BSA M21

[Aalbert Leuverink]

Hi , can buying a BSA M21 can any body help me whit the year of production  .

The owner give my the frame number  M214XX9 and engine number M216XX4 .

Kind regards 

Aalbert 

[Ron]

Aalbert The frame number should have a prefix from the factory ie K,W,X,Y for the year and there is no such thing as an M21 frame number. They are all M20 numbers ie a 1939 M21 would have a frame number KM20 12345 a 1946 M21 would be XM20 12345. The engine however would be stamped ?M21 12345. Some pictures of those number would be best to identify the bike. Too many have fictitious stamping. Ron

[Aalbert Leuverink]

Thanks for the info   , had all ready a bad feeling about  the numbers .

Will try to get some foto's off  the frame and engine numbers  .

The  owner of the bsa  is telling me it's  is from 1942 .

[Ron]

Aalbert it might well be from 1942 although it appears to have any early 39-40 deluxe petrol tank (with the wrong BSA transfers fitted) It also looks like the earlier forks that were changed to 1/2" longer by late 1940. Post war dynamo and regulator and Matchless type battery carrier. All the M20-M21's from 1940-45 had their frame numbers prefixed WM20. Personally I'd want to see clear pictures of both frame and engine numbers before I made the purchase.  

I'm not trying to piss on anyone's firework, just pointing out stuff as I see it in case you're not aware yourself. The bike could still be a good buy if the price is right and the numbers stack up.  Ron

[Aalbert Leuverink]

L

[Ron]

I can't recall ever seeing a 'Balloon' tank with a Vokes cut off corner? And a car radiator hose is a cheap copp out. Ron

Edited February 16, 2018 by Ron

[Aalbert Leuverink]

So it looks like somebody had some left over in his shed 

[Ron]

Yes my sentiments entirely. A mixture of parts which is what might have happened in the field or REME workshops. It even looks like a nice early 8" Deluxe headlamp. Ron

[Hernan]

Hello, I am from Argentina and I have a bsa M20 frame number XM20 3797, WHAT YEAR IS IT FROM?

[Ron]

X would be 1946 I believe.   Ron

[welbike]

Ron, it's a Miller headlamp!

Cheers, Lex 

[Ron]

Indeed yes Lex.......Although that post was 2 1/2 years ago. Ron

[welbike]

Ok, didn't notice that, why did it come up?

Cheers,

Lex

[Ron]

Because Hernan used this thread to ask about his XM21.

 

Ron

[welbike]

22 minutes ago, Ron said:

Because Hernan used this thread to ask about his XM21.

 

Ron

Ah, I wish people would start their own thread, too confusing!

Lex