Classic Bike Review - BSA Lightning 650 1972

[@a65builder67]

hi the bsa a65 was never meant to compete with the honda 750/ 4 however the bsa rocket 3 did and it competed very well with power and handling, i have a a65 lightning and i have a 650 xs and the lightning holds it's own all day long with the yam and the bsa is 16 years old. kind regards ps the bsa a65 is a very under rated bike

[@grahamglencorse307]

G’day Adrian, Thank you and Norman for keeping these classic machines on the road. Not everyone is fortunate enough to ride and own the classics but to blokes “in their twilight” years, we can still think about our misspent youth. 🏍🇦🇺☕️

[@AfricaTwin-Stuff]

Thanks Graham. Of course I’m only friends with Norman because he lets me ride his bikes - but don’t tell him 🤫

[@matthewjames4268]

Have an A50 Royalstar with the A65 motor. Learning carbs is fun. Finally got it running after finding the plugs fouled.

[@stevef8763]

That's a lovely BSA, good to see it out on the road, classics should go on and on....

[@kdsowen2882]

360-degree parallel-twin....it does sound tight Dave nz

[@ivofer8349]

how come Norman has all the nice extra toys

[@AfricaTwin-Stuff]

Hmmm. I suppose we all have to have a hobby to ward off …. I can’t remember what ….

[@SapoPeta-c6x]

Which carbs jetting does it have? What's the cruising speed you've found to be it's sweet spot? It's supposed to reach over 100mph but mine won't go over 70 and need a very high tickover so it won't stall when hot. Its lovely anyway, but your advice would be priceless. Thanks in advance

[@AfricaTwin-Stuff]

Sorry. Can’t answer your questions. This isn’t my bike. Also it’s only ridden gently and occasionally.

[@paulgibson3433]

Excellent review! 👍

[@biggles50405]

A lovely looking and sounding bike, I'm not sure I could rewire my brain enough to operate a right foot gear change. Have you both been changing bikes this year?, it looks like Wendy is riding the new Honda Rebel. or is that another of Normans Triumphs?.

[@AfricaTwin-Stuff]

Wendy has at Kawasaki Vulcan 650. See a couple of videos ago for the reveal.

[@biggles50405]

@@AfricaTwin-Stuff My apologies, had a senior moment and remembered about the reveal before. 😕

[@crispernator]

Gday mate back when i was a lad around 100 years ago the police here in S.A used to ride 650 bsa bikes i think it was a thunderbolt or lightning bolt used to have a chrome tank sides and black and of course the nostaligic bsa logo same as the new ones now yes you cant beat the sound of a bsa or triumph twin the way a bike should sound take care .

[@AfricaTwin-Stuff]

Similar in Victoria where I grew up. I used to walk past a shop that sold ex-police BSA’s. Black with chrome sided tanks. Beautiful.

[@andrewewan624]

I had the Triumph T120v Bonnieville in early 70s.... Sadly let down with multiple issues with build quality AND infamous Joe Lucas electrics....lol Enjoyable when it was running right

[@AfricaTwin-Stuff]

Sadly most Brit bikes are much better after being “restored” to address the poor build quality of the day.

[@kdsowen2882]

@@AfricaTwin-Stuff Probably more poor-tooling than anything . The number-crunchers refused to buy new-tooling even when it was well-past its used-by-date . Dave nz

[@alfred-vz8ti]

bsa had some good features, but the bonneville twin carbs put triumph out front in the states.

[@AfricaTwin-Stuff]

Agree Triumph lasted a few more years than the BSA.

[@martinburke362]

Cor Squawly Pucker Dum mate have you gone Drongo!! That Pohmy twins a 360° crankshaft you great Gahlaa! 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🤪🤪🤪!

[@bobfisheruk]

BSA Looks Great, But those handlebars would have to go. I also owned a Honda CX 500 many years ago,

[@AfricaTwin-Stuff]

Yes I agree. If it was mine I’d be putting “standard” bars on it.

[@kevincorby435]

Hope your mate enjoys his CX. I had two and travelled all over the UK on them.

[@AfricaTwin-Stuff]

They were very underrated here at the time, but are quite sought after now.

[@lesjones7617]

and whot about the NSU TTS 1200 Munch Mammoth????????????????????????//

[@ianbonnick7640]

May not buy it for its performance unless it’s got an srm/devimead conversion

[@ANTHONYMatthews-qv1jz]

Stop keep kicking to start on the center😂 stang it looks so feminine 😂

[@AfricaTwin-Stuff]

Oh … are you saying looking feminine is a bad thing? Weird!