Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125704
Look familar? It's the new 1971 BSA Lightning with the race-proven "lube-tube" frame. ' areas of frame design, brakes and wheels. With the exception of the Rocket 3 and the two new Fury models, all of BSA's production machines for 1971 will feature racing-type frames that carry engine lu bricating oil. Racers have long favored this type system for the obvious space and weight saving it affords. To trim even more pounds from their motorcycles, BSA has replaced some of their steel components with lighter and reportedly stronger (on a pound for pound basis) alloy parts. With the weight reduction and the complementary handling improvement in mind, , forks on all 1971 models have aluminum a110y sliders and the wheels have finned, aluminum a110y brake hubs fora substantial reduction of unsprung weight. Since dirt riding has captured the hearts of American cyclists from the "docile" businessman, to the student, to the housewife, to the "you-name-it," BSA has concentrated on off-the-road and recreatiorui! riding for 1971. The Victor 500 and Vict»r 250, patterned after the 500 MX, are serious •trail bikes which have the capacitor ignition for racing as well as the conventional ignition which, along with the quick-detachable lights and rear Cutaway view sprocket, makes the bike street legal. Like the 500 MX, the 500 and 250 of the 350cc Victors both have the oil-fIUed frames, BSA/Triumph twin. tapered roUer bearing steering heads, aluminum a110y racing forks and hubs, motocross handlebars and "aliiininum gas tanks.' Brakes are of the single leading shoe variety with a 6" brake up front and 7" to the rear on all three models. Also like the 500 MX, the Victor 250 range performance resulting from the and 500 both have the interesting and innovlltive 20" front wheel, but where addition of large volume air cleaners and the MX comes fitted with knobbies, the new megaphone exhausts. other two have trials tires. Beezer's big road machine - the powerful 75Occ, 60 bhp Rocket 3 Further down the off-road line boasts some subtle styling changes for that is, extending the compromise be'71. These features include a new gas tween the street bike and the serious tank, abbreviated side covers, rubber woods bike - BSA is offering for 1971 mounted fenders and light mountings two Street Scramblers, the 500cc Gold and new megaphone exhausts which are Star SS and the 250cc Gold Star SS. slightly upswept to improve looks and Both machines are to incorporate many to permit a greatet angle of lean when of the features of the motocross macornering. Mechanical improvements inchine - oil-filled frames, new forks, new clude the lighter front forks and steering brakes and wheels (the 18" front wheel is retained for these models) quick-' ,head, new finned aluminum 8" doubleleading shoe front brake and a road detach lighting equipment and rear racing tire with wrap-around tread to sprocket. BSA insists that these two permit maximum safe lean. A separate machines are "true street scramblers model of the Rocket 3 with a five-speed derived from trail bikes" rather than a gearbox will also be available for 1971. street bike with upswept pipes and trials Completely new for this year are two tires. , 350 cc models - the Fury road machine The Lightning, Firebird and Thunand the Fury SS street scrambler. Both derbolt constitute BSA's twin.:cylinder machines are powered by dual overhead road bike line for 1971. AU three have cam engines with "over square" bore! retained the same time-proven 650cc stroke ratio, providing a flat power power plants but have undergone some curve and high mid-range torque for dramatic r~gineering with new flexible performance. Both models also double-loop fI3JDes to carry engine oil, have a frve-speed gearbox with the shift new forks with taPered roller bearings in lever on the left and the quick-detach the steering head, new wheels with a110y sprockets for easy alteration of gearing brake hlJbs to reduce unsprung weight, for different types of terrain. The two as well as I'\lbber mounted instruments Fury models produce 34 bhp at 9000 and handlebars to reduce vibration and rpm to attract riders who are interested road shock.' The 'BSA people are cliillling •"slplifiaultiy ..improwed mid 'I in fast touring on a middle-weigh!J ~,. II. . ' With high ground clearance, skid plate, upswept exhaust pipes, stainless steel fenders, folding footpegs and wide-stance trail handlebars, the Triumph Trophy 500 is ready to take to the woods. A lighter, off-road version of the Triumph 500 twins, the Trophy 500 has a single carburet))r and turns on 38 bhp at 7,000 rpm. The dual carburetor 650cc Triumph Bonneville, is the most successful machine that Triumph has produced. Winner of the 1970 U.S. Grand National" Championship, with a racing modified version. Bonneville best displays the major engineering features for 1971. These include: new double-loop; racingtype frames containing the engine lubricating oil to save weight and space; new racing-type front forks with aluminum alloy sliders to reduce upsprung weigh t; new vyheels with finned, aluminum a110y hubs; and quick detach rear wheel sprockets for changing gear ratios. A separate Bonneville model will be available with a five-speed gear box for 1971. Triumph's single carburetor Trophy 650, shares a11 major Triumph improvements and comes equipped with high . . ,. ornlJl'O,U __ T._ ... ___ _ , . . ,. . . . . _ _ .... ._--=.=-- .......- ~~~~C'r ~:::-: As with the Bonneville, both Trophy and Tiger 650's offer separate models with five-speed transmiSsions for 1971. Street Scramblers are usually offroad versions of a road machine, but "Triumph's Blazer SS follows a different route by relating directly to their offroad bike, the Trail Blazer. The Blazer SS shares a11 the major features of an off-road motorcycle but comes road equipped with higher gear ratios for touring. Electrical equipment on both new models is Lucas J 2 volt with the following major improvements: vital electrical components are now protected in a compact box located below and in front of the gas tank. This box incorporates the ignition coil, condenser, Zener diode and rectifier, new 4-position ignition switCh, nasher unit for direction indicators, a capacitor- 'ignition system to permit running without the battery during competition and a plug for removal of the headlamp assembly during competition. . Stars of the 1971 Triumph line-up are the all new 350cc Bandit and the 350cc Bandit SS twins. Brand new from the ground. up, the Bandit 350 is the ultimate in lightweight high speed road machines. The 350cc, four stroke double overhead cam machine fea tures a frve:speed gearbox with left side gear changing. The Bandit SS street scrambler has a11 the features of the Bandit 350; race developed twin loop frame, new forks with aluminum a110y sliding members, aluminum a110y hubs finned for better cooling and rubber mounted instruments and front fender to reduce shock. Holder of the U.S. closed· track record of 157.34 mph set last March at Daytona, Florida, by Grand National Champion Gene Romero, the 750cc Triumph Trident has also been re-styled for 1971. Fitted with new megaphone silencers slightly upswept to provide more ground clearance when cornering; direction indicators, new fenders and rear lights -- the Trident also adds a new 8" double leading shoe front brake with finned aluminum alloy hubs and with an air scoop for maximum heat dissipation. The Trident also has rubber mounted instruments and hanQlebars "_to reduce road shock. A separate model will also be available with a frYe-speed gearbox. With its three -c.ylinder engine developing 60 bhp at 7,200 rpm and top speed of 130 mph in standard trim, the 1971 Triumph Trident sets new stan- All-new 350cc BSA "F ury" features electric starting. exhaust pipes, skid plate, lower gear ratios, heavy-duty air cleaners and wide-stance rubber mounted handlebars. The 650cc Tiger is a single carburetor low pipe version of the Triumph twin. Sharing a11 Triumph's major improvements for 1971, the Pacific Blue Tiger 650 is one 'Of the most reliable and S¥1oothest road machine~.available.:.. dards as one of the fastest and most comfortable production road machines in the world. With every indication that this will be another record year for the motorcycle industry, Triumph's new liDe of motorcycles reflects an aggressive program to carve out an even larger share of ..:t,.,h"'e-'bur==,o"'nm,.,· "...U=.S"-..::mo:;o",t::::o~rc::.c:c:::le~m=ar:.:k~e,,,t.,,-, . ... l _ :;; M - ~ ~ \\i ~ u ~