BSA Motorcycles M24 Gold Star 1939
The immortal Gold Star started life in 1937 as the more mundane sounding M24 which was a sporting version of the 500cc M23 Empire Star.
It became famous in 1937 when one Wal Handley on a more tuned M24, lapped Brooklands at an average of 107.57 mph (173 km/h). (Brooklands was a pre-war, banked racing circuit at Weighbridge in southern England which was not opened after the Second World War due to extensive bomb damage.) For the 1938 season BSA introduced its own more highly tuned version of the M24 and named it the Gold Star. It was unusual for the time in having an all aluminium alloy cylinder head and barrel. The engine has the dimensions of 82 bore x 94 stroke (later changed to 85 x 88).
The Gold Star was an immediate success with club riders who managed to make them into Scramblers (Moto crossers) Trials bikes and naturally Road Racers.
The Gold Star remained in production until 1963 when BSA decided they were no longer economical to produce.