BSA Hornet
Encyclopedia
The BSA Hornet is a British motorcycle
made by BSA
at their factory in Birmingham
for export to the US between 1964 and 1965.
with more power. Although they could be used on public roads, BSA Spitfire Hornets and Hornets were supplied without headlights or taillights, with 'straight through' exhaust pipes; high pipes (east coast model) and low TT pipes (west coast model) and twin carburettors. The 6 volt coil 'ET' (energy transfer) ignition system was designed to include easy conversion to add lights for road use but the exhaust pipes needed to be fitted with mufflers to become road legal. The 'Mandarin Red' Spitfire Hornet ('64-'65) was further upgraded in 1965 with a more positive gear selector and a quick change gearbox sprocket. Ignition was also improved, as was the lubrication system but customers complained of vibration. In '66 the name was changed to Hornet but still retained the Mandarin Red (looked like orange) color. In '67 the color was changed to a darker red 'Cherokee Red' and was the last production year for the Hornet.
The BSA Spitfire Hornet was a true racing motorcycle, with the A65 engine was upgraded with high compression pistons, and a performance cam. The gear ratios were altereed for sprint acceleration and the brakes (the 8inch model from the BSA Gold Star
) were improved with special cooling fins. Popular in the US the BSA Spitfire Hornet was not marketed in the UK, although the name was later used for the top selling BSA Spitfire
road bike. For '66 and '67 the Spitfire Hornets name was changed to Hornet.
tested the BSA Hornet and described it as "a keen bike - but I found it awfully heavy". McQueen suggested that a lot more weight would have to be stripped off to make the bike competitive. He also noted that the Hornet also had a tendency to want to go its own way but had what he called a 'good-functioning' power train. He also suggested that if the front forks were raked on a more forward angle the BSA would have "a more stable ride in the rough and would be generally a smoother performer".
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
Birmingham Small Arms Company
This article is not about Gamo subsidiary BSA Guns Limited of Armoury Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B11 2PP or BSA Company or its successors....
at their factory in 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...
for export to the US between 1964 and 1965.
Development
The BSA Spitfire Hornet ('64-'65) and Hornet ('66-'67) (and the 500cc BSA Wasp) were developed by BSA in 1964 as purpose built off road and desert racer motorcycles in response to demand from the US market for a 'stripped down' BSA LightningBSA Lightning
The Lightning was a BSA motorcycle made in Birmingham between 1965 and 1972.-Development:The BSA Lightning was designed as the all-round sportbike of the 1960s, planned largely for export to the US market to complement the touring Thunderbolt and the supersports Spitfire...
with more power. Although they could be used on public roads, BSA Spitfire Hornets and Hornets were supplied without headlights or taillights, with 'straight through' exhaust pipes; high pipes (east coast model) and low TT pipes (west coast model) and twin carburettors. The 6 volt coil 'ET' (energy transfer) ignition system was designed to include easy conversion to add lights for road use but the exhaust pipes needed to be fitted with mufflers to become road legal. The 'Mandarin Red' Spitfire Hornet ('64-'65) was further upgraded in 1965 with a more positive gear selector and a quick change gearbox sprocket. Ignition was also improved, as was the lubrication system but customers complained of vibration. In '66 the name was changed to Hornet but still retained the Mandarin Red (looked like orange) color. In '67 the color was changed to a darker red 'Cherokee Red' and was the last production year for the Hornet.
BSA Spitfire Hornet
BSA Gold Star
The Gold Star is a motorcycle made by BSA from 1938–1963. They were 350 cc and 500 cc single-cylinder four-stroke production motorcycle known for being among the fastest bikes of the 1950s...
) were improved with special cooling fins. Popular in the US the BSA Spitfire Hornet was not marketed in the UK, although the name was later used for the top selling BSA Spitfire
BSA Spitfire
The BSA Spitfire is a Birmingham Small Arms Company motorcycle made from 1963 to 1968. One of the first BSAs to have 12-volt electrics, the Spitfire was also one of the first "street racers" with two large-bore Amal GP carburettors, complete with velocity stacks.-Development:In 1966 BSA were...
road bike. For '66 and '67 the Spitfire Hornets name was changed to Hornet.
Steve McQueen BSA Hornet road test
Actor Steve McQueenSteve McQueen
Terrence Steven "Steve" McQueen was an American movie actor. He was nicknamed "The King of Cool." His "anti-hero" persona, which he developed at the height of the Vietnam counterculture, made him one of the top box-office draws of the 1960s and 1970s. McQueen received an Academy Award nomination...
tested the BSA Hornet and described it as "a keen bike - but I found it awfully heavy". McQueen suggested that a lot more weight would have to be stripped off to make the bike competitive. He also noted that the Hornet also had a tendency to want to go its own way but had what he called a 'good-functioning' power train. He also suggested that if the front forks were raked on a more forward angle the BSA would have "a more stable ride in the rough and would be generally a smoother performer".
