If there are dead bugs splattered all over the visor of your full-face motorcycling helmet, chances are that your ride has been plenty quick. More so if it is the pillion rider’s helmet we are talking about. It is sometimes a good idea to let those very familiar with a machine push it towards its limit and demonstrate its speed and handling chops. So, we were happy to let Ishan of Classic Legends do the honours at the handling track at Natrax near Indore. The machine in question was the single-cylinder BSA Gold Star 650 that Classic Legends, the company that also makes Jawa and Yezdi bikes, is making and selling in India.
Classic Legends had invited motoring writers to the test tracks to experience what the BSA Gold Star 650, the Jawa 42FJ and the Yezdi Adventure were capable of. The BSA, for instance, with a front fork rake of 26.5° and a redline of around 7,000rpm, isn’t one of those high-rev screamer sportbikes that beg to be flicked around turns with riders hanging out, sparks flying where their knee guards scrape the tarmac. But this retro roadster was going round bends with a lean of possibly somewhere near 45° and one could feel the torque (that maxes at 55Nm at 4,000rpm) and power (it maxes at 45bhp at 6,500rpm) pushing it confidently both on the straights and around the curves.
Classic Legends team behind their bikes include (L-R) Prasad Bhat, category head (R&D); CBO Sharad Agarwal; and COO Lalit Verma
The riding track wasn’t Natrax’s designated two-wheeler handling test track but the dry handling circuit for four-wheelers. Which was just as well because it is more akin to real-world roads and the Gold Star is meant more for leisurely cruising than competition. Nonetheless, it was still quite technical. The big 652cc single revealed itself as a pretty versatile machine that could handle some spirited riding if needed while essentially being more suited to a less frenetic style of riding. What came through pretty clearly is that this is a machine that is likely to perform well on twisty roads. Also, we found that the seat height of 782mm works well for riders of most heights.
The Gold Star also comes under the Jawa Yezdi BSA Ownership Assurance Programme that offers a comprehensive four-year/50,000 km standard warranty, with extended coverage options up to six years, and a range of ownership benefits. The motorcycle retails for ₹3.03 lakh, ex showroom, in Calcutta. Being a little short of time, we didn’t get around to riding the Jawa and the Yezdi.
Sharad Agarwal, chief business officer, Classic Legends, says: “Each of these brands (BSA, Jawa and Yezdi) has a different legacy, different character and a different DNA and each of these brands will create their own path. When we are bringing these three brands back to the world of motorcycling, we are also very clear (that) this is BSA, this is Jawa and this is Yezdi.” And like the Jawa bobber, he is looking to bring in other styles as well. Moreover, since all the brands are sold from the same outlet, he feels that there is a scope for selling more than one brand of motorcycle to the same customer. He is trying to get the number of Classic Legends dealerships up to 400 across the country, a number at which he thinks the dealerships will be profitable.
