eBay: 1980 BSA Tracker 125

Sold on eBay, Dec 2012, £510.00

 Seller states:

"Here we have a 1980 BSA Tracker 125, same engine as the DT125 air cooled. The reason this bike is being sold for spares or repairs are:

It doesn't start as the head gasket has gone
Rear left indicator doesn't work
Back brake light doesn't work
Front brake needs attention

It has OK tyres, lights work apart the ones listed above."

 

 

Chapman BSA 175

Here's something I've not seen before - A privately produced, limited edition version of the BSA Tracker 175/6 - the Chapman BSA 175.

Recently offered on Ebay, and withdrawn (presume sold elsewhere) at £345.00. The ad said:

"Here is a rare trials bike, a Chapman BSA 175 - only 20 ever made in early 1980s. This is for restoration, all complete apart from the  magneto nut and the stator coil, the engine is Yamaha DT175MX modified for trials. It has a trials exhaust, Marzocchi forks and yokes, alloy rims, drum brakes, alloy tank under fibreglass cover & alloy boost bottle. All the major components are there engine turns over, gears all select"

There is very limited info on Google, but I did find the following image on Trials Central

There's further info here:  including the main man, Mick Chapman posting info on the bikes.

If anyone has one for sale, let me know.

NVT Rambler / BSA Tracker - Sale Price History

1978   NVT Rambler 125   eBay   Nov 2011   Sold for £462.00

1978   NVT Rambler 125   eBay   Jan 2012   Sold for £505.00

1978   NVT Rambler 125   eBay   Dec 2012   Dealer fixed price £2,995.00

c1978  NVT Rambler 175   Bonhams   Oct 2010   Sold for £920

1979 NVT Rambler 175    eBay    Dec 2012    Sold for £510.00

1970 NVT Rambler 175   eBay   Jan 2013    Sold? for £849.00

1980   BSA Tracker 125   eBay   Dec 2012   Sold for £510

1981   BSA Tracker 175/6   eBay   Nov 2011   Sold for £364.00

NVT - Riders Handbook - Wiring Diagram

Here's a scan of the wiring Diagram for the NVT Rambler 125.

NVT Poster Brochure

Here's a scan of both sides of an A2 (A4 folded twice) size fold out brochure for the NVT range in late '70's.

Ramblers —something a little different on the street/trail scene. Take another look at the Rambler picture and maybe you will see what we mean. You have probably already noticed the front disc brake but what about the cantilever rear suspension ? Or the rubber headlight? And who else supplies a chrome luggage grid within the basic price of the bike?

NVT took along hard look at the street/trail market before we embarked on our Rambler project. It is a young man’s market - these single cylinder dual purpose devices - but the buyers know their machines through and through ; all in all they’re a pretty discerning bunch. Not all of them ride on the rough but they like to know the bike will do it, if required. They demand looks and performance for town riding plus the specification of a twin cylinder sports machine for that trip into the country. So our brief was to provide all the obvious qualities that the British Companies do best. Things like a frame that, from the very first weld, is designed to handle with a capital ’H'!

Lighter too, and more rigid than the opposition. Next came the general geometry. We chose a compact 52.5" wheelbase, dialled in plenty of suspension movement, and arranged everything else to give a riding position that felt right, for everyone - at least, all those in the 5’ 4" to 5' 10" mould! Oh yes, some of our test riding was done with a slip of a girl on the back, so no worries there...

NVT's policy on outside suppliers is to go to the industry leader in each speciality. For the Rambler we therefore chose engines from the world's most successful manufacturer of off-road motorcycles. We simply fit these engines and forget about them, secure in the knowledge that they are the most proven

product available.

The same policy applies to our forks and brakes. Famous makers both, producing their well-known components especially for us, to our dimensions.

Finally, as you can see, the Rambler is a very appealing marriage of all the best parts one could possibly imagine. A handsome, rugged bike indeed. But don't just take our word for it. Check one out at your NVT Dealer today.

Here's a close up of the naked frame shown on this brochure:

 

BSA Tracker US Collector Card 1995

Here's a scan of a 1995 collector card printed in USA in 1995.

BSA

125 Tracker MTX - 1980                                     The end ofthe road

In the early 1970s, the Norton-Villiers-Triumph group (NVT) ran into some serious financial problems. Thus its chairman, Dennis Poore, decided to launch a sporty ultra-lightweight to complete his range. That machine had to be cheap to run, as well as fun to ride, in order to attract young riders to the NVT line and later persuade them to buy its larger models.

End of the State Aid

The overall concept was entrusted to Bob Trigg, one of the creators of the Norton Commando 750 and 850. The prototype made its debut at a press conference in London in July 1975. But that was the month that Britain’s socialist government refused to provide any further funding for NVT, which had already received $24 million in state aid.

Two World Firsts

That first Tracker, powered by a 125 Suzuki single, received a lukewarm welcome from the British press. It was, however, very modem, with a double-cradle frame in small-diameter tubing and monoshock rear suspension. Above all, it had two world firsts for a trail bike, thanks to the imagination of Bob Trigg. The saddle overlapped the gas tank (an idea taken from motocross) and there was a front disc brake (made in Italy, like the forks). This model was never produced by NVT, which ceased production shortly afterwards. The name BSA and the rights relating to the Tracker were acquired by a new company (founded by Bill Colquohon and Bertie Goodman, former director of Velocette), which produced nearly 2000 Trackers powered by Yamaha engines.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 123cc (56x50mm) air-cooled Yamaha single-cylinder; flywheel magneto Power Rating: 15 hp

Valves: two-stroke

Fuel System: carburettor

Transmission: 5-speed, chain final drive

Suspension: telescopic forks (front); monoshock (rear)

Brakes: drum or disc (front); drum (rear)

Wheels: 21 inch (front); 18 inch (rear)

Weight: 220 lb

Maximum Speed: 65 mph

Built by a company that acquired the name BSA when NVT went into liquidation, the little Tracker 125 was the first trail hike to offer a disc brake: Its engine was supplied by Yamaha.

BSA Brochure on eBay

See this eBay ad, for a copy of the brochure outlined below. Ad has a Buy it Now price of £13.99.

BSA Brochure

Here's pages 5 and 6 of the BSA Brochure "The New Line Up From BSA". This brochure is undated, but published by BSA Company Ltd. Bannerley Road, Birmingham.

Now supplied with the latest six-speed engines the BSA I25CC and 175cc street / trail motorcycles are designed to combine the performance for road riding with the cross country ability to take on the rough.

The rear monoshock is so positioned in the cantilevered Tracker frame to maximise clearance between the hi-level guard and the rear wheel.

Standard specification includes long foam rubber dual seat, flexibly mounted direction indicators and headlight, extra length gearchange, drum brakes, oil level warning light all wrapped up in a dry weight of only 210 lbs.

 

DATA Engine Type Capacity Bore and stroke Comp ratio Fuel Lubrication Transmission Gear box /rear wheel sprocket Rear chain Electrical Ignition type Battery Headlamp Tail / Stop Lamp Tyres Front Rear Brakes Front Rear Capacities Fuel tank Oil tank Dimensions Dry weight Overall length Overall width Overall height Wheel base Seat height Ground clearance Front fork travel Rear wheel travel Colour Choice

125/6 Air cooled 2 str torque induction I23cc 56/ 50mm 7.2 : 1 2 star Autolube Six-speed 15T/49T 1/2" x 5/16" Flywheel magneto 6v 4 amp-hour 25/25watt 5/21 watt 2.75" x 2I" 3.50" x 18" Trials type 16omm drum 14omm drum 1.0 gallons 1 .7 pints 210 lbs (94kg) 78.7" (2,000mm) 35" (899mm) 45.1" (1,145mm) 52.5" (1,320mm) 29.5" (750mm) 9.5" (240mm) 5.1" (I30mm) 4·9" (115mm) Red, Blue, White

175/6 Air cooled 2 str torque induction 171cc 66/ 50mm 6.8 : 1 2 star Autolube Six-speed 15T/49T 1/2" x 5/16" C.D.I. 6v 4 amp-hour 25/25watt 5/21 watt 2.75" x 21" 3.50" x 18" Trials type 16omm drum 14omm drum 1.2 gallons 1.7 pints 210 lbs (94kg) 78.7" (2,000mm) 35" (899mm) 45.1" (1,145mm) 52.5" (1,320mm) 29.5" (750mm) 9.5" (240mm) 5.1" (I30mm) 4·9" (115mm) Red, Blue, White

NVT175: Another Example

Here's some pics sent to me by an eBay seller I bought from.

Guy tells me he chanced upon the bike when he met someone he’d not seen for a while at a petrol station. The friend had the Rambler and a Honda XL185 on his trailer and had just bought them from the son of the previous owner. Guy talked him into selling the Rambler and to drop it at his house. The back rack wasn’t on the bike and was presumed missing. However Guy talked him into trying to get the previous owner to look for the log book or reg plate which they did with no success but they did find the rack and indicators.

Nice bike Guy, and I like the colour combination.

NVT125: eBay NOS Rear Mudguard

Recently found on Ebay, and bought for £21 is this NOS rear mudguard. This was a handy find, as my rear is not in good condition.

The eBay Ad stated: "New Old Stock Genuine BSA Tracker 125/175 rear mudguard in white. This will also fit the NVT Rambler 125/175. I got the last two from the factory in the 1990's" 

The black line is a pen line (that will rub off) and apparantly shows where the guard needs to be cut on some models.

eBay: BSA Tracker 175/6

See eBay Ad - Due to finish on Saturday


Update - this bike sold to Oggsy (see his reply in comments below) for £364.00.

The Ad Says:
"1st Registered 21/02/1981. 3 Previous Owners.
BSA tracker 1981 it needs restoring genuine barn find its complete.
I have the V5.I have had the engine started and running. It selects gears easily.
It is a easy restore for somebody over the winter months.
The engine was made under licence to BSA by yamaha,using their 175 2-stroke engine.
I have had this bike sometime in my workshop but have not got round to restoring it."


There are some key parts missing, which will make this one difficult to restore to original, ie, the airbox appears to be missing, and there looks like a replacement rear mudguard. Otherwise, it doesn't look too bad. 


Price so far is £103, with 3 bids.