1939 BSA Silver Star

1939 BSA SILVER STAR BACKGROUND
The brilliant engineer Val Page designed BSA's new 500 single in 1937, while at the same time bringing some rationale to BSA's complex product lineup. It was now made up of 250 and 350 singles in what was called the "B-class", and the top-of-the-line 500 heavyweight class was divided into 3 groups itself. The M22 was the 'cooking version' (ie: the entry-level commuter); the M23 Silver Star was the sports machine and it had a specially-tuned engine with a higher output than the M22; and the M24 Gold Star which was really a street-legal race bike. Val Page included several innovative and modern features in these new machines. The forged steel backbone of the previous models was replaced by a brazed steel tubular frame with a single backbone. The sump in the crankcase was discontinued, and the mag-dyno was moved to the rear of the cylinder and driven by a chain from the right side. But the big news was the full enclosure of the top end valve gear.

1939 BSA Silver Star SPECIFICATIONS

Engine type:

Displacement:

Bore & Stroke:

Fuel system:

Ignition system:

Lubrication system:

Charging system:

Primary drive:

Clutch:

Gearbox:

Gearbox ratios:

Final drive:

Suspension, front:

Suspension, rear:

Brake, front:

Brake, rear:

Tire, front:

Tire, rear:

Fuel capacity:

Wheelbase:

Seat height:

Ground clearance:

Air-cooled OHV single

496cc

82mm X 94mm

1X Amal carburetor

Lucas mag-dyno

Dry sump

Lucas mag-dyno & 6-volt battery

1/2" X .305 Chain

Multi-plate, wet w/cush drive

4-speed, right-foot shift

4.8:1; 5.2:1; 8.15:1; 11.8:1

Chain

Girder fork

Rigid

7" SLS drum

3.00" X 20" Dunlop Universal

3.50" X 19" Dunlop Universal

3.5 gallons

54.0"

28.5"

4.5"

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CHILTON’S BSA MOTORCYCLE REPAIR & TUNE-UP GUIDE

BSA SINGLES 1945-1963 GOLD PORTFOLIO

BSA SINGLES 1964-1974 GOLD PORTFOLIO

BOOK OF THE BSA - OWNERS SHOP MA NUAL, PRE-WAR

BSA 350, 441 & 500 SINGLES, UNIT CONSTRUCTION 1958-1973

BSA CLASSIC MOTORCYCLES

BSA & TRIUMPH TRIPLES: GOLD PORTFOLIO 1968-1976

BSA UNIT SINGLES: COMPLETE STORY

BSA A7 & A10 TWINS, 1957-1962, by Haynes

BSA A50 & A65 TWINS: ALL MODELS

ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BSA MOTORCYCLES

BSA TWINS A7 & A10 1946-1962, GOLD PORTFOLIO

THE BSA GOLD STAR

MAINTENANCE MANUAL FOR BSA M20

SECOND BOOK OF THE BSA 500 & 650 TWIN 1962-1969

BSA PRE-UNIT SINGLES WORKSHOP MANUAL, by Haynes

TRIUMPH TRIDENT & BSA ROCKET 3 WORKSHOP MANUAL, by Haynes

BSA BANTAM WORKSHOP MANUAL 1948-1971, by Haynes

BSA UNIT TWINS, THE COMPLETE STORY

BOOK OF BSA SINGLES & V-TWINS 1936-1952

RUPERT RATIO UNIT SINGLE ENGINE MANUAL, BSA & TRIUMPH

RUPER RATIO, EVERYTHING BUT THE ENGINE, BSA & TRIUMPH

BSA A50 & A65 TWINS 1962-1973, Haynes Workshop Manual

BSA GOLD STAR & OTHER SINGLES, by Roy Bacon

BSA MOTORCYCLES SINCE 1950,BR>

BSA UNIT SINGLES OWNERS WORKSHOP MANUAL #127, 1958-1972, by Haynes

BSA TWINS 150 & 165 GOLD PORTFOLIO, by RM Clarke

ILLUSTRATED BSA BUYER’S GUIDE, by Roy Bacon

BSA BANTAM, by Owen Wright

BSA PRE-UNIT TWINS, by Mick Walker

BOOK OF THE BSA OHV & SV SINGLES - 250cc 1954-1970

BSA TWINS & TRIPLES, by Roy Bacon

TRIUMPH & BSA TRIPLES: THE COMPLETE STORY

BOOK OF BSA TWINS, ALL 500 & 650 1948-1962, by Floyd Clymer

BOOK OF THE BSA OHV & SV SINGLES 1945-1954: 250, 350, 500 & 600

BSA BANTAM BIBLE, ALL MODELS 1948-1971

WHERE BSAs DARE: BSA’s 1952 ISDT GOLDS & MAUDES TROPHY

ILLUSTRATED MOTORCYCLE LEGENDS: BSA, by Roy Bacon

BSA BANTAM ESSENTIAL BUYER’S GUIDE

BOOK OF THE BSA BANTAM

BSA 500 & 650 UNIT TWINS, Clymer Repair Manual

BSA COMPETITION HISTORY

BSA MOTOR CYCLING ANNUAL, 1937, Kindle

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