BSA 650 Lightning Clubman
Race replicas have always had a big appeal among motorcycle riders. These types of bikes have that little something extra that sets them apart from the dozen bikes, and they give an extra sense of speed and excitement, not to mention the status. Every motorcycle manufacturer with any respect for itself has or has had such a model in its sales brochures, and the 650 Lightning Clubman was BSA's alibi in this segment.
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192 km/h
In the 1960s it was BSA's turn, and they brought back the very rare factory racer Lightning Clubman. For Anglophiles this is the ultimate cafe racer. Not surprising considering the design and performance. The top speed of 192 km/h was very respectable in 1964.
650 Lightning Clubman
One of the truly great classics of the 1960s is BSA's production racer Lightning Clubman. The model was made in about 200 copies from September 1964 to October 1965. The Clubman racer represents one of the absolute highlights of BSA factory, and is today a highly sought-after bike, especially among cafe racer enthusiasts.
Mike "The Bike" Hailwood
The sports machine also left its mark. Mike Hailwood (1940-1981) rode the bike to 1st place during the very prestigious “Hutchinson 100 production races” at legendary Silverstone in 1965. The victory tasted extra good since Hailwood beat Triumph who had high hopes of taking 1st place on their legendary racer Thruxton Bonneville .
An R-bike of its time
The Lightning Clubman immediately became a sought-after sports machine. The bike was built on the same frame that BSA used in the US model “Lightning”, but had a number of details that gave it the right kick. “Ingredients” such as clip-on handlebars, clubman saddle, rearward-positioned footrests, and a 2-1 exhaust system gave it a very sporty feel. The gear system was also a bit out of the ordinary. Since the footrests had been moved rearward, the gear pedal was turned 180 degrees on the axle so that it faced straight back. Thus, the order of the close-stepped 4-speed gearbox was that 1st gear was up, while the other gears were down.
Gold and chrome
In addition to these technical details, the bike was painted in a beautiful gold color that matched the other parts of the bike, which were painted in black. With the Lightning Clubman BSA created a motorcycle that can best be described as the R-bike of the time. Since production was limited to around 200 units, few original machines have survived, and the price tag is often accordingly. Especially in England, this is a typical “Highly sought after machine”. The follow-up to the Lightning Clubman was the popular Spitfire 650, which came out in 1966. This was a cheaper and slightly less sophisticated sports machine, but this also became very popular with BSA enthusiasts. The bike in this report differs somewhat from the original, as it has a 2-2 exhaust system. Originally, the Lightning Clubman was equipped with the sportier 2-1 system, referred to as “siamese pipes”.
Technical data: BSA 650 Lightning Clubman, 1964 model
Engine: 2-cylinder 4-stroke, OHV
Displacement: 654 cc
Power: 53 hp at 6750 rpm.
No. of gears: 4
Weight: 179 kg (dry)
Top speed: 192 km/h
