BSA Gold Star 650 impressions by a former Continental GT 535 owner

I will admit to having a massive soft corner for big singles and the joy of motorcycling that this dying breed brings to the table.

BHPian neil.jericho recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Me : "Hi, is this the BSA Jawa showroom?"

Sales Rep : "Yes sir."

Me : "Im calling to check if the Gold Star 650 is on display. Can I come and see it today evening?"

Sales Rep : "No sir. That bike is not there. We do have the BSA 650 though. You can come and see it today."

Me : "OK then ....."

As a former Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 owner, I will admit to having a massive soft corner for big singles and the joy of motorcycling that this dying breed brings to the table. With Royal Enfield smartly moving to the twin cylinder A2 segment (Interceptor / Continental GT / Super Meteor / Shotgun 650), motorcycle enthusiasts didnt really have any solid single cylinder options until the Mahindra-backed Classic Legends (also behind the Yezdi & Jawa motorcycles) came out with the BSA Gold Star 650. Ive been following the product since it was launched, hoping that the time spent in selling the bike in international markets, would result in a polished product landing in Indian dealerships.

After having checked out the Gold Star 650 in a nearby showroom, I think its time to taper my realistic expectations. Here are some thoughts

• There were 2 motorcycles on display. One was in the Insignia Red paint scheme and the other was in the Dawn Silver scheme. From a few feet away, the motorcycles are strikingly handsome!
• Spend more than 10 minutes in carefully observing the motorcycles from all angles, and as with all the other Classic Legends products, you start to see why they arent in the same league as the launches from other major players.
• The gap between the side panel and the chassis is massive on one side and minimal on the other. There is no way to say this other than, this is just poor design and engineering.
• When you are seated, you can see really ugly weld marks on the forks, just below the triple clamp. Once you see it, you cant unsee it. Another potential customer also noticed the same.
• When you plant you feet in such a way that they are well clear of the foot pegs, you will find your thighs are digging into the side panels! To avoid this you will have to place your feet ahead but then your shins will foul with the foot pegs. Argh!
• The mish mash of 50 shades of grey on one side of the engine could and should have been avoided. Why not go all black, instead?
• The switch gear is built to a cost, which is understandable. What is unforgivable though, is the fact that the arrow on the indicator was offset on both the motorcycles. That's just poor quality control.
• The tail lamp felt so out of place on the otherwise well designed motorcycle.
• The digital dash is too tiny to be readable on the go. Whoever signed off on this probably freelances as a sniper in his spare time.

I walked into the showroom expecting to see a solid product from Classic Legends that would be a real hoot to ride. While I will reserve my feedback on the riding experience, my initial impressions are that Classic Legends has so much more to do if they genuinely want to compete with the Royal Enfield's of the world, starting off with analyzing how they need to improve the fit and finish of the Gold Star 650!

Without a shadow of a doubt, this is best observed from 5 feet away.

H U G E gap on the right side.

Tiny gap on the left side. Shaking my head in dismay.

Plain ugly.

The offset arrow is rather prominent in this picture.

No such complaints here.

Why over complicate things with all these odd grey / pseudo chrome finishes?

The silver finish on the casing matches nothing else on the motorcycle. Why not use a single silver colour all throughout the motorcycle, instead?

That said, the silencer is a thing of beauty.

The offset fuel cap is gorgeous.

Is it just me or is this not straight?

Matte finish on the headlight dome of the Insignia Red motorcycle.

Glossy finish on the headlight dome of the Dawn Silver motocycle.

The seat on the Insignia Red motorcycle.

The seat on the Dawn Silver motorcycle.

I do like the tank designs on both motorcycles.

If only Royal Enfield has launched an equivalent of the BSA Gold Star 650!

That offset arrow sums up how Classic Legends has executed this motorcycle.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.