Lot details
Registration No: N/A
Frame No: B44246
Engine No: B44GP330
cc: 442
MOT Expiry Date: N/A

PLEASE NOTE: This motorcycle is withdrawn from the 23rd October 2012 auction and will be re-entered at a future auction pending further research of its history.

From correspondence on file, former BSA works motocross rider, Jeff Smith, suggests that this BSA 44 Victor scrambler, at least in major part, may have been ridden by him to finish 6th in the 1965 East German Grand Prix. For having already cleaned up the 500cc World Championship, the factory team star was given access to some standard production machines by BSA MD, Harry Sturgeon, for Smith to try to win one of the remaining GPs of the season. Smith confirms that, though the Ceriani forks are not original spec, from the steering head back, it is largely original except for back hub and brake.
While in the ownership of Fred Mynheer, the machine was maintained by an ex-BSA team mechanic, who noted that where the spokes were crossed, they were 'whipped' with fine wire; a tweak only ever done for Smith's bikes. Today, with 12:1 compression ratio, the 442cc single powered scrambler runs well and has taken part in pre-1965 events... the next owner of B44 246 can do the same.