[Boringrider]

Originally Posted by whitesquall

Eagle has landed!

Congrats, waiting to see your ownership experiences soon!

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by whitesquall

Attachment 2651933

Eagle has landed!

Congratulations. Would love to see an ownership review from you once you’ve had some time with the bike. Wish you many happy memories with it.

[VijayAnand1]

The Goldstar has perfectly nudged that CC gap turning out to be a fillip and opening up a genre that once belonged to yesteryear thumpers, thanks to Mahindra and the upcoming Norton marquees revived by TVS, says a lot about British bangers making a stylized comeback.

Come what may, Classic Legends' Jawa brand does leave a lot to be desired in their quality department especially when it comes to Jawa and Yezdi, the chassis weld and finish are simply too crude and paintwork that never seems would last a summer. The same has been the case with Hero with the Mavrick, seems cost cutting and seems a given corporation's ex-chequer knows where to choke it and at the wrong place.

This Goldstar seems to be lauded by oldsters abroad for being a simple, fun and a well-built machine and I think this will have its own following here in India. Never should one compare this to an Interceptor. The Inty has its own flaws and flawlessness, but in the end the Inty isn't a long termer bike, which is where this BSA would chime in suavely.

It's upto to CL and M&M to get things up and running with respect to sales and serviceability for this legend to once again etch its name in Indian turf.

Cheers!
VJ

[rb2399]

I've barely ridden the bike for 300 odd KMs are here are my thoughts:

* it's a big single which is amply evident with vibrations at idle that die down as you get going. The engine is really smooth as the bike gathers speed. 80 KMPH comes at 3000 RPM which is pretty relaxed in my opinion.

* My riding till date has been a mix of both highway and city runs. Close to 23 KMPL has been the fuel efficiency which is not bad for an engine of this size.
With a tank capacity of 12 litres, you'll need to look out for a petrol pump every 250 odd KMs.

* The seating position is upright just like the bikes of yore.

* The Brembo + Pirelli combination works remarkably well both in dry and wet conditions.

* Headlight is pretty average (H4,60/55W).You'll need set of aux lights if you decide to go touring on this one.

* The heat can be felt especially on the right hand side especially in stop and go traffic but no tandoori tangdi here !

* The side panels are fixed using gromets and one can just yank them out !

* The bike has a dry sump lubrication and the oil tank is behind the LHS side panel with a dip stick to check the oil level !

* The air filter is housed on the RHS and is easily accessible.

* The Clutch is very light and the gear shifts are smooth. They'll get better with time I think. The only odd bit is here is the false play that's available even after you've slotted in the 5th gear !

* The compression ratio has been mentioned using a range. I am seeing this for the first time. And by the way, she demands RON 95 !

* The engine is equipped with two plugs !

* The tyres are tubed ones and you'll be doomed in the unfortunate event of a puncture especially when riding out of the town !

* I'm not someone who's finicky about fit and finish levels but the odd looking welding marks can be an eyesore for a few.

* The indicators are borrowed from the jawa/yezdi and somehow they look out of place

* After sales support is something that I am not sure of given the brand's sparse presence as compared to the more established players.

* The console is twin pod as per the retro theme but apart from the tacho and speedometer, everything else is very difficult to read which includes the fuel gauge as well the odometer.

* The suspension ( at least the rear) is set on a firm side and the shocks do transmit to the rider.

* The fuel cap is unhinged and you need to align the lettering (1903) on it to snap it back once you've filled up the tank.

* The tank is made of metal whereas the fenders and the side panels are made of fiber.

* The chain is on the same side of the exhaust and propping up the swing arm to lube the chain is bit painful.


In summary, this bike is not going to be the mainstay as far as I'm concerned and hence I'm pretty content with what's on offer here as I always wanted to own a retro classic

[vzvish91]

Check out this video (might not be that valid in our Indian context)

https://youtu.be/3afk2fkxeQo?si=LpUlnF3bT29B1j1L

[100Kmphormore]

In summary, this bike is not going to be the mainstay as far as I'm concerned and hence I'm pretty content with what's on offer here as I always wanted to own a retro classic

Congrats rb! You also own a Speed 400 apart from the the 2 ADVs right? Will be interesting to see a comparison

[Neo18]

Based on your view of the Engine on this BSA, will this engine make more sense on the upcoming scrambler that they have teased to be released in December?

[rb2399]

Originally Posted by 100Kmphormore

Congrats rb! You also own a Speed 400 apart from the the 2 ADVs right? Will be interesting to see a comparison

I've sold off the Speed 400 :(. The two bikes are totally different animals and a comparison won't do justice to either of them.

Basically, the heart of the matter i.e. the engines have very different characteristics. The Speed's motor is quite rev happy unlike the gold star. The Speed is meant for spirited riding whereas the gold star is always in a relaxed mode with no hurry whatsoever!

[pedrolourenco]

Originally Posted by rb2399

After sales support is something that I am not sure of given the brand's sparse presence as compared to the more established players.

The Yezdi / Jawa owners are still not happy with the after sales support. If Classic Legends has not sorted that out, I doubt it's going to be any better for BSA owners. I'm assuming BSA will be sold through the existing Jawa/Yezdi dealerships (correct me if I'm wrong). I yet to see any BSA branding on the Goa dealership.

* The chain is on the same side of the exhaust and propping up the swing arm to lube the chain is bit painful.

Originally Posted by pedrolourenco

The LHS view is so incomplete.

This was my initial observation though I didn't think of the lubrication part. My observation was only aesthetic. The RE UCE models too had this problem. This has been remedied in the J Series.
Not sure how difficult it is for them get the chain on the required side. I can understand the BSA as they are using an existing engine but the UCE was a ground up design.
Sorry for going a bit off-topic.

[rite2rajs]

Mahindra's reputation for discontinuing products needs to be considered before buying, secondly a 12 litre tank with low mileage will restrict long rides.

[timuseravan]

I finally checked out the BSA Goldstar in person followed by a 30 min test ride. I have to echo all the mini-reviews here and online - the bike is surprisingly good!
I have owned a RE Interceptor for about 2 years and 8k km and will compare some of the points directly with that bike.

Positives of the Goldstar

• BSA have absolutely nailed the engine + gearbox. The bike pulls cleanly right from start with ample torque. There is no gear indicator and I felt there is no need for one. You can easily potter around on low gears
  The gearbox is also fairly slick except for some low gear transitions. There are hardly any vibrations despite being a big 652. I felt the clutch to be lighter than the Int 650

• The brakes are phenomenal - they have fantastic bite and stopping power. Easily one of the best I have every ridden. I guess this is difference between "Brembo" and "By Brembo"

• The front suspension is definitely better than the Interceptor - no squish seen here. The rear could have been better or maybe the showroom had set it to the hardest setting and overinflated the tyres

• I am 6' and the seating and posture is upright and comfortable for me. The weight also seems better managed than the Int.

• Overall fit, finish and quality seem very good. The rough surfaces are gone - the only ugly weld is the one on the front forks. The wiring is neatly tucked away. The perceived quality is better than the Interceptor.

Now for some cons

• Spoked tubed wheel - Why BSA? Why? They could easily have gone for alloys atleast on some non-legacy variants. The showroom guys were clueless about when or even if the alloys would be available.

• The bike looks to be very well put together but the reliability and service is not known.

• The sales guys told me that the service intervals are 6 months/6000km which seems to be low. However online I have read it to be 1 year/6000 km. Can some owner confirm which it is?

• The silencer and the chain are on the same side - this inevitably leads to chain oil splashing on the silencer.

I had completely not expected this but overall bike to bike, the Goldstar is a better bike than the Interceptor! Competition is always good and I hope this pushes RE to improve all the shortcomings of the Interceptor.

[JagMan]

Originally Posted by rb2399

Attachment 2652576

Shouldn't it say E20 for fuel grade?

[Castro Gunner]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utOMzjhXm7s

[Boringrider]

Took a second test ride today with my mother as pillion. This time I was focused on seeing if I would enjoy it if I owned this rather than testing to see if it was any good. This mindset does make a difference in the experience.

As usual, the engine is amazing, gearbox is slick and lack of gear indicator is not going to be a problem. You can ride around in traffic and forget what gear you are in. It's really the perfect dual natured engine which I have always wanted. It is meant to be ridden like a gentleman, soaking in the scenery and owning the road but one twist of the throttle and it goes like a rocket. Vibrations are there just enough to make you enjoy the feel of a thumper without spoiling the experience. Lot of foreign youtubers feel that the RE 650 engines are too smooth to the point of being lifeless whereas this makes you feel alive and thumping. Not that, liking one over the other because it's superior or something like that. It's a matter of preference.

Coming to the exhaust note, it is fine for a big single. But it has that sweet whine like a twin while deceleration. So much, that I found myself intentionally accelerating hard and then letting go of the throttle just to hear that addictive sweet turbo-ish whine.

Weight management deserves a standing ovation. This thing weighs almost as much as my Adventure bike yet I could flick it so easily. Even in U-turns, the weight is not felt. Somehow even a Classic 350 feels heavier than this. It feels like flicking around a 200cc bike. Truly some wizardry BSA has pulled off here.


For me, the major cons I can see as a potential owner is the low seat height. We took some photos of me on the bike which I'd rather not show anyone because it looks like a gorilla riding a tricycle. (Okay, it's not that bad but it is). I look really funny with the bike but I didn't find the ergos uncomfortable. This does however makes me a bit sceptical about long hours on this seating position. No back pain to report but to be fair, these were short in the city test rides. If anyone can shed more light on touring usage, that would be great. I don't want it to feel like my Aviator, comfortable enough for short spins but not more.

Pillion seat felt tiny and as if we were sitting too close according to my mother. Maybe it's also because I'm a giant but yes, the seat is narrow. It's not like I do two-up touring so this is less of a negative as far as I'm concerned.

Finally, the hit or miss Classic Legends service support. Being their existing customer, I cannot in full honesty suggest people to confidently bet on it. It's average at best and horrible at worst.

I really love this machine. Watching countless youtube videos on it as if I have already set my mind to buy it even though I don't have the funds for it. Coincidentally, I saw an Aprilia RS457 in a mall parking lot. I had written off all supersports models but seeing the handlebars on it made me at least sit on it to check and they didn't feel as committed as I thought it would be. A highly unlikely alternative but I'll add it to my consideration list.

Note - the seat height issue is specific to me and riders on the taller side. If you're shorter or average in height terms, this is going to be a blast for you. Comparing my sitting posture on Shotgun, I do look like I dwarf over it too but that appearance is slightly less pronounced on it. I hope RE launches Classic 650 soon so I'll have another option to look at. Himalayan 650 is probably too far away or non-existent.

My verdict - Service experience negatives can be managed if you can travel to some good dealers who might be far or with DIY or mix of both. Apart from that, this is really a fun to ride 650 and just an absolute piece of art to own.

[@shimda]

Originally Posted by JagMan

Shouldn't it say E20 for fuel grade?

To my knowledge E20 is the percentage of petrol to ethanol (20%) whereas RON 95 refers to the octane level.