This Super-Affordable Retro-Styled Roadster Has No Business Looking This Good

BSA’s Bantam 350 may not strongly resemble the original bike, but the throwback aesthetics and wallet-friendly pricing are bang-on.

By Steve Mazzucchi

Published 19 hours ago

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Updated 4 mins ago

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Just last month, I called attention to BSA’s Gold Star motorcycle, which could be making its way to the US sooner rather than later.

In writing about it, I dug into the story of the brand itself, which shone for decades before crashing out in 1973 — and, much later, having its name snapped up by Mumbai-based auto behemoth Mahindra & Mahindra.

bsa bantam hero — The Bantam 350 hardly resembles the original Bantam — and that’s a good thing.

A few years ago, M&M’s Classic Legends sub-brand resurrected the Gold Star name with a new bike featuring throwback looks that strongly drew upon the original’s aesthetics.

This week, Classic Legends has brought back another cherished moniker.

While the new Bantam 350 doesn’t really look like its forebear, it could nonetheless become a major player in the affordable small-displacement retro-styled motorcycle space.

Small thunder

Launched in 1948, the original BSA Bantam was, as the name suggests, a lightweight bike, but one that had a heavy impact.

Steadily growing from 123cc to 148cc to 173cc, the two-stroke single was such a hit, BSA produced as many as 500,000 units.

Take one look at the original, and you’ll appreciate both its style and why the new one is significantly different.

bsa bantam kickstand side — One of five Bantam 350 paint schemes, Barrel Black is by far the best, in my humble opinion.

Its almost skeletal silhouette will remind you that motorcycles really did evolve from bicycles — and no serious moto manufacturer is really relying upon a springer seat to save your spine these days.

Based more on the 42 FJ from Jawa (another M&M-owned brand), the new Bantam 350 boasts an engine nearly twice as big as its predecessor’s biggest.

Paired with a 6-speed transmission, the liquid-cooled, four-stroke 334cc single-cylinder makes 29 horsepower at 7,750 rpm.

bsa bantam suspension detail — With 3.9 inches of travel, the rear shock absorbers should go much easier on lower backs than a springer seat might.

Those numbers may seem small, but they actually give this bike a bit of an edge over other air-cooled singles, particularly Royal Enfield’s many popular 350cc bikes.

For comfortable handling, the Bantam 350 has telescopic forks offering 4.3 inches of front travel and two pre-tensionable rear shock absorbers providing 3.9 inches in back, plus Bybre disc brakes and ABS.

With a 399-pound curb weight and 31.4-inch seat height, it should be plenty approachable for beginners, too.

Old-school style

As I said, the Bantam 350 doesn’t really look like the post-WWII bike.

However, it does look like a retro bike — and a pretty attractive one too, especially considering the price point, which converts to less than $5,000 USD.

bsa bantam headlight detail — This headlight guard does not appear to be stock, but over the classic round headlight it does look pretty sweet.

I really dig the classic round front headlight, gaitered forks and radiator sneakily positioned between the front beams of the tubular steel frame.

The fact you can set the instrument cluster’s clock to analog is a charming little bonus.

Save for the alloy (not spoked) wheels, it honestly reminds me a lot of my own bike, a 2014 Bonneville T-100, which has a much larger 865cc engine but trades on similar throwback aesthetics.

bsa bantam woman rider — Together with the suspension and low curb weight, the Bantam 350’s seat height of 31.4 inches should be relatively friendly to newer and shorter riders.

When it comes to bikes with engines at 350cc or smaller, I’d argue that looking old AF is a real plus, because no one expects you to flash any speed coming out of a traffic light.

Instead you can blissfully pick your way through city traffic or zip along two-lane country roads (I’d steer clear of highways) and daydream about earlier times, when this sort of bike, from a cutting-edge perspective, was the bee’s knees.

Availability and pricing

The BSA Bantam 350 is set to roll into UK dealerships in September starting at £3,499 (~$4,630 USD). While there is no word yet of a US release, I won’t be stunned if it hits our shores next year.

2025 BSA Bantam 350

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About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.