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BSA M20
I've posted this on the HMVF, but instead of copy and paste etc and tying to reword it I've put the link in below, it was too good to pass up for the price, shame I didn't have more time before Normandy to pick it up and give it a paint...... but thats life.
added: Forgot to mention its a late 1942 or early 43 year.
BSA M20 - Motorcycles - HMVF - Historic Military Vehicles Forum
Last edited by bigduke6; 08-13-2019 at 06:23 PM.
Reason: added info
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08-13-2019 05:59 AM
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Not quite the same, but my greatest recollection of the BSA Bikes was always stopping to load them into the back of M113A1's as the Provo escorts for convoys broke down by the wayside.
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When I was in Normandy, I was talking to an Ex Recy Mech, he mentioned something similar regarding recovering M20's and B40's by the dozen.......
Last edited by bigduke6; 08-15-2019 at 08:13 AM.
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Nice bike Geoff, brings back great memories for me.
When I was a 13 year old lad (in the early 70's) my Dad bought the remnants of a 1953 M20 (plunger frame) as he wanted the MagDyno on it for spares for another bike (a Velo I think). It was only really an engine and frame, no forks, rusty seat base, no tank, rear hub only but it was too good to break for just the magdyno so I "acquired" it as a project. Took me fully three years even in those days to find all the missing bits and restore it. When finished I was just 17 with only a provisional bike licence but as luck would have it we had an old sidecar chassis lying around which I then restored and with the addition of a large wooden box, I fitted it to the M20.
I then proceeded to ride it around (including to school) on "L" (learner) plates for the next year or so as UK
law allowed (perhaps still does) you to ride any size motorcycle as a learner before passing your test provided it was fitted with a third wheel ( a sidecar strictly speaking). For a teenager living in the countryside with no public transport it was a great way to get around. With the box on the side I could also take more than one rifle and associated kit to the range and the bike would run on anything, even some sort of aromatic stuff I found in a large drum in the garage!
If I didn't have so many projects on the go I'd be sorely tempted.
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The Following 2 Members Say Thank You to GeeRam For This Useful Post:
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DD, Funny you mention side cars, My Dad had side cars on most of his bikes, Think the first one was an ex AA bike which was an Ex WD bike (Norton Big 4), when I was born the mode of transport was upgraded to to the Reliant Regal....... then later the Robin.....
It was only recently that my Brother was talking about a side car he remembers that Dad had stored in a wardrobe upstairs........ I can only guess Mum stored stuff in the "Chair" that sat in the wardrobe, My wife puts up with a lot, but I think a side car propped up in the wardrobe could take her over the edge........ strange women.
Last edited by bigduke6; 08-13-2019 at 07:38 PM.
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Originally Posted by
GeeRam
You're getting me all nostalgic for when I had my WD-M20........
Here's me about 20-21 years ago
with my 1940 WD-M20.
Happy times ? Looks an excellent bike, you can tell its an early one from the rear mudguard, was it restored? (the whole bike not the mudguard)
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Contributing Member
Found a pic of my little brother posing on my M20 at our local rifle range, you can just see a rifle slip behind in him in the sidecar box. I recall I had a large paving slab in the bottom of the box to counteract the lack of sidecar body weight and to help keep the wheel near the ground on left hand bends!
Happy days!
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Originally Posted by
bigduke6
Happy times ? Looks an excellent bike, you can tell its an early one from the rear mudguard, was it restored? (the whole bike not the mudguard)
Yeah, happy times, had good fun with that, alongside a group of others with WD bikes and other vehicles in our group that represented the veterans of the 43rd Recce.
It was restored but not a full nut and bolt job, and yes the valanced rear mudguard, the more bulbous tank, longer side stay stand, bakelite girder fork damper knob and bigger 8" headlight are all indicators of the early bikes. The civvie seperate pillion seat was the only thing not correct on it, but it had been fitted a long time ago, drilling through that rare rear mudguard, so I just re-installed it, plus it allowed me to take plenty of ladies for rides out in greater comfort when requested 
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Thank You to GeeRam For This Useful Post:
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Originally Posted by
desperatedan
Found a pic of my little brother posing on my M20 at our local rifle range, you can just see a rifle slip behind in him in the sidecar box. I recall I had a large paving slab in the bottom of the box to counteract the lack of sidecar body weight and to help keep the wheel near the ground on left hand bends!
Happy days!
Attachment 102248
Kev, I've a copy of similar picture of one of my brothers (next one up from me) sitting on My Dads BSA M20/M21, seating arrangements were My Dad and oldest brother pillion on the bike, my Mum in the side car with the other two.......
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