A BSA Bantam Once Owned by Ewan McGregor Is Up for GrabsA small British motorcycle with a famous former owner is drawing attention at auction, where bidding on a 1952 BSA Bantam D1 sits at $1,000 with less than a day left on the clock.The bike belonged to actor Ewan McGregor, a well-documented motorcycle enthusiast, until 2017, when the selling dealer acquired it from him. It now comes with a clean California title.The Bantam is a modest machine by design. Its two-stroke single displaces 123cc, breathes through an Amal pre-Monobloc carburetor and sends power to the rear wheel through a three-speed gearbox shifted on the right side, with a chain handling final drive. An aluminum alloy cylinder head sits atop the engine, and a kick starter gets things going. The chrome exhaust runs low along the frame and ends in a flat-sided silencer with a fishtail tip.Related ArticlesRam's 2027 Rumble Bee Muscle Trucks Ditch eTorque and Stop-Start, But Keep the One Hybrid-Era Trick Worth HavingFlorida Deputies Clock a Pink Porsche at 96 MPH in a 45 Zone — One MPH From a Simple Ticket, Instead a Criminal ChargeAdvertisementAdvertisementCosmetically, the bike shows its age rather than hiding it. The green paint is worn. The one-gallon tank carries white side panels with Bantam graphics and a stacked arms decal, and the valanced fenders remain in place, the front one still wearing an English license number. An English tax disc is also fitted. A brown leather suitcase rides on the rear luggage rack, and the seat is a Wrights double-sprung solo unit.Suspension is period-appropriate: an inverted telescopic fork with black rubber accordion gaiters up front and plunger shocks in back. Green-painted 19-inch wire wheels are laced to drum-brake hubs, with a 2.75-inch ribbed tire in front and a scolpito rear.The handlebar holds cushioned barrel grips, a left-side mirror and a black rubber squeeze-bulb horn set into the steering stem. Above the triple clamp is a semicircular Smiths Chronometric speedometer reading to 55 mph. Its five-digit odometer shows 92 miles, though true mileage is unknown.Ahead of the sale, the dealer flushed the fuel system, rebuilt the carburetor valves and replaced the throttle cable. Two caveats remain: the headlight does not work, and the dealer recommends servicing the brakes before riding at any real speed.Bid HereImages Via: Bring a Trailer
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