The wheels had become a topic for Gail when it came to rubber size. He had typically seen Brit bikes with skinny tires, but he desired a more voluptuous look in the rear. After lacing a 3.5x16-inch rim to a BSA quick-change hub, he then put a 19-inch mini-brake on the front. Now, with a low 24-inch seat height, he had to shorten the stock center stand four inches. Gail wanted forward controls, so he took the stock pegs, relocated them, and then moved the rear brake to the right side via a cable. The fender struts are stainless steel mounted to a front H-D Fat Boy fender and seat. Gail scavenged a Honda Shadow gas tank, and then chopped and channeled it to mount the battery and electronics under the tank.
The most unique feature on this bike is the tank shifter, which was boxed through the tank with a linkage to the shifter shaft. "I wanted to be different," Gail said. "I've seen hand shifters almost any place on a bike but here." Gail also didn't see silver bikes too often, so he went with a metallic silver and ivory paint job for a nostalgic look.
The BSA bobber is an absolute blast to ride, as well as an attention getter. "In this day and age, a lot of people-mostly the younger crowds-don't have a clue what a BSA is," Gail said. Older folks that know what they're looking at tend to gather around this barn-fresh oldie but goodie. And so the barn tale lives on.