There's a new old kid back on the block. Yes it's the BSA Bantam, speeding out of the past, but from India in its newly reincarnated (or reinbikenated) state. In fact it bears only a slim resemblance to the old BSA.

The new Bantam is a 350 single cylinder naked roadster and comes in at a reasonable £3,499.  It has a six-speed manual gearbox with a big enough 13 litre fuel tank to give it a good range between fill ups. It is a nimble easy going machine which is light, with good snappy direct handling, a comfortable upright riding position and retro roadster good looks.  The tank is a teardrop shape and the seat is thin, giving it a hint of a custom build alongside the blacked out engine. The only chrome is on the petrol cap and the BSA logo, apart from that it's a study in black. The new BSA offers more power than its Honda or Royal Enfield rivals, but is cheaper so that's a good USP. 

The new look Bantam offers a claimed 28.8 bhp from it's 334cc Euro5+ compliant engine. At £3499 (plus OTR charges) it really is a viable challenger to other machines in its class, namely the Honda GB350S coming in at £3999 and the Royal Enfield  350 Classic, HNTR Meteor and Bullet.
This class of motorcycle is smashing it out of the park at the moment with huge sales – the Royal Enfield HNTR alone has sold over 500,000 since its birth in 2022.

The motorcycle market at home in India is also huge, and a market which BSA are targeting with this new machine.

The Mahindra Group, whose subsidiary Classic Legends Pvt Ltd now owns BSA in India, seems to be going from strength to strength with a finger on the pulse of the motorcycle market.

The Indian motorcycle industry has noticed that the consumer seems to want a simpler, yet still versatile machine which is good in towns but still capable of a spin in the country. This new BSA looks as though it will fit the bill.

What do you think of it? Nice? Or you prefer its ancestor? Let us know on Facebook or email [email protected].