[Axe77]

BSA Gold Star 650 Review

BSA Gold Star 650 Pros

• Beautifully designed with well-proportioned, quintessential classic looks
• Peach of an engine is the highlight of the overall package. Smooth, vibration free with lots of punch across the usable rev range
• Smooth 5-speed gearbox doesn't really give the feeling of a missing 6th, as is sometimes the case
• Excellent braking setup overall. High quality Brembo brakes provide more than adequate bite and combine well with the nice progressive feedback offered by the levers
• Low seat height coupled with a comfortable and upright riding stance make it an easy choice for newer riders
• A mechanically and electronically simple bike in keeping with its classic genre
• The bike is versatile in its use case, with the engine being good for city duties as well as being punchy enough to cover highway miles

BSA Gold Star 650 Cons

• The aesthetically pleasing design is let down in some places with tacky finishing like stickers on prominent panels, basic quality of switchgear, misaligned buttons / parts etc.
• Taller riders may find the bike slightly cramped and the overall riding ergonomic comfort is compromised in part by the extremely soft seat cushioning
• Some practical limitations like tubed spoke wheels and lack of a main stand can complicate routine issues like repairing punctures, chain maintenance etc.
• Rear suspension is too soft and a bit too bouncy, specially on broken or uneven road surfaces that are common in India
• Classic Legends is still establishing its presence and this is a relatively new product from its stable. Long term reliability as well as quality of service will have to be assessed over time
• Pricing might be perceived as just a bit on the expensive side, especially since the company is still establishing its standing in India

A big shout of thanks to Omkar for taking the time out on a weekend and coming to shoot pictures.

Introduction

Over 100k views and 10 pages+ and counting! Not the kind of interest I had anticipated from our brief "First Look" thread on the BSA Gold Star 650 when Omkar asked if I’d be free to attend their launch event earlier in August. That Anand Mahindra himself was at the BSA event instead of the imminently more significant Thar Roxx launch in Goa on the same day, leaves no doubt as to which of the two brands needs all the muscle behind it.

Where Royal Enfield and even Yezdi have strong personal connects and memories with plenty enough middle aged Indians, the BSA brand's evocative appeal is probably stronger in Birmingham than Bombay. What then would be the reaction to this modern day iteration of an iconic and classic single cylinder bike? Apparently, quite a positive one, judging from initial reactions.

We've already covered the history and heritage of the brand along with some headline information on the model in our previous thread so we won't reiterate that in this review. Classic Legends has gone about the project well enough so far. For most part. They brought on board a bunch of external experts - the British led team of Redline Studios for design, engineering by Ricardo and engine expertise from the Technical University of Graz, to heavily repurpose a Rotax engine and create this large single-cylinder modern day 650cc iteration that will wear their prolific Gold Star moniker.

At the outset, I’ve got to say the result for most part is excellent, which explains the steady interest in the model and the increasing footfall generated by that positive word of mouth chatter. They’ve got the design absolutely spot on, visually true for most part to their classic origins. They’ve got most of the important bits of engineering on point too, but with missteps on a few important aspects, which I hope they will take note of and promptly address.

The result is a motorcycle that has the ability to be a genuine alternative in the classic genre to its other ‘Made in India’ counterpart - the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. This is also one of the best products the Classic Legends team has launched to date and I am excited to see where they take tit and the brand from here.

BSA Gold Star 650 Pricing

The BSA Gold Star has been launched at an ex-showroom price ranging from Rs. 2.99 lakh to Rs. 3.35 lakh, depending on the colour / design scheme, with no technical differentiation between the various models at these differing price points. That pits it squarely against its immediate competitor, the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, although to my mind, its more direct competitor would be the soon to be launched Classic 650 from Royal Enfield.

Personally, I think the pricing is just a little too ambitious for our market. While the 650 single has its own distinct character contrasting with the RE’s similar capacity parallel twin, many consumers may still have a “twin > single” perception in their mind. Add to that factors like the substantially thinner sales and service outreach of Classic Legends at this stage of their life cycle, the muted success of their previous Jawa / Yezdi launches and the safety net of opting for a tried and proven formula from RE, we’re looking at multiple headwinds for the very competent BSA. As a new brand seeking to establish and cement its identity, I would have preferred to see this "priced to sell", at least to start off with, instead of making the decision more complicated for consumers by pricing it head on, rupee for rupee, with its most obvious and well entrenched competitor. They’ve certainly built the product to equal measure - let’s see if the target consumers appreciate the bike for its individual merits.

Ex-showroom prices marked in red. On-road Mumbai prices marked in blue. Cost of extended warranty (4 yrs, 50,000 km) is Rs. 4,699/-.

[Axe77]

Design & Styling

Walk up to the bike and the first thing you observe is a well proportioned, classically beautiful design with its appeal lying in its simplicity of execution that remains as true to its classic heritage. There are some obvious visual departures of course, which are inevitable, such as the liquid cooled format and the radiator, the very practical twin USB ports (type A and type C) etc. But for the most part, this is more a classic’s classic than a modern retro.

The bike, I feel, looks most fetching when viewed from a 3 quarter stance, whether from the front or the rear. The side on view highlights its spot on proportions although it is a reasonably long bike and definitely one on the lower side, with a very modest 780 mm seat height. It’s only when you walk up close or sit on the bike that you are struck by its somewhat diminutive stance, compared to most other modern classics that immediately come to mind, whether from the Triumph or the Royal Enfield stable.

The classic touches are through and through, extending to the extremely simple twin pod cluster that sits above the basic but effective halogen light set up. The indicator lights at the front and rear as well as the tail-lights remain simple, almost quaint looking. All in all, I believe this is a bike that will please most and offend few from a pure design aesthetic.

The tank is again beautifully proportioned and executed, flowing seamlessly into a very practically designed flat, wide and long bench style seat. Paint quality is of acceptable order and the combination of paint and chrome with the white vertical contrast stripe is tastefully executed. The large BSA logo imprinted on the side is also well finished and adds to the overall aesthetic.

Visually, one sore point I found was the engine case which has a rather peculiar colour / finish that just seems off when viewed with the rest of the design theme. Looked at from afar, this was the most prominent faux pas in an otherwise beautifully executed design. Contrast it with a much more naturally finished RE crank case on the Interceptor and you’ll know what I mean.

Step closer and there are a few more areas where a little bit of attention would improve the final product. The logos placed on some prominent parts of the bike are rather cheaply finished stickers. Whether this is on the fuel lid, or the side panel or the crank case, once you start living with the bike on a daily basis, I feel these evidently stickered touches detract from the overall feel good feeling that the aesthetic of the bike commands. A little more attention to these minor aspects will do better justice to its otherwise lovely design sensibility.

The bike comes in 6 different colourways and each of them is tastefully done in its own right. Depending on the design style, you will find different degrees of chrome finding their way into the design theme. For instance, on a higher priced model, the back of the mirrors are chrome, whereas, on the variant we were reviewing these were black.

Overall then, high marks on the design aspect with our only gripe being the few cheap touches that detract from the aesthetic. These are easily fixable though and Classic Legends would do well to up their game on this front.

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

Build quality, fit and finish for most part is reasonably good and the bike generally feels well put together. I got the test bike with a little under 1,500 km on it and there were no unusual squeaks or rattles to complain about. The wiring too, wherever visible, has been neatly organized and tucked away.

There are a few visual eyesores like unsightly welds here and there, and then there is the discoloration visible on some parts of the exhaust, but on the whole, there aren’t any fatal flaws. There is also the odd place where the indicator switch for instance is misaligned, the switches itself are pretty basic, as are the indicator lights, tail-lights and headlights. All of the above reminds you that its a bike built to a cost but to reiterate, it is still well put together and you are more likely to associate it with an air of simplicity and not an outright lack of quality.

It’s a far cry from the finish of the full blown classic Triumphs and I daresay, even a notch below the 400cc Triumphs and the comparable 650 REs. But it’s still a notable step forward from its other stablemates and even standalone passes muster and is of acceptable standards. How the bike ages, of course, is something that remains to be seen. That said, despite the hard riding that the test bike has presumably been subjected to, I did not find anything rattling or coming apart and that’s a good sign.

There are some places where they may have taken the simplicity a tad too far though. For instance, the side panels are on three rubber mount points that simply have to be pushed to be slotted in and tugged out to be removed. Inside one of these panels is the externally placed oil sump and in the other, the fuse box. Also, inside the panel is a simple tug that opens the seat housing the battery unit, which is bolted in place on two simple screws. So basically, accessing the under seat takes all of pulling out a panel, tugging a cord and voila, there’s the battery! I appreciate the hark back to simpler times, but a 2024 bike really should have lockable side panels and seats.

The paint quality is par for course as is the chrome work and it doesn’t feel cheap by any measure. The finish is also nice. Not to belabor the point, but just addressing the aspects like the cheap stickering in various places should elevate the overall experience of the bike.

Overall though, I’d give it a thumbs up for most part on fit and finish and encourage Classic Legends to fix the few outlier elements whenever they look to update this offering.

Features and Instrumentation

Again, true to form, it’s limited to the very basic necessities. The cockpit is characterized by a very classic twin pod cluster with an easy to read speedometer on the left and an rpm meter on the right.

It follows a quirky approach where the dials ‘rest’ at the 2 'o' clock position and move downwards clockwise as you move up the speed and rpm. While this uncharacteristic choice of needle movement may divide opinions, I found this quite a charming little touch, and not one that’s hard to adapt to either. Once you make a note that 100 km/h and 5,000 rpm sit at the 6 'o' clock position, it’s very easy to have a sense of what speed / rpm you’re at even at a quick glance. What adds to the charm is the very quaint looking amber back light when viewed at night. Very nicely done indeed.

What doesn’t work though are the tiny LED windows which display the fuel level indicator on the right instrument pod and the odometer and two trip meters on the left. In direct sunlight, while one can make out the fuel level indicator, the numbers on the trip / odometers are damn near impossible to read. No amount of squinting fixes this unless you find a spot of shade to read the numbers. Not that it’s something you need to read very frequently but still, it’s a tad annoying, specially if you want to keep track of the km covered on a longer run.

The fuel gauge movement seemed a bit staccato to me and I felt it was moving a bit abruptly as the miles piled on. I could be wrong on this since I experienced only two fills during my time with the bike, but I did feel it went down a bit abruptly. I’d be interested to hear from early owners if they’ve experienced something similar.

The last dial is a small black one which sits above the headlight and between these twin pods, housing the various warning lights, including the neutral light.

The dial is simple and minimalistic - not a bad thing in itself, given the positioning of the bike. Regardless, I’d have liked to see at least two more items by way of information - a clock (very useful) and a gear indicator (handy but not crucial).

The switchgear again is basic and functional and given the relative lack of complex optionality, there is not much to figure out. The quality is very ordinary and feels just a notch below its immediate competition. The information button that toggles between the odometer and two trip meters and resets them has one oddity. It takes a full FIVE Mississippi count of keeping the button firmly pressed before the tripmeter reset takes effect. Not fatal, but just a bit inconvenient. They could certainly recalibrate that for a slightly quicker response - I mean if I've held it down for 2-3 seconds, I want a reset!

Last but not the least, the headlight quality is a simple bulb set up that does its duty and has adequate throw, certainly a far sight better than what I'm used to on my Scrambler 400 which is borderline useless. The battery is placed under the seat and is made by Tata - Yuasa.

Wheels & Tyres

The bike runs on excel rims with a tubed spoked setup sporting Pirelli Phantom Sportcomp tyres with a 100/90 R18 front and a 150/70 R17 rear. Tyre performance is par for course, not spectacular but they get the job done. My riding though was mostly in dry conditions so the observations may be treated accordingly.

From a styling perspective, the wheel and spoke design along with the mudguard is absolutely on point and really does wonders for the overall classic look. The practical compromises however are another matter. While I'm all for quaint and classic where it matters, we are in 2024 and with the Himalayan recently proving that affordable tubeless wheels are indeed possible, I struggle to accept a tubed setup any more. Exacerbating this issue is the absence of a centre stand, which will make fixing punctures even more inconvenient. Neither is a main stand an accessory nor could I see the scope to incorporate one. This is one area that seriously needs a rethink or redesign from Classic Legends. Finally, the design of the rear is such that I believe a conventional paddock stand doesn't work either. Although, the primary fix for me is simple - provide tubeless wheels please, even if as an optional extra.

Ergonomics and Comfort

Lets start with the good part, because that's limited and can be wrapped up quickly. Unlike the slightly sportier forward biased stance of retro roadsters like the Speed 400 or the Interceptor 650, the BSA is a far more easy going with an upright stance, complemented by a slightly wide set handlebar. The seat height is a very modest 782 mm, which should find favour with shorter or beginner riders giving them the confidence to plant both feet on the ground.



The shape of the seat too is excellent with a nice wide and flat base with a grab handle in the middle. This should allow slightly taller riders to be able to move back a bit to find their optimum seating position. The bike has a narrow profile which also makes it easy to handle and while the bike isn't exactly light (wet weight is rated at 213 kg, a mere 5 kg lower than the rather porky Interceptor), it does seem to carry its weight a bit lower.


That’s me in the pic and I stand at a pretty modest 5’4”. So please judge the seat height and ergonomics from the two pictures above accordingly.

The biggest fatal flaw then - albeit one that's easily fixable aftermarket by owners as well, is the seat cushioning, which is just WAY too soft. Whether you're tall or short, the seat cushion is going to significantly detract from your ride comfort for any meaningful time in the saddle. The second issue is the overall size of the bike, which felt short even standing next to the Speed 400, which is already a reasonably compact bike. I took feedback from at least 3 riders (height ranging from 5'9" to 5' 11" and who own a T120, Interceptor and a Harley X440) and each of them said that the bike just feels too short and compact. Having said that, each of their primary rides is a GS1250, so I am going to discount their viewpoint a bit. If you are even moderately tall, I would urge you to carefully assess how comfortable you are with the overall seating ergonomics, as there is a strong chance that you may feel a bit cramped on this bike. This feeling is only exacerbated by the ultra soft seat and should in part at least get addressed by just replacing the foam from an aftermarket seat guy to something much firmer.

Pillion Comfort

The same pros and cons of the seat continue for the rear passenger too. There's a nice grab handle at the back and the seat is both wide and long (aiding pillion comfort), but its uber soft cushioning detract from its comfort. My very limited ride with a pillion though was just with my 12 year old son around the block near our home so the reference mileage is limited, not to mention the limited motorcycling experience of the opinion provider.

Fuel Tank Capacity & Range

BSA has gone for form over function with the tank design, with its capacity coming in at a slightly modest 11.7 litres. As per stated claims, I believe owners should expect mileage in the mid 20s at least. This should make fuel stops a touch more frequent than some would like, but this is not a major downer in my opinion.

In one of my rough cut tank fill tests, I had filled 7.32 litres after ~140 km of riding, yielding an efficiency of 19.6 km/l. This involved a 25:75, city / highway running split, but I was properly giving it the beans for most of the distance covered. This is just a single data point though so I would not lend too much credence to this isolated reading and would instead look forward to FE inputs from actual owners.

A point on the fuel lid which is beautifully finished with 1903 etched on top and what could have been a lovely three rifles etched logo but is instead represented by a sticker. The lid is indeed a bit fiddly to get the hang off, specially while shutting it close. But honestly, I fumbled the first two times but had it pat the third time so its only getting the hang of where to exactly align the fuel cap while shutting the lid. Not as big a deal as some would make it out to be.

Maintenance

The bike has an initial check up at one month / 1,000 km after which periodic service is at an interval of 6,000 km or 6 months, whichever is earlier. I did not get information on what specifically each service would entail but I would imagine that oil changes should on an annual basis. I will let our early owners weigh in on this as per their experience.

Standard & Extended Warranty

The standard warranty is 2 years / 24,000 km which can be extended to 4 years / 50,000 km for a sum of Rs. 4,700/-. Given this is a relatively young brand and the product is new as well, I would definitely encourage owners to opt for the extended warranty.

[Axe77]

Riding the BSA Gold Star 650

First things first, let's ignore and put aside the marketing blitz around the "greatest single of all time". Let's also ignore the single vs twin cacophony and appreciate simply what the end product is, on its individual merits. The bike sports a heavily reworked Rotax origin, 652cc liquid-cooled engine that pushes out 55 Nm and 45 BHP - figures that hover around the same zip code as the Interceptor 650, being a smidgeon down on power from the latter and a hint up on torque.

Start up the bike and you are greeted with a raspy grunt which is nice enough at idle but not particularly exciting, specially if your benchmark is the smoother and bassy sound that the Interceptor produces. It does however sound really nice once you get going and while you’re astride on the bike and on the move.

First gear is rather short and you'll find yourself moving into second pretty quickly to properly get going. Get past the 2,000 rpm mark and you are rewarded by a smooth, linear surge of torque all the way up to 5,000 rpm. Gear shifts are extremely smooth and coupled with the smooth and strong torque that this engine delivers, the bike feels extremely tractable and punchy as long as its sitting above this 2,000 rpm mark. Performance is brisk by any measure and this is a fast bike that's rewarding to ride as well as full of character. If you're going to judge the sound of this bike by standing beside it and revving it in neutral, you're not going to be too impressed. But mounted on it, and working it through the meat of its rev range, you'll be rewarded by a really nice sound which has its own unique grunt - very distinct from the smoother experience of a twin.

Performance has repeatedly been described as only brisk, but make no mistake, give it a solid poke and this is a properly fast bike between 2,000 and 5,000 rpm. While the character of the bike is one of a classic easy going cruiser, this is not just a bike for a "lazy, soak in the surroundings" sort of Sunday ride. I was regularly giving it the beans on the highway and believe me, you can have a properly fun time on this 650 single. Where bikes like the Interceptor are all about the higher mid and top end of the rpm curve, this bike is all about a really wide mid range of torque which will have shove all the way from 20-30 km/h to 100-120 km/h. It's only once you get past the 5,000 rpm mark that the acceleration begins to slack off and while I have no doubt it can eventually claim its ~100 mph (160 km/h) top speed, the real rewards are all up to 110/120 km/h. This bike will do 'all day' cruising duties at 100-110 km/h with more than enough left in it for quick overtakes that need it to go up to 120/130 km/h.

Using 4th and 5th gears, you'll find the bike can sit at 90-120 km/h at anything between 3,000 - 5,000 rpm. The bike is full of character and charm and this engine truly is the single biggest highlight of this overall package. It is an absolute peach and I had a ball of a time with it. At highway speeds, whether you're cruising on country roads at 60-80 km/h or making short work of highways at 80-120 km/h, this bike can do both with ease and in whatever style you want it to - relaxed easy going cruiser style, thanks to the dollops of torque and tractability or the more urgent "twist of the wrist" thrills when you decide otherwise. While it is a 5-speed set up, I never found myself hunting for the missing 6th gear like you do in some bikes. The 5th gear felt more than adequate as a final drive at even higher end cruising speeds.

The front suspension is on point as well, but the rear suspension is its Achilles heel. It is way too soft and distinctly bouncy and if there's one thing that's going to temper your confidence of pushing the bike at higher speeds, it's the unsettled and bouncy nature of the rear suspension. For a bike that's otherwise beautifully balanced and would be a decent handler too, this rear suspension is a constant let down, whether when pushing the limits of the bike in a straight line or tackling curves. The slightest undulation can tend to unsettle the rider.

The second irritant of course, as previously mentioned, is the super soft seat. After a certain amount of saddle time, it gets so uncomfortable that its constantly overshadowing the overall riding experience while out on a longer ride.

That brings me to city riding, where a few points are of note. Firstly, the heat. This is a big capacity single-cylinder bike and you WILL feel the heat when you're in bumper to bumper traffic - it's not unduly uncomfortable, but it's there for sure. I had collected the bike in peak hour weekday conditions from the Jawa showroom and this was the first thing that struck me about it - not that it surprised me though. The second is the tractability at crawling speeds. The bike absolutely hates being below 1,800 rpm and there were numerous instances when the engine simply cut off when the bike went well below that mark. The result is that you will find yourself slotting the bike in first gear a lot more than you perhaps normally would, to try and avoid stalling. But even after slotting it in first (and in some cases even dropping it in neutral), the bike would drop rpm and simply cut off at times. For a bike that's likely to find favour more as a city runabout than a long distance, luggage laden mile muncher, this is an aspect Classic Legends definitely need to look into on priority. Constant stalling like what I faced can make city riding in heavy traffic extremely frustrating.

Overall then, peach of an engine, extremely characterful, brilliantly set up for most part, but let down a bit by the rear suspension and the super soft seat.

Refinement & NVH

This was the most pleasant surprise and hats off to the engineers who've got this together. The foremost concern that anyone has with such a large capacity single are vibrations. The teams at Classic Legends are on point here and have contained this brilliantly. The bike is incredibly smooth to ride at most usable speeds / rpm without any undue vibrations coming in the way. Whether you're cruising calmly or giving it a shove, the bike is very smooth all the way up to at least 4,500 rpm. There is a hint of vibration that starts creeping in up to about 5,000 rpm, but again, nothing that's unacceptable or disconcerting. It's only beyond 5000 rpm that the vibrations really start making themselves felt, but by then, you've really extracted most of what this bike was designed for. Unless you're specifically trying to find its top speed for academic purpose, you're really not going to find yourself in that 5,000-7,000 rpm range too much. Full marks on this front then to Classic Legends.

Suspension and Handling

The suspension setup comprises a telescopic hydraulic fork in the front and simple twin shock absorbers at the rear. I think enough and more has been said on this front already though. The front suspension is fine but the rear suspension is quite bouncy and underdamped - enough to take away some of the rewarding character that the engine otherwise can deliver. The handling, otherwise, is decent - it's not too sharp to turn into corners, but has just the right amount of feedback and response that I would expect from a bike of this nature. The 18-inch front wheel also lends it just that right bit of stability while on broken patches and going into turns that one might appreciate. Overall, I was fine with how it handled. But the rear suspension is just too soft and wallowy, taking away significantly from the overall riding confidence and comfort. This is perhaps one of the two most important aspects Classic Legends needs to find a remedy to.

Braking

In one word - excellent. The bike sports Brembos at the front and back - not ByBre as many might expect in this segment and price point. At no point did I ever feel underconfident dropping anchor in an emergency. The ABS equipped floating type calliper sports a 320 mm disc in the front and a 255 mm disc at the rear. The brake lever has good feedback and the overall setup provides sufficient confidence in pushing the bike.

Closing Thoughts

As a product, for most part, I am thoroughly impressed with this bike. This is probably the nicest offering to have emerged from the Classic Legends stable so far. It's absolutely hit the mark on the design and styling aspects. It takes something to place your bets on such a large capacity single-cylinder and they've nailed what I would have thought is the hardest part of the package to get right. The engine, low rpm stalling aside, is absolutely on point - its smooth, punchy, remarkably vibration free for most of its operating range of rpm and serves dollops of torque in the most engaging manner. It does need to get a few critical aspects right - basically the rear suspension and the uber soft seat, both of which detract from the ride comfort and in some part, from the handling.

The only other aspect that's a wait and watch is the expansion of its dealer footprint and establishing the long-term reliability of the product itself - again, key in inspiring customer confidence. They've made a very compelling product, which can easily be improved further by reworking some of these minor irritants. Address these, get the overall ownership experience consistently right and you've got yourself a winning formula that's good enough to make a dent in the mid capacity classics genre.

[Axe77]

BSA Gold Star 650 Images

The BSA Gold Star 650 exhibits a beautiful simplistic design, whichever angle you approach it from. Here's the bike head-on with the simple headlight set up and twin pod cluster underscoring the classic look:


Simplicity continued in that rear profile - basic grab handle, small and basic tail-light and indicators. At just a quick first glance from the back, this bike could easily be mistaken as a genuine vintage:


Side profile highlights the bike's perfect proportions:




Above and below: To me, the front or rear three quarters show the bike in the most flattering manner:


Little BSA logo at the top is nicely executed. The halogen light setup accentuates the bike's old school charm:


The headlight in both low and high beam. The throw is more than adequate for this setup and definitely better than many other ostensibly more fancy LED setups:


Mirrors are simple but adequate. There will be a predictable blurring or buzz as you move up the rpm range:


The back of the mirror is finished in black for this lower end colourway. On some higher priced variants, it is finished in chrome:


Switchgear is pretty basic and looks built to a cost. Note the slightly off-centre finish on the indicator button - should have had better QC here:


Levers are non-adjustable. The clutch isn't too hard to operate and the brake too offers a nice progressive feedback:


Master cylinder for the brakes by ByBre:


Handy charging port with USB Type-A and a USB Type-C ports;


Neat and elegant twin pod cluster with the middle info display for warning lights with its quirky 2 'o' clock resting position. Look absolutely lovely with that amber backlight, which you can see in the earlier "Instrumentation" section:


At the bottom right is the fuel display above the rpm meter. Other three show the odometer and two trip metres. These pics were taken at noon with the sun directly overhead and demonstrate the utterly poor day light readability of these information displays. The fuel guage can be seen - the numbers though are just invisible unless you're standing in shade:


Telescopic hydraulic front fork does its job just fine:


Nice Brembo brakes with 320 mm discs, mounted on Excel rims. The look of the spoke wheels with that mudguard is absolutely on point. You will pray for "no punctures" given the tubed setup:


Seen in the pic - large radiator. Also seen in pic - air cooled fins on the engine for that "authentic" classic look. I'm not complaining - this is the kind of poetic license that most modern retro models are allowed to get by:


Classily executed tank with a tastefully finished large prominent BSA logo:


The tank is tastefully executed with that classic white stripe running down the middle. Paint quality seemed okay, but nothing to write home about:


Side mounted vintage fuel cap is well finished with the neatly etched "1903" on the top. Then they went and added a cheap sticker for the three rifles:


Well shaped wide, flat seat with its contrast stitching should have been far more comfortable than what its padding allows:


Nice grab handle at the back for the pillion with the neat self embossed BSA logo at the back. Note the slightly misaligned rear tail-light to the white stripe running just above it:


The colour on the engine case just looks odd. All three logos you see in this picture are tackily finished stickers. Finally, note the slight burn mark on the exhaust - that portion near the leg would do well with a heat shield:


12V power outlet placed just ahead of one of the side panels. Not sure how useful it would be placed at that location though:


The engine block and crank viewed from the other side. The sticker fest continues here too:


Basic footpeg and brake setup:


The Achilles heel of this package - the twin shock absorber setup which is supposed to come with 5-step adjustability, although we could not try it in different settings:


Brembo brake setup at the rear too with the well finished spokes:


Got BHP? Yes indeed - and torque too!


Easily removable side panels. Tug the blue cord to open the seat, revealing the battery underneath. These should really be lockable:

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[AtheK]

Great review, this was one bike which was long awaited. The big single vs RE twins, gives options to customers. I will take a longish ride some day, should give me a good chance to compare it directly with Interceptor.

Hoping for it to be a good commercial success!!

[100Kmphormore]

The reason I avoided the Interceptor and now this, with confirmation from the MotorInc folks too - why a dual rear spring? It’s simply too bouncy to be a highway tourer, more of a powerful city bike. A bike I’d pick up if I had other bikes that would do their intended jobs.

[timuseravan]

Originally Posted by Axe77

As a product, for most part, I am thoroughly impressed with this bike.

This is the impression of almost everyone (including me) who has ridden the bike!
A great review and closely aligns with my opinion as well.

I used to own the Interceptor 650 and would strongly encourage anyone considering the Int to atleast take a test ride of the Gold Star before committing.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by AtheK

Great review, this was one bike which was long awaited.

Absolutely!!! A big thanks to Axe77 and also Omkar for helping in the review.

Quite remarkable to read what BSA has achieved with the Goldstar - and undoubtedly this seems to be the most competent product from the Classic Legends stable. It surely has areas of improvements, especially around fit and finish but things can only get better from here.

With such a big single cylinder engine - the biggest question was always going to be around refinement. I guess the masterstroke here is that it is an oversquare engine- 100mm bore × 83 mm stroke. In comparison- the Bullet 500 was typically undersquare at 84mm × 90mm - a much larger stroke already than this Rotax 650 motor.

But being a very large single (and may be by virtue to other components like a heavier crank etc) - the Goldstar escapes the typical low end issues of typical smaller oversquare motors as well.

Can't wait to take a longer TD - once the bikes becomes available on rentals here in Bangalore

[aargee]

If I were searching for a middle weight motorcycle today, I will be skeptical about BSA 650 as I'm tired hearing the power-dead-power-dead stroke. Even the 180 degree firing is a bit boring; on that front, Interceptor has nailed the Indian market with 270 degree with a distinct V-Twin like sound + they've improvised a lot since their launch + most important aspect wide spread ASC because:

Buying is one time affair but maintenance is for lifetime!

Even Rx had 5 gears some 2+ decades ago; this is 2024 & BSA 650 {still??? Speed 900} has 5 speed gear box!

[VijayAnand1]

Originally Posted by aargee

If I were searching for a middle weight motorcycle today, I will be skeptical about BSA 650 as I'm tired hearing the power-dead-power-dead stroke. Even the 180 degree firing is a bit boring; on that front, Interceptor has nailed the Indian market with 270 degree with a distinct V-Twin like sound + they've improvised a lot since their launch + most important aspect wide spread ASC because:

Buying is one time affair but maintenance is for lifetime!

Even Rx had 5 gears some 2+ decades ago; this is 2024 & BSA 650 {still??? Speed 900} has 5 speed gear box!

Not to burst your bubble, but the Goldstar does need some appreciation. I think you own the RE Interceptor and hence this interjected notion. I sincerely feel, the RE Twins are due for an upgrade -- both aesthetically and ergonomically. It's simply become too boring, whether it's a hard pill to digest, that's the truth laid simple.

I do not own the Goldstar, nor have I ridden one, but for what it offers, the equipment if offers, the componentry it has to offer, the Goldstar 650 is way better in terms of fit, finish and overall butch look.

The Interceptor is starting to show its age, and the Goldstar is a fresh renew in that CC category also talking about VFM. Talking about 6th gear -- taking the Duke 390 as an erstwhile example, can decimate the RE 650 in every way possible, both have six gears, one is more powerful, has an extra cylinder, yet it fails in every possible way. The Goldstar with its 5 gears has still smoked the Interceptor, left, right, center and in the middle.

Believe me, the Goldstar will be much more liveable and easy going in the long run and the ownership factor will be more more authentic owing to its uniqueness.

Cheers!
VJ

[Viju]

Great review as always! Thanks, guys!

I for one am eagerly waiting to see some comparisons between this and the Classic 650 Twin. I would love to own a Goldstar 650, Classic 650 or Bullet 650 along with my Bullet 350.

I don't care much about the acceleration figures. There are much better options in the market if performance is your key criteria. These are bikes you buy once you are done with your need for speed, and are looking for something to keep for the rest of your life. It's just my opinion.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

Not to burst your bubble, but the Goldstar does need some appreciation. I think you own the RE Interceptor and hence this interjected notion

Sure I can

• Goldstar is a uber fantastic large single cylinder 4 stroke 650 cc that is very unique in our country
• Weighs 4-5 Kilos less than Interceptor
• Has a single exhaust
• Beautiful colors, seats
• Mahindra is eagerly trying to provide more ASC across the country
• With a 11.5:1 compression ratio LC engine like Duke
• Very beautiful spoked wheels
• Intuitive clockwise dials

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

I do not own the Goldstar, nor have I ridden one, but for what it offers, the equipment if offers, the componentry it has to offer, the Goldstar 650 is way better in terms of fit, finish and overall butch look

But I never commented on aesthetics!!

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

The Interceptor is starting to show its age...The Goldstar with its 5 gears has still smoked the Interceptor, left, right, center and in the middle

So does Street Twin or Speed Twin & sure let the God of Speed not just smoke, but leave Interceptor away from the race track by all means, I most welcome good competition

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

Believe me, the Goldstar will be much more liveable and easy going in the long run and the ownership factor will be more more authentic owing to its uniqueness

Yes I believe you, if you also believe BSA has any of these, I'm both fanboy of both you & Goldstar

• Multiple cylinder not power-dead-power-dead stroke?
• Wide spread ASC through the country
• Has more than 5 speed gears
• Both buying & maintenance are one time affair

[navin_v8]

Ah! The BSA Goldstar! This review from our very own TeamBHP was long awaited.

Lovers of big singles (me being one) would be delighted to have a proper big single, north of 500cc (considering RE no longer makes them). Given the fact that the same Rotax 650 engine did duty on the BMW Funduro gives it some pedigree. At the same time not sure how Classic Legends will handle brand BSA given how they mishandled Jawa Yezdi brand. As a retro-classic enthusiast it feels good to have more options, especially big singles.

As an enthusiast, I would've loved to see 19 inch wheels both front and rear. Stamped logos on engine casing instead of lousy stickers (kudos to RE for not doing something like this to cut costs). A nice and clear instrument pod that is also visible during the day.

No doubt it is a very good motorcycle with an iconic brand name and the choice of engine is also a cherry on top, but only thing that bothers me is after sales service and spares support. Better to wait and watch for at least two years before putting in 4 big ones.

[vzvish91]

For those benchmarking this against RE 650s especially the Interceptor:
https://www.bikewale.com/news/2025-r...otted-testing/