The History

The story of this 1935 BSA has been lovingly preserved by Tommy Robinson’s family—his wife, Margaret, and daughters, Patsy and Linda. Their memories, along with Tommy’s own accounts, were passed down to his grandson, who is now the current owner.

Purchased nearly new by Tommy around 1936, this 90-year-old gem has remained in the family ever since. According to the family’s recollection, it may be one of only three such models in North America.

During his riding and racing days, Tommy owned several impressive motorcycles, but this 1935 BSA is the only one that remains in the family; the others were sold after his passing. A 1949 C.M.A. article, “Riders You Read About,” provides further insight into Tommy’s career as an avid racer and a dedicated British motorcycle enthusiast.

In the 1960s, Tommy suffered a stroke. While he was recovering, a family member attempted to repair the BSA but was unable to reassemble it correctly, so it was eventually returned to Tommy in pieces. When he passed away in 1972, Margaret asked their grandson to clear out the shed. Unaware of its importance, he disposed of the BSA’s big end bearing along with some pattern-making tools. Only later did he learn that friends of Tommy had rushed to the dump hoping to retrieve this irreplaceable part.

Shortly after Tommy’s passing, a local rival and motorcycle dealer tried repeatedly to purchase the BSA, but Patsy steadfastly refused. Over the years, many enthusiasts offered to restore it. Unfortunately, each attempt ended with the bike returning in ever more boxes of parts. Eventually, the unassembled motorcycle ended up in a Kamloops barn. Patsy later gave it to her son (Tommy’s grandson) on the condition that he never sell it to Tommy’s long-time rival.

For about two years, the BSA was stored in a shed in the Lower Mainland. Then, in 1991, Tommy’s grandson shared its history with his friend Pat, who introduced him the next day to Harry, a motorcycle enthusiast and restoration specialist. They took the frame, tires, and boxes of parts, marking the start of a meticulous restoration. Sourcing components from around the world, Harry and Pat spent seven years rebuilding the bike. Thanks to their dedication, the BSA was fully restored and running once again.

When it was finished, Harry had no room left for yet another vintage motorcycle in his collection. Wanting people to enjoy it, they arranged for the restored BSA to be displayed at the Trev Deeley Museum in Richmond, where it became one of the museum’s star attractions on a rotating pedestal. After the museum relocated and could no longer accommodate it, the bike found a new temporary home at a motorcycle dealership in Langley, BC.

Today, this website exists so that British motorcycle enthusiasts everywhere can appreciate the photos, history, and memorabilia of Tommy Robinson’s vintage 1935 BSA—a family heirloom that has survived decades of change and continues to delight all who see it.