1954 BSA B31 350cc OHV Single Plunger. V5C Present. Running Project Barn Find.

For auction here is a 1954 BSA B31 350cc plunger single. The bike has a current V5C present and is on a transferable number. The bike its self is very scruffy. but does start and run and sounds OK. No undue noise or smoke from the engine and there is oil return so I guess the engine is basically OK. The bike is a barn find and requires restoration. The bike looks like it was tidy once. but clearly some time ago. The man I bought it off has had it in his shed for the last 23 years intending to restore it. but never got around to it and he told me that where he got it from it had been stood for some time there. so this bike has probably just had a 30 year lay up. The clutch and gears appear to work as does the front brake. the rear needs the rear rod re-connecting. Theres no wiring on the bike. so I could not test the electrics. Basically its a project. but not one that's not a complete wreck as the rear rim is good and is the original Dunlop. the tinware all seems scruffy but solid and the forks feel fine. Most of the work this bike requires is cosmetic. So. the other minor issue with the bike is that it is first registered from 1966. which is not something I can seek to explain. I can. see it being sat around a dealers from 1954 to 1966. so maybe its a mistake at the DVLA. possibly it was exported originally and brought back. maybe a numbers dealer has had it. I don. know which. But I have had a look at the numbers on the bike and they are as clear as crystal and are right for 1953/54 period. so there should be no problem getting this re-registered and re-dated with the help of say the BSA owners club or the VMCC. The bike will then be tax and MOT exempt if you do this. The most obvious thing to do of course since the current number is transferable. is to sell the current number and then get it on a proper age related number which the DVLA will have to give you once you have sold the current number which is UCA 63D. I do not think the current number is very valuable. but someone will buy it to hide the age of their own car / bike. So you could choose to ignore this completely if you like. since the bike is registered and is legal. or you could go down the route I have outlined and sell the number. which is for the wrong year anyway and get it back on the proper age related number and which will then get the bike MOT exempt. So this is a project in more than one respect. It needs a full make over cosmetically and the paperwork wants getting right as well. Its not a hard job once you know what your doing. just a slightly slow and tedious process as the DVLA don. rush around for anybody these days. so it might take a few months to do. But I think the bike is worth the effort. It seems to be a genuine old bike. which has just being ignored these last 20 or 30 years and is ready to come back out and be used again. Viewing is welcome. 01246 411977 for an appointment. Collection is preferred. although I can arrange for delivery within the mainland UK by courier for ?100. Finally. if you bid. you buy. this is a project and not ready for the TT or world tour just yet.

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