Basically as the title says

Thinking of getting a 1940's BSA M20 WD (War Dept.) type. Will be a runner/complete (not perfect, but not a basket case either).
One of the most common (but not necessarily most popular) bikes used by British Army in WW2 and remained in service in limited numbers till late 60's.
Like this:
http://www.autogallery.org.ru/k/b/bsaM20_Vintage-imports.jpg

Any advice or decent websites about this machine gratefully received.
Okay with fixing (bodging? :lol1: ) old bangers, just wondered what to pay (seen £1850 for M.O.T'ed runner...good or bad?) and what to look for (already know about magneto getting hot and thus making it a 'pig' to start/kick over when warm:cuckoo: ).

Ta.
:)

a nice claasic to restore does it have any bullet holes form the germans:lol1:

I've had two. :)

A rigid girder forked M20 that we used to use for 'trials' and a plunger framed M21 (600cc version). This I bought for 30 quid with a sidecar attached (ex AA bike) and rode on the road after removing the sidecar. Went all over the place on it. :thumb:

TBH there is nothing to really go wrong with them, they are so under stressed. Never heard about the 'magneto overheating' problem. I reckon that's just a myth.

:cool:

Sounds like a lot of money for one. There's bloody hundreds of 'em. Two grand ought to get you a really nice example I would have thought. Better do a bit of research unless £2K is pocket money for you.

Screwd.

Cheers people :thumb:

Unclebuck: going slightly off topic did the M21(what I class as the ‘civilian’ model) have plunger forks as opposed to girder like M20?

Screwdriver: Very much appreciated :notworthy , yes you are right there are loads of them about (even in places like Russia – from lease lend in WW2).
As I said I knew of a couple that are M.O.T ed for approx £1800 but not ‘Mint/ near concourse’ but then I suppose ‘Mint/Concourse’ does not really apply to a military vehicles!
I was thinking around 2 grand for a ‘damn good un’! Did have a look at the Classic bike show at Stafford last October and some ‘nut-tAh’ wanted £2500 for a badly assembled yet none running wreck! :cuckoo:

£2k I will remember that cheers!

going slightly off topic did the M21(what I class as the ‘civilian’ model) have plunger forks as opposed to girder like M20?


Hi

Yes my M21 was not military in origin – the story was that it was and ex AA patrol bike. It was very similar to this one:

http://www.fam-amv.ch/forum/bilder/thb_D0010388.JPG (http://www.fam-amv.ch/forum/bilder/thb_D0010388.JPG)

You can see the plunger rear suspension that they replaced the rigid frame with (just about), and it had the same telescopic front forks as the bike in the pic.

Incidentally, do you know you can tell a 600cc M21 engine easily as it has an alloy cylinder head as opposed to the cast iron one on the M20. Think of this as a refinement. :)

Neither are ever going to trouble a modern 500 or 600 single in the performance stakes, but still a lot of fun to own and ride. :D

Think of it as riding on a giant lawnmower engine and you're about there. :thumb: As for finding one, keep an eye out on fleabay as they often come up on there.