BSA D1 Bantam GPO Livery

1953 BSA Bantam D1 in GPO Livery photographed in the grounds of the National Motor Museum

Key facts

Year

1953
Country

Great Britain
Capacity

123cc
Cylinders

1
Output

4bhp at 5,000rpm
Performance

50mph
Price new

£92
Owner

National Motor Museum Trust
Manufacturer

BSA Cycles Ltd

From the 1920s the General Post Office favoured small BSA motorcycles for the delivery of telegrams. This practice continued into the 1950s and 60s when red liveried GPO Bantams became a familiar sight on Britain’s streets. The telegram service passed to British Telecom in 1980, coming to an end in 1982.

The BSA Bantam was the best-selling small motorcycle of the 1950s. The two-stroke engine and gearbox unit was based on designs from German manufacturer DKW. These had been acquired as war reparations and were re-worked from metric to imperial dimensions by BSA. Later developments led to 150cc and 175cc versions. This Bantam has plunger rear suspension, a feature introduced in 1953.