Bsa was the largest producer of motorcycles in the world and it was the Bantam that was to prove the most enduring and arguably the most popular British bike of all time. Small but perfectly formed, more than 500,000 Bantams were produced and sold by Bsa from 1948 until 1971 in a wide variety of configurations (road, trials and competition use). In its familiar and somewhat radical white and orange colour scheme, the Bushman variety offered a higher top gear ratio than the others and was particularly popular in rural New Zealand with its incredibly simple mechanics and light geometry. The Bantam holds a special place in New Zealand's motorcycle history. From its war effort origins to its being the basis of many backyard performance modifications for the grass tracks of the '50s and '60s, it was the Bantam that gave meaning to the word 'utilitarian' - inexpensive, simple and long-lasting. Even better, in amongst the big singles there was a growing number of riders who preferred the light simplicity of the Bantam - Stan 'Tommy' Tucker was one of them. Easily modified, the Bantam made a surprisingly competitive ride in the right hands and would quite often give the big singles a run for their money on tight courses. With its genuine patina and a particularly charming hand-painted 'Bushman' decal, this bike was acquired by Stan Tucker from one of his early apprentices in exchange for one of Stan's aging British singles and is accompanied by the original manual and ownership papers.
