Road Test Bsa 350 Enduro Star
ROAD TEST BSA 350 ENDURO STAR
CYCLE WORLD
OUR FIRST ENCOUNTER with the 350cc BSA single cylinder motorcycle was in July of 1963 when we tested the SS-90. The latest was a meeting with the truly charming little Enduro Star; so named because the machine is designed primarily for enduro competition. In meeting this particular set of standards the Enduro Star also qualifies as a dual-purpose cycle. Few such machines accomplish much as a rule, since in order to qualify well in one area they often suffer in the other. BSA has done an excellent job setting up the Star for both on and off the road uses.
Developed from BSA's 250, the 350cc single is a marvel at slogging away and almost refuses to allow itself to be "buzzed" at the high revolutions so easily obtained with the scrambler version of the same machine. Unfortunately, BSA offers the scrambler in 250 form only, so don't get any ideas. Brute horsepower is not one of this BSA's special talents; rather, it is designed for plenty of low to medium-range power, with smoothness and good throttle response.
Reminiscent of a trials machine, footpegs and handlebars lend themselves to ease of control from a standing position, the "classic" trials stance. Alas, little time is spent in this pose in American enduro riding so we complain mightily over the footpeg placement. The gear change lever cannot be reached with your foot on the peg, which means that one must take his foot off the peg to shift gears. Most of the time this is workable, albeit awkward. We also developed a serious objection to the seat, which tilts steeply forward, making it a challenge to remain in place. Raising the seat about one inch removed our objections. We altered our test machine since it had been purchased from BSA Western by a staff member and was to be used often by a novice rider, who would need all the help she could get. (!)
Regular readers of CYCLE WORLD will remember our estimate that the SS-90 perfectly filled the gap between true lightweights and really big motorcycles. The same applies to the dirt version — with added advantages. Though quite heavy, it falls short of the weight of "full-size" machines; yet is on the porky side if compared to the lightweights.
The Enduro Star's engine is largely cast of aluminum alloy with an iron barrel. Overall cleanliness of design is achieved by enclosing the pushrods to the overhead valves in a vertical passageway cast into the barrel. Dry-sump lubrication is continued, though we can't figure out exactly why in this case. The majority of similar machines use the wet-sump system, eliminating the extra poundage and bulk of an oil tank and some potentially-troublesome oil lines.
Gear ratios are a nice combination of fairly low first and second gears for off the road, combined with fartherspaced third and fourth gears for highway use. We would recommend an overlay "cheater" sprocket or another ratio on the engine sprocket if much of the riding time were to be spent in the rough. Considerable dexterity and rider ability is needed in the steeper and softer going with the present low gear ratios.
We very much liked the workmanlike placement of the exhaust pipe, tucked back in and around a rear frame member, which completely removes it from harm's way and sharply reduces the chances of getting a burned leg in the event of a mishap. We are painfully aware of the many fine opportunities to fall down that riding off the road offers, and little touches like the pipe placement endears us no end to the little BSA.
Standard tires are a 19-inch Dunlop "Trials" on the front, and an 18-inch "Universal1' on the rear, an ideal combination for general, all-around riding. We like a lumpy "knobby" on the rear better for the dirt, but it is not exactly an ideal tire on the pavement, especially if the pavement is wet! Both tires are truly excellent in the sort of use for which they are intended: large-section affairs with a huge 4.00 on the rear that will really "float" over sand and soft surfaces. This ability to get up on top of deep soft stuff cannot be over-emphasized and is one of the most important advantages a machine this size has over the 80 and lOOcc trail bikes. It takes power to turn a large tire like this, so we don't recommend that all owners of small bore trail bikes run out and try to hang a 4.00 tire on the rear.
Lighting is more than adequate, as is the case with almost all British-built machines. Another nicety found often on bikes from merry-old-England is a compression release, a device that simply lifts an exhaust valve, thus stopping the engine. As a shut-off it is excellent and virtually fool-proof, but it offers a second advantage that takes little time to learn to appreciate on very steep downhill runs. Simply by placing the machine in first gear, then starting down the grade with the compression release pulled, the engine will turn over without running, offering a compression brake that slows progress without stopping the wheels (which will usually just slide if the brakes are applied). Use of the compression release as a brake minimizes the heart-stopping sensation when, as you gain momentum going down a near vertical drop-off, brake application to the rear wheel starts a slide that will force the machine to change ends, or, and equally discomforting, applying the front brake will, if not carefully controlled, drop the rider just about as quick as it takes to say it!
BSA's Enduro Star, or B-40-ES as it is fondly called in the catalog, was designed to "go-anywhere," to further quote the official organ from Birmingham Small Arms. We didn't try it everywhere, but we agree that it will indeed go just about anywhere a motorcycle can go, and that's farther than any four-wheel device can hope to reach. We will probably be challenged for that statement, but we are always ready and willing to challenge a Jeep or dune-buggy to a contest of speed or traction. We'll include the Star as one of the machines our team will use; a better recommendation would be hard to dig out of anyone. •
