. Starts easily with no choke (running slightly rich) and lever left on full advance which produces a kick back but nothing as brutal as the 500 single , and always goes second or third kick. Surprisingly comfortable on longish rides and will cruise all day at 80 mph 5000 rpm if so desired.
very interesting, well explained. Also the standards and expectations were different back then, you were expected to have a relationship with your bike, ride maintenance, ride, maintenance, not the fuel and go we are used with today. They were expected to be lifelong machines, really, not just basic consumer items.
Sorry, but no they weren't. Even with all of that maintenance they only lasted a fraction of the time a modern bike can last.
Absolutely first class channel,second to none you are an inspiration.Please keep up the good work I certainly will be tuned in 🇮🇪
Thank you so much Martin for your nice comments, they really motivate us :)
Excellent video, remember having one In 60's used to go to Tamworth and race past the Belfry back to Brum. After using the Monica cafe. Also remember a guy called Mucker who had a fast Velocette . Must admit mine kicked back that often I took kickstart off and bumped it, usually forgetting to take rag out of carb, great days when you lived life to the full, without the traffic ,speed cameras and
Had a 1956 DBD34 registered in 1957, in 1968, when I was 18 years old. Wish I had it now! I also had a 1958 90 bore 498cc Manx Norton on the road in 1979, a nice bike but not quite as much fun to ride as the Goldie but pulled as many admirers. Happy days!
I had one many years ago and loved it ,at my desk there is a 13” x16” old metal poster , of a old thumper , even now in my 70’s if I had one now , we would go for a ride ,
oh it would have to have a kick starter , I earned all those black and blue marks , until it taught me how it liked it ,after that it was 90% of the time a single kick starter .
Thanks for posting , DBD’s for ever
Put one of these together from a basket of parts in 1972. Didn't come with a stock muffler and the only after market muffler that would work on it was a Bates Shorty. Ran with a straight pipe until an encounter with the local constabulary and the Bates went on. Didn't have it for long, traded for a Triumph Trophy and a Lambretta scooter. Ended up as the only Lambretta scooter repair guy in the San Francisco Bay Area and shifted emphasis onto keeping the local Mod revival movement up on two wheels. Search CZcams for Batcave Scooters. Cheers.
very down to earth vidio ,very nice chap and enjoyed it very much ,had 500 goldi when i was 18 now 76 and still miss it ,mine was wup856
malcolm smith ... your old bike is still around ... just type in check road tax and Mot then type in your reg ...
This is what came up
WUP 856
✓ SORN
Incorrect tax status?
MOT
No results returned
Incorrect MOT status?
WarningIf you've just bought this vehicle the tax or SORN doesn't come with it. You'll need to tax it before driving it.
Vehicle Details
Vehicle make BSA
Date of first registration July 1957
Year of manufacture 1957
Cylinder capacity 500 cc
CO₂ emissions Not available
Fuel type PETROL
Euro status Not available
Real Driving Emissions (RDE) Not available
Export marker No
Vehicle status SORN
Vehicle colour NOT STATED
Vehicle type approval Not available
Wheelplan 2 WHEEL
Revenue weight Not available
Date of last V5C (logbook) issued 1 March 2013
@@thepianoman1010 thanks for that ,checked on dvla site ,think it may have been sold on ebay around that time 2012 ? malcolm
@@malcolmsmith4695 Possibly ... good luck trying to find it mate!!
What a great watch , I love my old BSA pockets not deep enough for a gold star but my 57 b31 gives me so much fun keep up the good work , a new sub done
This brought back memories , and you did a really good job of describing the features, good and not so good. Bike in v/good condition, enjoyed the video.
Thanks for your nice comments, really nice to hear them. Stay tuned for some more of Dave's bike profiles!
A very well explained video for a novice like me,it helped me gain more interesting knowledge on the technicalities of GS and more importantly how to live with.You explained what was a dilemma to me and unfortunately I came to realise that it's not for Maltese roads....way not unfortunately.
Thank you!
Excellent video on a machine which I longed for (but couldn't afford) on it's release, yes I'm that old! That bike is a credit to you, it looks as new. Well done Dave!!
Love those gauges, beautiful bike. Classic rear end neat and clean. Great video.
Tho many of us have this dream of riding a goldstar 500, Dave Mitchell explains in a kind but direct way why few do so in reality, as it is essentially an uncompromising racing bike at heart.I dare say a good number of these bikes are displayed in the home without being ridden in anger. And nothing wrong with that .However. what a thrill to see the presenter riding his example with spirit through the country lanes. , showing us why the BSA B34 is so special.... I'll continue to dream...
Wow just love the sound & wot a brilliant put together vid well done👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻
Glad you enjoyed it John, thanks for your nice comments!
Beautiful ! , I had and rode and loved a 1952 500cc ES2 with ' Featherbed frame ' and ' Road holder forks ' while not really fast ( 34hp ) would eat my mates 750 Bonnies , 750/850 Commando's , 650 BSA's etc on the corners with ease ,
Thank you for the memory .
Thank you so much for this video. You explained so much about the ‘Goldie’ that I didn’t know. The kind of bike that puts a big stupid grin on your face when you encounter it.
Thanks for you nice comments, glad you enjoyed the video!
Nice condition. My brother John had one. I remember him towing it around the block with flushing oil to get rid of the Castrol R before using mineral oil in it. Used to love the sound when it started up with that twitter.
I always loved BSA s but when it finally came to parting with serious cash for a big classic single I bought a Velocette Venom. Much of what is said in this video also applies to the Venom, but in spite of having very similar performance to the Goldie, it is more usable in traffic. I love my Venom and have no regrets even though the Goldie has more kudos. What do you think? The only mod I want to make to my bike which is also in clubman trim. is to fit 12v electrics as night riding is, frankly, scary on unlit roads (unlit by my bike as well as by the council!).
Rare when I was young so cant be many around now work of art
Fantastic riding sequences, great points of view, a nice simulation for the would-be owner!
Thanks for your nice comments Bruce, much appreciated :)
Absolutely wonderful review. Thanks so much.
Magnifique moto. As a single cylinder engine lover, I must admit this british bike is awesome. (Coming from a french, it really means it!)
In France, our motorbike industry did not survive ww2.(except small engines) We do not have such mechanical icons.
France did and does make some fantastic machinery. Greetings from Cornwall.
Very informative video -- you really put the truth of the bike, its proper usage and expectations right out there.
Beautiful bike. Sounds great -- looks like it's ready for a few runs around the Isle of Man
Hey Edwin, thanks for watching our videos and your nice comments :)
1:18 - “It’s enough to frighten the horses!” 🤣
After seeing hundreds of motorcycle videos, I'm happy to tell Dave and everyone, this is the finest introduction to any brand/model I've ever seen. BTW, my Goldie would be a Venom.
The best DBD34 video ever!
Wonderful comment Sir David Mitchell. Elaborated with the refinement of a technician with high knowledge in English machines, metallurgy, as well as a fearless runner in other times. Congratulations!
Hi Dave. Great to see my favourite bike again. I owned one back in the early 1970's, whilst living in London. 1959 Full DBD 34 Clubman's with 8 inch 'Bacon-slicer' single-sided front brake. Beat the 190mm full width hub for stopping. Registration number was 776 HPC. Only used it at weekends, when going to the 5&9; Ace Cafe; Nightingale at Biggin Hill; Chelsea Bridge Coffee Stall for Run-pasts, or Box Hill and beyond, for Sunday runs. Nice to hear the Twitter again.
Do you have a Valve-lifter on your Goldie, as you seemed to be struggling to get it over TDC, whilst demonstrating how to start the engine. That's what the Valve-lifter is for, to make starting easy. I'm now a pensioner and wish I still had the Goldie, but circumstances forced me to sell it, when I left London in late seventies. The mistakes we make when young, eh?
Ah. Nightingale and Chelsea Bridge, but don't forget the Saltbox and Johnson :-)
Happy days ❤
Dave, I totally enjoy your take on these old bikes, even the new Goldie! I really appreciate your honesty and experience with these amazing machines. I almost feel guilty for buying a brand new 1974 Honda CB-750 instead of a beautiful British machine. Well, times have changed and I'm wanting a proper British machine. Either the new BSA or Triumph. Thanks for these great youtube programs!
Dave, I'm an avid follower of you channel. You always have such great information and I respect you vast knowledge of the older bikes. I think I might be more suited to a 1970's Norton or the new BSA 650 Goldie. Thanks for always being knowledgeable about these bikes. I appreciate you honesty and mechanical ability. My number one source of information!
Great looking bike! Always wanted to own one, so thanks for pointing out that there are cons as well as pros.
Thanks for your nice comments Louis1952 :)
Nice. I had a buddy back in the mid sixties who had a Gold Star, serious fast bike....at the time I had a 650 BSA and another buddy had 500 single Matchless....and learned ther refrain "All Hail Lucas, Prince of Darkness"
Ohh, that smell. Wonderful. I remember it well. Bastard to start. Uncomfortable. Expensive to run. Noisy. I loved it.
Great job and presentation. I applaud your attention to detail. Love that bike but it makes about as much sense as a road bike as my old Ducati! Do you remember by chance the almost mythical tales of one of North London's most famous Gold Flash riders? "Crasher Thomas"! His story was once immortalised in Classic Bike magazine...a real world Ogri!