1925 BSA Model B25 'Round Tank' 250cc

This BSA Roundtank motorcycle left the factory in 1925 and is the’ Deluxe’ three speed model. Registered on the 19^th of February the same year, the machine was probably used up until the Second World War, when it was mothballed. In 1950 it was bought and ‘lightly’ reconditioned and given to a Mr Robin Parsey for his 21st birthday present in 1951, and quickly gained the affectionate name ‘Fu-Fu’, due to its distinctive registration FU 5267. It was used regularly for commuting between Cambridge and north London, as Robin was by then seeing a certain Danish lady who was working as an au pair.

Mr Parsey’s girlfriend was often transported on a thick cushion on the rear pannier on the back of the BSA around London, but commented many years later that she would never travel like that ever again! The BSA was used until December 1954 when the couple married.                                                                                           

From then until early 2000, the BSA was in ‘deep store’, smothered in grease at the back of a large garage. Robin continued to ride between north London and the City, buying a mixture of bikes until the early 1990s, by which time he had been knocked off a few times and ceased riding. The current owner, a family friend, had purchased a few bikes from Robin over the years, but the BSA was ‘off limits’ – it was going to be restored upon retirement.

In 2000 Robin and his wife moved home to a more modern house with a tiny single garage. There was room for some of Robin’s toys, which were older motorised roller lawn mowers, but there was no space for the BSA. A family consultation took place and the motorcycle moved home to the current owner.                  

At that point new tyres and tubes were bought and fitted and the generator was refurbished and refitted. Receipts for these items are included in the history file.  Due to the owner’s work commitments, in 2001 the BSA started to travel – first to Calgary Canada then Houston Texas, where intermittent tinkering continued. The original seat had been replaced with a 1930-40s seat; the canvas eventually gave way and can probably be found on the side of the I10 outside Houston when the BSA was being trailered to a show.

In 2009 it returned to the UK and settled in Dorset.  From then on, the fettling continued and in 2015 the motorcycle was up and running, having been retimed. The rear wheel cup and cone bearings were found to be in a poor way and have been replaced with modern ball races. The current seat is a period example found at an autojumble in 2014; it is of suitable period leather, which has been repaired. The fuel (petrol and oil combined) tank was stripped of black paint and painted with a green paint as near to the original BSA green as could be matched by sight and new mounting rubbers have been obtained and fitted. Recent recommissioning work has also included the fitting of a new drive chain and a new rear sprocket.

The file contains the V5C registration certificate, photographs, data, a parts catalogue and the aforementioned invoices. A new exhaust pipe is supplied with the motorcycle.

Auction Date: 7 June 2018