1954 swinging arm BSA Gold Flash.

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DescriptionI had a 1954 swinging arm BSA Gold Flash. Spent a year and a half completely stripping it down, even took the spokes from the wheels, repainted it and all the chroming was done by Armstrong and Farr in Victoria St, ChCh. When I finished reassembling the bike in Jan, '62, it looked brand new.

Only rode it for 4 months before I got my call-up notice for National Service in the Army at Waiouru, so reluctantly I sold it. Out of the Army 5 months later to hear the guy I sold it to had written it off. What a waste of a beautiful machine. Hate to think what it would be worth today.
Colourized by Graeme Todd
Date of Photo1965Map^[1]ContributorTerry MJ

Shown in this image

Location (city or town)GreymouthEvent1954 swinging arm BSA Gold Flash.

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Date Created28th March 2022CommentsKevin Oregan
Love the jacket. Memories of that era

Roger O'Regan
Sad story Terry. I think the BSA range of bikes were simply the best looking of all on that era. You brought back a memory mentioning Armstrong and Farr, the best polished and players of the time. And as my bro mentioned, the jacket (and haircut) puts you in that magic era. Great post!
Reply8h

Roger O'Regan Thanks Roger, I remember that "Beeza" like it was yesterday. I put my heart and soul into the complete rebuild as I had intentions of keeping that bike forever, haha !!! I remember staying up at nite in my Dads garage until 2 or 3am working on it, then going to work. At that stage I had no idea I was going to be called up for the Army and as we were living near the ocean, I was not happy about leaving it amid that salty air at my parents place while I was away, so I thought I was doing the right thing by finding it a good home. The guy who bought assured me he would look after it, but it didnt work out that way as I was told he had wrapped it around a pole. Cheers.

Crow Bay
Helen Devine

Arthur Dehn
My Brother Wesley had a 54 Gold Flash ( gold) and he loved it ..... We took a trip up to Auckland I had a 51 350 twin Jawa

Terry MJ
Arthur Dehn I remember the thousands of Jawas around ChCh streets in the 60's, but haven't seen one on the road for many years now. Makes you wonder where they all went, Jawa heaven maybe.

Rebekah Fairhurst Geer
Great pic tho..

Joshua Kilkelly
Beautiful

Robin Morresey
That must have been the first of the swinging arm BSA ,as i had a 1953 gold flash plunger model.

Terry MJ
Robin Morresey Yes Robin, the '54 was the first swinging arm model for many of the British bikes in those days. Then a few years later they all went over the the full width hubs, remember that ???
Neil Mosley
Same thing happened to my Norton 88 and my brother’s Velocette MAC. Should never have sold them

Terry MJ
Neil Mosley Dead right Neil, but at the time we had no way of knowing how those beautiful old machines were going to revalue themselves over the years. For me is wasnt the money, it was just the way it looked, as do all those 50's and 60's bikes, sexy things haha !!! The Japanese bikes are faster etc but as far as I'm concerned, they will never be as aesthetically pleasing to the eye of us "oldies" as the Beeza's, the Trumpies, The Ariels, especially the "Squofas" and a dozen more Brit made bikes. Cheers.

Tony Gardyne
Very cool

Darian Zam
Milkbar Cowboy!

Greg King
My uncle Ivan travelled by train to Christchurch and rode back a Gold Flash he’d purchased. This would have been sometime before 1953 but I cannot be specific. I wonder if this bike would have been his. They moved to Hamilton from Cobden in December 1953 and he’d sold it before they left the Coast.

Elizabeth Shaw
So many memories we had a 56 Gold Flash including leather jackets leather pants and boots.We still have our jackets 58 years later those were the daysGrant Callaghan
Somewhere between $8000 and 12000 probably Terry..got a 51 A10 myself

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1954 swinging arm BSA Gold Flash.

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