BSA B44 Shooting Star
Encyclopedia
The BSA B44 Shooting Star was a motorcycle
made by BSA at their factory in Small Heath
, Birmingham
. Similar to the BSA C15
and sharing many of the same parts, the B44 had an uprated chassis.
In 1965 an off road motocross
BSA B44 named the ‘’Victor’’ was launched at the Earls Court Show. Developed from scramblers used by Jeff Smith
to win the 1964 and 1965 500cc World Championships, the model proved so popular that Victor Grand Prix and Victor Enduro models were developed, as well as a road going version, the 1967 Victor Roadster was produced and the B44VS Victor Special was also successfully exported to the US between 1968 and 1970 .
In 1968 the B44 became BSA's top export model and sold in the USA and Canada as the Shooting Star. The good availability of spare parts and the relative simplicity of the single-cylinder engine means that the surviving examples are easily restored to as new condition.
Victors had impressive power-to-weight ratios that made them ideal for hill climbs. The 11:1 compression ratio required a compression release
lever for kick start
ing.
, producer Michael Lang is seen riding a BSA Victor motorcycle across the pastures.
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
made by BSA at their factory in Small Heath
Small Heath, Birmingham
Small Heath is an inner-city area within the city of Birmingham, West Midlands, England. It is situated on and around the A45 ....
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. Similar to the BSA C15
BSA C15
The BSA C15 was the first four-stroke unit construction motorcycle produced by the British company BSA and manufactured between 1958 and 1967. At the time, the C15 was the largest capacity bike that a learner could ride on L-plates in the United Kingdom...
and sharing many of the same parts, the B44 had an uprated chassis.
In 1965 an off road motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
BSA B44 named the ‘’Victor’’ was launched at the Earls Court Show. Developed from scramblers used by Jeff Smith
Jeff Smith (motorcyclist)
Jeffrey Vincent Smith MBE is a former world champion motocross racer.His achievements include two FIM 500cc Motocross World Championships , two British Trials Championships, multiple British Experts Trial wins, four individual race wins in the Motocross des Nations, one Scottish Six Days Trial win...
to win the 1964 and 1965 500cc World Championships, the model proved so popular that Victor Grand Prix and Victor Enduro models were developed, as well as a road going version, the 1967 Victor Roadster was produced and the B44VS Victor Special was also successfully exported to the US between 1968 and 1970 .
In 1968 the B44 became BSA's top export model and sold in the USA and Canada as the Shooting Star. The good availability of spare parts and the relative simplicity of the single-cylinder engine means that the surviving examples are easily restored to as new condition.
Victors had impressive power-to-weight ratios that made them ideal for hill climbs. The 11:1 compression ratio required a compression release
Compression release
A compression release mechanism works to ease the starting of internal combustion engines by allowing them to spin up to starting speed without having to work against the pumping action of the pistons...
lever for kick start
Kick start
Kick start refers to a method of starting an internal combustion engine by pushing a ratcheting lever with one's foot. Kick start mechanisms were almost universally a part of motorcycle engines before the mid-1970s, and were phased out of production over the next twenty years or so as electric...
ing.
Popular culture
On the original 1969 footage of the Woodstock ConcertWoodstock Festival
Woodstock Music & Art Fair was a music festival, billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music". It was held at Max Yasgur's 600-acre dairy farm in the Catskills near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969...
, producer Michael Lang is seen riding a BSA Victor motorcycle across the pastures.