Founded: 1861
BSA headquarters: Gun Quarter, Birmingham, United Kingdom
The largest motorcycle manufacturing company in the UK was founded in 1854, when 14 arms united for the manufacture of small arms for the British army that participated in the Crimean War.
In the 1880s, the company, highly automated by the standards of its time, began manufacturing motorcycle units and units. The first full-fledged bike with the BSA logo appeared in 1903, and it turned out to be a very successful project. Subsequent novelties were also favorably received by buyers, which allowed the company to expand its presence in the market, including – and at the expense of less successful competitors.
By the mid-1950s, being the owner of such brands as Triumph, Ariel, Sunbeam, BSA became the world’s largest motor-car manufacturer.
In 1960, the BSA announced a profit of nine million British pounds.
However, in the early 1970s, the losses of the BSA practically equaled the level of incomes of ten years ago. The last attempt to get hold of the market was the BSA Fury bike. In 1972 the company declared bankruptcy.
In 1991, BSA Co and Andover Norton merged to form a new BSA group.
In 1994, it was acquired by a company based in Southampton and changed its name to BSA Regal.