BSA Bantam petrol tank doodads

I picked up a set of chrome petrol tank trims for my BSA Bantam D1 a while back but didn't get round to fitting them. Now with all the tender care that the Bantam has been receiving of late the time seemed right to take them off the shelf and put them on the bike.

Catalogue spec BSA Bantam petrol tank chrome trims.

These tank trims are original catalogue spec parts on many BSA Bantam model years. I couldn't tell you the exact years, suffice to say that they fitted them for a fair while. Nowadays they are extremely rare and it is unusual to see them fitted to a bike. Having fitted them I can understand why this is and if I had the bike as a ride to work machine back in the day I would have certainly discarded them and thrown them in the bin.

Rider's view of the Bantam tank trims.

The trims are the devil's very own parts to fit. Granted, these examples are around sixty years old and not in perfect shape but it took me a good hour to persuade them on. A job only achieved with several skinned knuckles, I must apologise to the neighbours if my workshop is not soundproofed enough to mask the profanities I uttered in the process. I guess if you were a mechanic dealing with them on a regular basis you would probably find an easy fitting technique but then again you would more than likely also try to persuade the owner to let you throw them away.

Back in the day when it was necessary to de-coke your two stroke on a regular basis these trims must have been highly burdensome. I do however really like their look and hope that now the bike is re-wired and the engine rebuilt I shall not be taking the petrol tank off for a good while. Famous last words....

Front fitting of the trims. Beware if you find any of these trims
as there are several shapes for the different Bantam tanks.

That dent in the tank has been there since before the bike
came in to my family's possession some forty years ago. The
dent is suspiciously knee profiled. A bit of character and
'patina' but I hope whoever did it was not too badly hurt.