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| 22nd May 2008 |
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The BSA C Model Group
Paul Wood is a fan of the pre-unit Beesa Cee series of classic bikes. Turns out he’s not the only person who likes them... I have owned a BSA C12 250cc for over 50 years but I often felt I was the solitary owner of one of these dependable old sloggers of a BSA model. Surrounded by larger capacity bikes, I only occasionally saw another C-model at shows and rallies. 
BSA C Model singles
Surfing the Net one evening, I came across a site especially for BSA C-models. I then realised there were other owners of these bikes around the globe. Pete Rudge of Bournemouth had probably thought the same way. Just over two years ago Pete set up a website for pre-unit C models, the C10, C11, C11G and the swinging arm version, the C12. At the last count there were 298 members worldwide visiting the site to chat, seek and give advice on their favourite models. I was frankly amazed there were so many owners in USA, Canada and Australia besides the UK owners. 
BSA C12 from the late fifties
Some are commencing or halfway through restorations, whilst others are regularly riding their bikes. One Canadian owner rode his C12 to the BSAOC International Rally in USA in 2006. He rode his 250 from Vancouver to the east coast of the USA, a distance of over 3000 miles which he covered in six days!
Round about Christmas 2007 a suggestion was made to Pete that perhaps we should have a meet for UK owners and their bikes. Pete then took on the task of preparing a route around the New Forest, plus carrying out numerous road-recces to check the 70 mile route along mostly white roads through the beautiful forest countryside. 
The date was set for April 27th 2008, meeting outside the Ringwood museum. Seven members of the BSA C Model Group turned up, from as far away as Dudley and Croydon, the others being mostly local riders. Perhaps this was not a massive turn out, but this was our first get-together of complete strangers. Future rides are planned so we hope the old saying goes ‘large oaks begin as acorns’*. 
Club founder Pete Rudge, on the right.
It was great to meet up with fellow owners to ride at the C model’s sedate pace along the kind of roads that this model was designed for. We all enjoyed sharing stories and comments at the halfway stop at the flying club, Old Sarum Airfield, discussing this once-popular commuter and Jack-of-all-trades bike. Anyone owning or interested in BSA’s pre-unit C models can join us at: http://uk.msnusers.com/BSAC10C11C12/home.msnw ------------------- *Actually the 1897 (American) version of this saying goes; ‘mighty oaks from little acorns grow’ while the 14th century old English version was; 'great oaks from little acorns grow'. |
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