In the early 60's in Birmingham, England this was the "Scene". Late night at Alex's Pie Stand on the corner of the Inner Ringway. I was riding a 1960 BSA Super Rocket and had it somewhat customized. The English Motorcycle manufacturers gave little thought at the time to what the public actually wanted and just kept churning out the same old thing. Meanwhile the "Ton up Boys" had already decided, swept back pipes, clip on bars, racing tanks, rear set footrests. If they had money, update the carbs to Amal GP's, get a high lift camshaft installed along with Hi Compression Pistons, maybe even do the ultimate, Rocket Engine slotted into a Gold Star frame. A genuine Rocket Gold Star. Of course Goldie frames were hard to come by unless you knew someone at the factory. Other alternatives at that time were a TRIBSA, Triumph engine BSA frame, TRITON Triumph engine Norton frame, NORBSA Rocket Engine Norton frame or the ultimate merger, NORVIN a 1000cc Vincent engine shoehorned into a Norton Featherbed frame. Eventually BSA caught on and presented the world with the beautiful BSA 654cc Rocket Gold Star. The last true BSA, after this came all the Unit Construction models. Never the same until the Triples came along.
