BREAKING: BSA Gold Star 650cc Retro Bike: Specifications, Features And Other Details Revealed

The just-unveiled Gold Star is BSA’s first modern motorcycle aimed to take on the likes of the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

• The BSA Gold Star is powered by a 652cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine churning out 45.6PS and 55Nm.
• Offers a claimed mileage of 30kmpl.
• Features assist and slipper clutch, immobiliser, USB socket and dual-channel ABS.

BSA has unveiled its first modern motorcycle, the Gold Star to the public at the 2021 NEC Birmingham Motorcycle Show in the UK. While the company gave us a sneak peak of the images of the motorcycle yesterday, BSA has now revealed all the technical details of this retro bike, meant to take on the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. 

The BSA Gold Star is the company’s modern take on the original 1960’s Gold Star, so the retro roadster-like styling stays true to its roots. The round halogen headlamp, tasteful twin pod instrument cluster, classic peanut shaped fuel tank with offset tank cap and pinstripes, flat bench seat, simple side panels, and the chromed out fender all give off a distinct retro vibe. The attention-to-detail in the brushed metal elements on the powertrain and the pea-shooter exhaust make the bike as distinctly British as the Triumph Bonneville T100. We just wish the rear fender was designed to look a little more coherent. 

The motorcycle is powered by a new Euro-5/ BS6-compliant 652cc single-cylinder 4-valve DOHC liquid-cooled motor mated to a 5-speed transmission with assist and slipper clutch. It churns out 45.6PS at 6000rpm and 55Nm at 4000rpm. The torque starts building up right from 1800rpm, staying true to its big-single retro demeanour. There are no electronic aids apart from the Continental dual-channel ABS. BSA claims the Gold Star returns a mileage of about 30kmpl, which is pretty impressive for such a large capacity single-cylinder motorcycle. This coupled with the 12-litre fuel tank should make it a decent tourer. The service interval is fairly generous too, at almost 10,000km.

• BSA Gold Star vs Royal Enfield Interceptor 650: Photo Comparison
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The engine nestles inside a tubular steel double-cradle frame linked to a 41mm telescopic front fork and twin 5-step preload adjustable rear shock absorbers. Braking is via a single 320mm front disc with two-piston axial calipers and a 255mm rear disc with single-piston caliper, both from Brembo. The motorcycle rolls on 18-inch front and a 17-inch rear spoke wheel wrapped with Pirelli Phantom Sportscomp tubed tyres. These are the same tyres that the Interceptor 650 and the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 debuted with. 

At 213kg wet, the bike is pretty hefty. However, the seat is fairly accessible at 780mm, and the easy-to-reach handlebars, mid-set footpegs offer properly upright ergonomics too. The twin pod instrument cluster gets reverse sweeping analogue needles, and there’s a multifunction LCD inset too. For extra practicality, the bike also gets a handle-bar mounted USB charging port, engine immobiliser, and a 12V socket for a jacket heater.  

The BSA Gold Star is designed and engineered in the UK but is manufactured in India. That said, it will be priced at a premium, above the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, which retails at an equivalent of Rs 6.02 lakh in the UK. And since the motorcycle is made in India, expect BSA to bring it to our shores later. That said, the Interceptor 650 will still be the most affordable 650cc bike in the country. Other alternatives to the BSA Gold Star would be the Kawasaki Z650RS, and the Triumph Street Twin.