Superb job! I owned a '71 Thunderbolt a few years ago, which was basically a Triumph Tiger 650 rolling frame with the differences being the BSA engine, decals & paint job. Yours goes even further - the only BSA parts are the tank badges!
I never liked the oil in frame models, I was the owner of a 70 bonnie. Watching this video has made me fall in love with these bikes, post 70. I would love to own that model as its actually a triumph with BSA badging. I reckon this will eventually be a highly collectible bike, I mean more than it already is. Thank you Sir. Beautiful work!
This bike is better then new from the factory!Some people can give these lovely motorcycles a second life and I’m sure that you one of them!A Wheeler Dealer like Edd China,but this time for motorcycles!Deep respect and thank’s for uploading!Greetings from the Netherlands!
At first, as it is an anomaly, I was tempted to dress her as a true triumph, but I thought it would not be correct. What I did were changes in the fenders, the tail light and the exhaust system. At the end of the video you can see another totally original T65
I grew up around these bikes when they came out, and everyone liked them, except they were always having rebuilds at low mileages. BSA, Triumph and Norton. All good handling except no reliability. It was said they got too much power from basically a 1930s 500 twin. I went to buy a BSA 500 trail in 1972 and the factory had closed down. So I only rode them as test rides after that. My dream bike in the late 60s was a BSA Lightning. The ad showed a young guy with his girlfriend at a fair in the UK. I could feel that machine transporting me.
What a beautiful motorcycle. You have brought it back to life. Watching you is such a pleasure. I've read other reviews from other motorcycles you have brought back from the grave. You are a Master Craftsman. Thank You for sharing your passion. 6/14/22.
A great video great bike I tried a rebuild like that 10 to one over bore 3 went like a jet till I reached 80mph then blew a piston when I pulled it down a big hole in the top of the piston you did a beautiful job
I've a BSA LIGHTNING with a THUNDERBOLT top end. Wrapped it up in storage 2 years ago. Health problems. Before then I,being a owner of Many Triumphs and BSA s rode it around HARLEYS for fun!
@@LoscarMotorcycles The South Australian Police had some in their fleet. They used bsa A65's. I would pass the police barracks on the way to school and drool over all the parked BSA bikes and then I noticed, hang on what are those? same Tank, different engine?
How handsome, I didn't know these existed. I worked at BSA dealers in Kansas and in N.Y. state in the '60s and '70s. You really had your hands full, such messy old bits and you did them up good..!!
I enjoyed seeing the work, had a 72 tiger 650 in 74, I remember triumph rebadged the trident to a lighting bsa, I didn't know these were rebadged, I had a 72 Norton 750 commando in the same era, Exellent work you did..
I had one of these. After havin a 68, a 70 and a 71 the 1972 was the best of the lot. Still vibrated like crazy but it handled so much better than the other bikes. Next bike was a K1 Honda. Like going from an MG to a Maserati. Cheers.
This is a great story. Thanks for doing it. This is definitely one of those bikes that "fell through the cracks" as I don't even remember it from that time period; the real Last Call for BSA.
Had a BSA 441 Victor. A wonderful bike except I fought Lucas, the Prince of Darkness, every damn day. The Whitworth nuts and bolts weren't exactly a thrill either. But when it ran, it ran like a gem. Torque personified.
At 62 am I to old to become the sorcerers apprentice?, I would love to have a fraction of your skill set. Thank you for giving these beautiful bikes a new lease of life, love the lines and sound of those exhausts. Keep working your magic. 👍❤✌
I'm sorry but I'm not 62 years old !! 😄 Very soon I will be 70 years old and you will understand the meaning of my comment. Fortunately I am very well and I plan to spend a long time enjoying this passion. Thanks a lot for your note. Best regards, loscar.😊 ✌️
wow, well done, like it had just come out of the factory! Took me back to 1974 when I bought my Triumph Tiger 650 (same bike really and the single carb made it much better to run).👍
As a life long BSA enthusiast and can remember them when they were new, this badge engineering horrified me. It’s a beautiful bike and the restoration is a credit to you, but it’s a Triumph TR6 and not a Thunderbolt. The only thing BSA is the tank badge.
I just finished putting a '72 bonnie engine in a '77 bonnie frame. Fired it up last week...first start in 30 years! It was in several boxes in a chicken house when I bought it 20 years ago.
I restored one that is now in the National Motorcycle Museum (UK). In 1972 BSA couldn't fulfil an international order for police motorcycles and Triumph supplied 265 TR6 oil in frame models rebadged as BSA Thunderbolts to cover the order. No Triumph badging or numbers appeared on the outside of the bike anywhere. Apparently the Australian importers went to court over the order saying that they received Triumphs not BSA. Note the 1969/70 front brake in the later oil in frame forks. Some of the bikes were shipped to the Saudi and Spanish police forces.
That a motorcycle repaired by you, is in the National Motorcycle Museum, is to congratulate you John.👏👏👏 Thank you very much, for your interesting comment and thank you for watching my videos 😊 Best wishes, Loscar 👍✌
Noting like a BSA twin, Triumph and Norton maybe come close, but I prefer a BSA. You have a beautiful bike one that anyone would love to own. Ride safe and enjoy every journey.
All this crap aside, I took a 1973 TRIUMPH TIGER 750 bored it to .060 over to clean up the top end. Ported and flowed the head, Thanks,JACKS Motorcycle Shop in TULSA. Replaced parts with lighter ones. Flattrack bars, OIF. Quick throttle. Bates solo seat,Bates teardrop headlight. Carlisle flattrack tire up front, big sticky Dunlop in back. LIVED ON IT FOR 2 YEARS! I now have a 71 BSA A65L with a THUNDERBOLT TOP END. Any buyers? $3k. OKC. OK. 400 3667.
I found this a fabulous video. Well done Loscar ! My Triumph is a 71' 120, so apart from your example possibly having 5 gears , and your front drum looking a little different to the BSA designed conical on mine , I'm guessing it is the same design. Like a lot of riders, we like to think we could do a few basic jobs, and show mechanical sympathy, but by watching a project like this one can appreciate just what skill and dedication goes into a proper rebuild, whatever the model. I'll be subscribing !
Was also told they had used Japanese main bearings and the vibes in the engine shot them to pieces plus at that time the factory was in revolt and some of the bikes were actually deliberately put together to fail as a revenge to the the management😥
@Loscar Motorcycles Merci pour la réponse. J’oubliais de mentionner que la trame sonore est excellente. On dirait presqu’elle été composée pour votre film. 😎
Fantastic. I keep watching over and over. I have on here in Australia where they were also sent for South Aust police. Same as yours with conical brake. How did you fit the new brake with out the anchor? that is my only problem so far.
In this video the said they made 264 T65.. Down here in South Australia our police force had these last British bikes in their fleet, I wouldn`t say they had the 264 ..but I would say maybe 100.. & was told some also went to Trinidad & possibly other smaller countries..? I have a photo of a T65 SA Police bike with Wind Screen & Panniers..
Hi Daryl, there is little information on these bikes. It is known that there were 264 and that the main batch was exported for the Australian police and it is true of some more motorcycles to other destinations but very few. Thanks for comment. Best wishes, Loscar
It´s grea machine!!! I like it so much! Trabajo excellente,seňor Carlos!! It´s mixture of parts of different models,but looks good(Front brake and exhaust silencers are from older ,not oil -in-frame model...1968-1973, and why BSA tank ,but Triumph engine?),but never mind,I enjoyed your excellent work as usual!Thanks!
So as you can read in the video,Triumph built in augustus 1972 also their 650 Tr6 but relabeled 264 bikes with BSA badges and sell them as a T65 Thunderbolt.The drum front brake,the exhaust silencers and the exhaust pipes without balance pipe are different from original(the craftsman explains in the video),in mine opinion more authentic than the disc front brake.The last year they built BSA A65 and Triumph Tr6/T120 with separate oil tank was 1970 with(both!)different frames!From 1971 they had the same oil in frame!Greetings!
@@SteveInskip He is correct its a genuine T65 , its a Triumph alright but badged at the factory as a BSA because a couple overseas customers only used BSA , Triumph and BSA had merged but the BSA side had folded up so the badge engineered T65 was a ploy by Triumph to get much needed sales, I've looked into it because i've restored 2 T65's that were rebadged as Triumphs again for the police force in Barbados, 4 ordered and 3 remain, i have the last one to do at a later time, the original batch of bikes was 264 bikes produced.
Only thing, youve the wrong muffler barrels, Tail light housing isn't correct, chrome cover for the 8 inch tls is missing, and youve the wrong front fender and stays, I've restored 2 of the again rebadged variant that came to the Royal Barbados Police Force, theyre rebadged as Triumph T65 and have another in parts to one day restore so that will be 3 out of the 4 that were shipped here. P.S. , Thanks for saving another one, and great job.
Had many British bikes over the years, never again. Went to Kawasaki never looked back. Thankfully the Japanese make reliable bikes and are not still experimenting with the square wheel.
Yes, I admit that you are right. I did all the parts orders for a Triumph, including the seat. This bug caused me to have to change the hinges and side latch as they are the opposite in BSA. Putting the badge on the engine was not the right thing to do either. Thanks for comment. With my best wishes. Loscar
Superb job! I owned a '71 Thunderbolt a few years ago, which was basically a Triumph Tiger 650 rolling frame with the differences being the BSA engine, decals & paint job. Yours goes even further - the only BSA parts are the tank badges!
Beautiful bike and beautiful music👍
Man, that’s a beautiful bike,it’s a credit to you. It’s quite simply stunning.
I never liked the oil in frame models, I was the owner of a 70 bonnie. Watching this video has made me fall in love with these bikes, post 70. I would love to own that model as its actually a triumph with BSA badging. I reckon this will eventually be a highly collectible bike, I mean more than it already is. Thank you Sir. Beautiful work!
😊A pleasure Rod and thanks for your note. My best wishes. Loscar
Great restoration. Had a 66 Thunderbolt that I brought back to life.
This bike is better then new from the factory!Some people can give these lovely motorcycles a second life and I’m sure that you one of them!A Wheeler Dealer like Edd China,but this time for motorcycles!Deep respect and thank’s for uploading!Greetings from the Netherlands!
Thanks a lot Hub. Cheers, loscar.
At first, as it is an anomaly, I was tempted to dress her as a true triumph, but I thought it would not be correct.
What I did were changes in the fenders, the tail light and the exhaust system. At the end of the video you can see another totally original T65
I grew up around these bikes when they came out, and everyone liked them, except they were always having rebuilds at low mileages. BSA, Triumph and Norton. All good handling except no reliability. It was said they got too much power from basically a 1930s 500 twin. I went to buy a BSA 500 trail in 1972 and the factory had closed down. So I only rode them as test rides after that. My dream bike in the late 60s was a BSA Lightning. The ad showed a young guy with his girlfriend at a fair in the UK. I could feel that machine transporting me.
Very groovy music!!! Listened several times, you can accomplish so much with that beat. Oh yea, the bikes cool too.
What a beautiful motorcycle. You have brought it back to life. Watching you is such a pleasure. I've read other reviews from other motorcycles you have brought back from the grave. You are a Master Craftsman. Thank You for sharing your passion. 6/14/22.
😊 I'm glad you like it friend Vince. Thank you for commenting and watching my videos.
My best wishes. Loscar✌
I used to ride a bsa 650 a few years ago. I love the sound to this day.i love the sound of ajs ,bsa and all classic bikes that were made in England
I totally agree with you Celia.
Thanks for watching my videos. Best regards, Loscar.👍
A great video great bike I tried a rebuild like that 10 to one over bore 3 went like a jet till I reached 80mph then blew a piston when I pulled it down a big hole in the top of the piston you did a beautiful job
I've a BSA LIGHTNING with a THUNDERBOLT top end. Wrapped it up in storage 2 years ago. Health problems. Before then I,being a owner of Many Triumphs and BSA s rode it around HARLEYS for fun!
Sell it for $3k.
Plus I have EVERY manual for rebuilding . All of them +! This library goes along with the bike.
Absolutely stunning job 👌 I didn't know these ones existed even though I was around at the time. Respect for keeping this one alive 🤜
The T65 were a very unknown anomaly. Thank a lot! Cheers, Loscar
@@LoscarMotorcycles The South Australian Police had some in their fleet. They used bsa A65's. I would pass the police barracks on the way to school and drool over all the parked BSA bikes and then I noticed, hang on what are those? same Tank, different engine?
Great restoration. I'm feeling some inspiration to finish off my old 5TA so I can ride it again.
Very good Dave! Go ahead, give that good bike another chance. You will enjoy doing it.✌
How handsome, I didn't know these existed. I worked at BSA dealers in Kansas and in N.Y. state in the '60s and '70s. You really had your hands full, such messy old bits and you did them up good..!!
Yes of course, the T65 was a very unknown anomaly .
Thank you! Best wishes, loscar
Old is Gold always old is gold thanks for showing your capability I like thank you very much
I enjoyed seeing the work, had a 72 tiger 650 in 74, I remember triumph rebadged the trident to a lighting bsa, I didn't know these were rebadged, I had a 72 Norton 750 commando in the same era, Exellent work you did..
Absolutely stunning !! amazing workmanship.
I had one of these. After havin a 68, a 70 and a 71 the 1972 was the best of the lot. Still vibrated like crazy but it handled so much better than the other bikes. Next bike was a K1 Honda. Like going from an MG to a Maserati. Cheers.
Thanks for keeping it original, it was feast to eyes and ears.
Impeccable, mieux que neuf ! Thank for sharing.
Bonne continuation .
My pleasure Hevé.Cheers, loscar
This is a great story. Thanks for doing it. This is definitely one of those bikes that "fell through the cracks" as I don't even remember it from that time period; the real Last Call for BSA.
Thanks a lot for your note. Best regards, loscar.
Had a BSA 441 Victor. A wonderful bike except I fought Lucas, the Prince of Darkness, every damn day. The Whitworth nuts and bolts weren't exactly a thrill either. But when it ran, it ran like a gem. Torque personified.
At 62 am I to old to become the sorcerers apprentice?, I would love to have a fraction of your skill set. Thank you for giving these beautiful bikes a new lease of life, love the lines and sound of those exhausts. Keep working your magic. 👍❤✌
I'm sorry but I'm not 62 years old !! 😄 Very soon I will be 70 years old and you will understand the meaning of my comment. Fortunately I am very well and I plan to spend a long time enjoying this passion.
Thanks a lot for your note. Best regards, loscar.😊 ✌️
wow, well done, like it had just come out of the factory! Took me back to 1974 when I bought my Triumph Tiger 650 (same bike really and the single carb made it much better to run).👍
It is a masterpiece and you are an artist from within your soul . Thank You.
😊
@@LoscarMotorcycles 🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁
As a life long BSA enthusiast and can remember them when they were new, this badge engineering horrified me. It’s a beautiful bike and the restoration is a credit to you, but it’s a Triumph TR6 and not a Thunderbolt. The only thing BSA is the tank badge.
Beautiful bike, so much detailed work, quite an accomplishment congrats.
I just finished putting a '72 bonnie engine in a '77 bonnie frame. Fired it up last week...first start in 30 years! It was in several boxes in a chicken house when I bought it 20 years ago.
Maestro!! exquisita música y maravillosa máquina.Que mágico recuerdo.Gracias.felicitaciones desde Argentina.
Wonderful work and a beautiful bike too!
Thank you very much for watching my videos. Best wishes, loscar👍
Beautiful bike you are so skilled in what you do. Absolutely beautiful.
One of the best bsa bikes second only to the last rocket 3 good little video
Beautiful restoration! So incredibly elegant.
That's a beautiful motorcycle. Well done!
A pleasure Paul. Thanks for watching my videos!! Greetings Loscar👍
Lovely restoration.
A pleasure and thanks for watching my videos. Loscar ✌️
Wow! Beautiful job and so many skills involved. Very impressive.
You deserve at least 2 million subscribers and your own TV show 👍
No Please! Hehe! 😂😂😂 Thank you very much Andree. Best wishes, loscar
Lovely work, pleasure to watch 👍👍😎
I restored one that is now in the National Motorcycle Museum (UK). In 1972 BSA couldn't fulfil an international order for police motorcycles and Triumph supplied 265 TR6 oil in frame models rebadged as BSA Thunderbolts to cover the order. No Triumph badging or numbers appeared on the outside of the bike anywhere. Apparently the Australian importers went to court over the order saying that they received Triumphs not BSA. Note the 1969/70 front brake in the later oil in frame forks. Some of the bikes were shipped to the Saudi and Spanish police forces.
That a motorcycle repaired by you, is in the National Motorcycle Museum, is to congratulate you John.👏👏👏 Thank you very much, for your interesting comment and thank you for watching my videos 😊 Best wishes, Loscar 👍✌
Noting like a BSA twin, Triumph and Norton maybe come close, but I prefer a BSA. You have a beautiful bike one that anyone would love to own. Ride safe and enjoy every journey.
Beautiful bike
Love to see nice and clean professional work thanks for sharing
You nailed it. Great job .thank you
Thank you for watching my videos
All this crap aside, I took a 1973 TRIUMPH TIGER 750 bored it to .060 over to clean up the top end. Ported and flowed the head, Thanks,JACKS Motorcycle Shop in TULSA. Replaced parts with lighter ones. Flattrack bars, OIF. Quick throttle. Bates solo seat,Bates teardrop headlight. Carlisle flattrack tire up front, big sticky Dunlop in back. LIVED ON IT FOR 2 YEARS! I now have a 71 BSA A65L with a THUNDERBOLT TOP END. Any buyers? $3k. OKC. OK. 400 3667.
Oh what a beauty! I´m just loving it
Excellent work! now wear it out again.... nice video
Just brilliant! Congratulations and many thanks.
I'm glad you like Matt and thanks for watching my videos!! Greetings Loscar👍
Amazing work. Congratulations 🥳
I found this a fabulous video. Well done Loscar ! My Triumph is a 71' 120, so apart from your example possibly having 5 gears , and your front drum looking a little different to the BSA designed conical on mine , I'm guessing it is the same design. Like a lot of riders, we like to think we could do a few basic jobs, and show mechanical sympathy, but by watching a project like this one can appreciate just what skill and dedication goes into a proper rebuild, whatever the model. I'll be subscribing !
Just brilliant 👍
Beautiful work!
i had a Triumph T120V five speed twin carb but looked exactly the same..how i miss the 70s
Fantastic, great to see. Thanks for sharing.
Good sir thanks so much information about
Had a 72 bonnie brand new out of the factory,endless issues😥
Same with a buddy of mine. Loved my BSA though
Was also told they had used Japanese main bearings and the vibes in the engine shot them to pieces plus at that time the factory was in revolt and some of the bikes were actually deliberately put together to fail as a revenge to the the management😥
Congratulations!
Wonderful job 👍😎
😊Un plaisir Jean-François. Merci d'avoir regardé mes vidéos. Salutations. Loscar✌
@Loscar Motorcycles Merci pour la réponse. J’oubliais de mentionner que la trame sonore est excellente. On dirait presqu’elle été composée pour votre film. 😎
A labor of love!🙀👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Perfect 👍👍👍👍👍 really beautiful 💙💙💙👍
From Brazil, great job. Lindo,lindo.
Fantastic. I keep watching over and over. I have on here in Australia where they were also sent for South Aust police. Same as yours with conical brake. How did you fit the new brake with out the anchor? that is my only problem so far.
bsa aussi celebre marque ressuscitter en beautee par notre ami de loscar moto parfait merci
Bellísima complimenti 👍
Gracias! 😊
Live the old brit twins...excellent job!
1st like from Alvarado Texas . like your builds.
Still have my 68 Bonnie.I love it still.
Impeccable!
very superb look 👌👌👌👌👌👍
Great video! Super bike
Chapeau!
Un plaisir Daniel et merci.
In this video the said they made 264 T65.. Down here in South Australia our police force had these last British bikes in their fleet, I wouldn`t say they had the 264 ..but I would say maybe 100.. & was told some also went to Trinidad & possibly other smaller countries..? I have a photo of a T65 SA Police bike with Wind Screen & Panniers..
Hi Daryl, there is little information on these bikes. It is known that there were 264 and that the main batch was exported for the Australian police and it is true of some more motorcycles to other destinations but very few.
Thanks for comment. Best wishes, Loscar
Buen trabajo amigo 👍
what a beauty
From a merely ok artisan, you are a superb one.
The "motorcycle maestro"!
I've been watching his restorations for years and years. He IS....The Master.
@Gabriel Lima...my sentiments exactly!
Absolutely beautiful job on the bike. Are those Gran Turismo hand grips?
👍 👍 👍 Great Job...
It is beautiful
Very good work and very good confidence I like what you do all the best
Looks suspiciously like a Triumph tp me....
Yea they bought out bsa and the last bikes were tribsa's lots of triumph stuff
The other way around Triumph sold out to BSA in 1956
@@tedwpx123 Sure BUT the title is BSA TBOLT. Thumbnail is a Triumph Bonneville. How can that happen ?
@@tedwpx123 same thing really
I Agree !!!! ?????
cool rare bike for sure
It´s grea machine!!! I like it so much! Trabajo excellente,seňor Carlos!! It´s mixture of parts of different models,but looks good(Front brake and exhaust silencers are from older ,not oil -in-frame model...1968-1973, and why BSA tank ,but Triumph engine?),but never mind,I enjoyed your excellent work as usual!Thanks!
Yeah that had me confused too. BSA tank, Triumph seat and engine. Nice machine none-the-less.
So as you can read in the video,Triumph built in augustus 1972 also their 650 Tr6 but relabeled 264 bikes with BSA badges and sell them as a T65 Thunderbolt.The drum front brake,the exhaust silencers and the exhaust pipes without balance pipe are different from original(the craftsman explains in the video),in mine opinion more authentic than the disc front brake.The last year they built BSA A65 and Triumph Tr6/T120 with separate oil tank was 1970 with(both!)different frames!From 1971 they had the same oil in frame!Greetings!
Looks like a triumph,smells like a triumph, sounds like a triumph huh must be a BSA!!!
If it was a BSA it should have been B65. ‘T’ is a Triumph model number? Was someone having a laugh with that one? Great looking bike though!
@@SteveInskip He is correct its a genuine T65 , its a Triumph alright but badged at the factory as a BSA because a couple overseas customers only used BSA , Triumph and BSA had merged but the BSA side had folded up so the badge engineered T65 was a ploy by Triumph to get much needed sales, I've looked into it because i've restored 2 T65's that were rebadged as Triumphs again for the police force in Barbados, 4 ordered and 3 remain, i have the last one to do at a later time, the original batch of bikes was 264 bikes produced.
Anthony Hinds thanks Anthony that’s really interesting. I’d love to get my hands on one of those. A real piece of history! 👍
Thanks for the explanation, Anthony. It was really staring to bug me! Beautiful bike, Loscar!
You da man.
Only thing, youve the wrong muffler barrels, Tail light housing isn't correct, chrome cover for the 8 inch tls is missing, and youve the wrong front fender and stays, I've restored 2 of the again rebadged variant that came to the Royal Barbados Police Force, theyre rebadged as Triumph T65 and have another in parts to one day restore so that will be 3 out of the 4 that were shipped here. P.S. , Thanks for saving another one, and great job.
Como siempre, magnífico trabajo y, que música sale de esos escapes..!!!
Superb!
Had many British bikes over the years, never again. Went to Kawasaki never looked back.
Thankfully the Japanese make reliable bikes and are not still experimenting with the square wheel.
Absolutely awsum build!! Just don't like the triumph logos on seat and right case,sorry to be picky on such a beautiful build,regards.
Yes, I admit that you are right. I did all the parts orders for a Triumph, including the seat. This bug caused me to have to change the hinges and side latch as they are the opposite in BSA. Putting the badge on the engine was not the right thing to do either. Thanks for comment. With my best wishes. Loscar
Nice. You are a talented fellow.
Linda!
Lets hear the sound 😎
Very good!
You are a genius
please can you let me know how much compression must have each cylinder of the1967 bsa THUNDERBOLT 650cc?
4:00 ; Can I fit a TLS 8" from late Triumph or Triumph-BSA to my 1972 TR6R? What would you suggest? Thx before 👍🏻
Cops were using these hybrids in South Australia up to 1975
If it is correct. The most important batch, was precisely a pending BSA order for the Australian police. Thanks for the comment. Greetings Loscar.
Very nice indeed. How many dudes tell you it ain't a Beeza..,.....is that a Laverda 750?.....I have a Honda cb72 ha ha!!
You get your aluminum cast super clean looking. Any secrets?
Cool beans, great work. But a BSA is not a BSA w/o the Power Egg! I am an old Brit Bike dude and never knew of this combo!