2022 BSA Gold Star unveiled — an icon risen from the ashes

BSA Motorcycles has made a grand comeback after 48 years, and it is ready with its first all-new motorcycle. The 2022 BSA Gold Star has finally been unveiled, and is now officially on display at the 2021 Motorcycle Live Show. The revival of BSA Motorcycles has been possible thanks to Classic Legends who is also the reason behind the resurrection of iconic brands such as Jawa and Yezdi. We finally have all details of the 2022 BSA Gold Star, so let’s get right to it.

2022 BSA Gold Star Design

The 2022 BSA Gold Star draws heavy design cues from the DB34 produced back in the day. Like most modern retro motorcycles, the new Gold Star will remind you of motorcycles from a long-gone era. In fact, a huge chunk of components on the motorcycle are reimagined versions of the original — the engine, the twin-pod instrument cluster, and the tail-lamp look bang-identical to the ones on the original Gold Star. However, the engine packs a lot of modern tech, which we will get to in a bit. The fuel tank of the 2022 Gold Star takes inspiration from older models, while the offset fuel filler cap shows the attention to detail BSA has put in. BSA is offering the 2022 Gold Star with a choice of five paint schemes globally, such as Insignia Red, Dawn Silver, Midnight Black, Highland Green and a Legacy Edition Silver Sheen. We’ve always believed looks are a subjective matter, but overall, the 2022 BSA Gold Star clearly looks like an evolution of a 1955 DB34 Gold Star.

2022 BSA Gold Star Powertrain and Chassis

Underneath the charming retro looks lies quite a bit of modern technology. The 2022 BSA Gold Star is powered by an all-new 652cc single cylinder liquid-cooled engine which has been jointly developed by BSA and the Technical University of Graz. It produces 45bhp at 6000rpm, 55Nm of torque at 4000rpm and is paired to a five-speed gearbox. The Gold Star is underpinned by an all-new double cradle chassis, while suspension duties are taken care of by 41mm telescopic forks at the front, and a swingarm with dual shock absorbers. Whether the front suspension receives any adjustability remains unknown, but the rear shocks are five-step preload adjustable. The braking setup on the Gold Star comes courtesy of Brembo — a dual-piston floating caliper mounted on a 320mm disc, and a single-piston floating caliper mounted on a 255mm disc at the rear. The new Gold Star sports Pirelli Phantom Sportscomp tyres on both ends with 18-inch and 17-inch wheels at the front and rear respectively.

2022 BSA Gold Star Features

There isn’t much to talk about when it comes to features, but the 2022 BSA Gold Star packs just about enough. It gets dual-channel ABS from Continental, multi-information LCD screens housed within the analogue twin-pods, engine immobiliser, a slipper-assist clutch, USB charger mounted on the handlebar, and a 12V socket.

The big question — is it coming to India?

We know you’ve been waiting for the answer to this question, and while BSA hasn’t confirmed an India launch yet, it hasn’t denied the possibility either. However, it will be a while before BSA even arrives on Indian shores with the 2022 Gold Star, as Classic Legends is touted to relaunch another iconic brand very soon — the Yezdi. When it eventually arrives in India, the BSA Gold Star can be expected to compete against the Kawasaki Z650RS, but it is also closer to the Royal Enfield 650 twins in terms of power output.