The 1938 BSA part catalogue shows that there was a range of running parts that could be specified on these flagship bikes, including more sporting, narrow mudguards. A track variant came without a front brake. The key features of the 1938 model were a JM code engine and frame number, an electron gearbox casing, a petrol tank with a lidded toolbox set in its top and the square oil tank with an alloy knurled screw-in circular cap. The 1939 models had the instrument panel in the tank, an alloy gearbox and a sort of triangular oil tank with a flip up cap secured by a T-bar which expanded claws that gripped the inside of the tank neck. I raced a 1938 M24 Gold star in UK Vintage Racing during the 1980s, just in time to buy up the last spares from shops like Lewis and Sons of Weybridge (like a 15:1 dope piston and original gaskets). It was reasonably quick but the handling was dodgy. The front brake was only good for 5 laps at Mallory or at Cadwell Park especially if the course routed round the Hairpin instead of up the Mountain. Waiting in the rain for a race restart at Cadwell, I noticed that all the paint had burned off the front drum and raindrops landing on it were vaporising. After dropping a valve at Snetterton, I was lucky to source a replacement conrod (much wider and meatier across the big end than other M-Series rods). I decided the M24 was too rare to race so built a rigid 500cc M33 that could be made faster and safer with silhouette parts like B/DB-Series Gold Star internals and A-Series front forks and brake. It wasn't so purist but spares were plentiful; I could play with cam combos and pistons - ending up with a Venolia Ducati piston under a squish-banded alloy spacer that blended into a 350cc head. That motored. As I am never going to fly a Spitfire in combat, I don't think anything will beat the raw thrill of a dead-engine push start, waiting on the silent grid for the flag to drop, followed by the pattering of thirty pairs of boots and the roar or thirty twins or singles firing up on open pipes.
the empire star started of as a wet sump model and the became a dry sump like the m19 ,20, 21,22,23and 24 thats were you might be thinking of the difference between the early empire star and silver star hope this helps :)
Hi supersvinet1, the bsa empire star WAS an m23 and then became the silver star ,and the vidio of the bike you are looking at is infact the bsa m24 GOLD star, you can tell the m24 gold star by the push rod tube being in two parts , how do i know well have one of these and i do still have friends still alive that worked at the bsa when these lovely old girls were about ,the frame no on my empire star is jm19 a1937 modle and my silver star engine no is km23 i am building a w handley rep
hello my friend those bsa's you are showing are really nice. unfortunately i have to disagree with you. this is m23-silverstar, and the other bsa u are showing is m22- empire star. im pretty sure this is not a goldstar however u can tell by frame and engine number. i have a '39 silverstar and the frames are km23-101.. please check numbers and reply as i am restoring the bike and is concerned about identifikation best regards supersvinet
Whoever made this & left it on here for years as "informative" go back & read up on Gold Stars properly please. That bike is not anything like a 1938 M24 & in no way shows what "the first year of the Gold Star" looked like.
The 1938 BSA part catalogue shows that there was a range of running parts that could be specified on these flagship bikes, including more sporting, narrow mudguards. A track variant came without a front brake. The key features of the 1938 model were a JM code engine and frame number, an electron gearbox casing, a petrol tank with a lidded toolbox set in its top and the square oil tank with an alloy knurled screw-in circular cap. The 1939 models had the instrument panel in the tank, an alloy gearbox and a sort of triangular oil tank with a flip up cap secured by a T-bar which expanded claws that gripped the inside of the tank neck.
I raced a 1938 M24 Gold star in UK Vintage Racing during the 1980s, just in time to buy up the last spares from shops like Lewis and Sons of Weybridge (like a 15:1 dope piston and original gaskets). It was reasonably quick but the handling was dodgy. The front brake was only good for 5 laps at Mallory or at Cadwell Park especially if the course routed round the Hairpin instead of up the Mountain. Waiting in the rain for a race restart at Cadwell, I noticed that all the paint had burned off the front drum and raindrops landing on it were vaporising.
After dropping a valve at Snetterton, I was lucky to source a replacement conrod (much wider and meatier across the big end than other M-Series rods). I decided the M24 was too rare to race so built a rigid 500cc M33 that could be made faster and safer with silhouette parts like B/DB-Series Gold Star internals and A-Series front forks and brake. It wasn't so purist but spares were plentiful; I could play with cam combos and pistons - ending up with a Venolia Ducati piston under a squish-banded alloy spacer that blended into a 350cc head. That motored. As I am never going to fly a Spitfire in combat, I don't think anything will beat the raw thrill of a dead-engine push start, waiting on the silent grid for the flag to drop, followed by the pattering of thirty pairs of boots and the roar or thirty twins or singles firing up on open pipes.
Cool bike.Love the old Beezas
Amazing bike!!!
the empire star started of as a wet sump model and the became a dry sump like the m19 ,20, 21,22,23and 24 thats were you might be thinking of the difference between the early empire star and silver star hope this helps :)
Hi supersvinet1, the bsa empire star WAS an m23 and then became the silver star ,and the vidio of the bike you are looking at is infact the bsa m24 GOLD star, you can tell the m24 gold star by the push rod tube being in two parts , how do i know well have one of these and i do still have friends still alive that worked at the bsa when these lovely old girls were about ,the frame no on my empire star is jm19 a1937 modle and my silver star engine no is km23 i am building a w handley rep
This BSA Gold Star is a KM24 1939 and not 1938
Very nice, although its almost certainly a 1939 M24 not a 1938 as stated.
hello my friend those bsa's you are showing are really nice.
unfortunately i have to disagree with you.
this is m23-silverstar, and the other bsa u are showing is m22- empire star.
im pretty sure this is not a goldstar however u can tell by frame and engine number.
i have a '39 silverstar and the frames are km23-101..
please check numbers and reply as i am restoring the bike and is concerned about identifikation
best regards supersvinet
Whoever made this & left it on here for years as "informative" go back & read up on Gold Stars properly please. That bike is not anything like a 1938 M24 & in no way shows what "the first year of the Gold Star" looked like.