What Year Is It?

Engine and frame numbers

Please check engine and frame numbers!

Until 1968, BSA used a numbering system with a distinctive prefix for each type of machine, so it is easy to see if the engine and frame are from the same model or not. They then turned to a system using a dating code which was common to all models. The engine and frame number of the first arrangement seldom match, but may in some cases, while they should match in the second. Some engines carry extra letters such as P for police and He for high compression. . The bulk of the numbers given are for postwar machines, but those applying to the wartime M20 are included. These machines were built with matching engine and frame numbers but when they underwent a major service there was no attempt made to keep them together, so they seldom match now. Some data on the system used in the 1930s is included and also the series used by the Ariel Huntmaster 646 cc twin, in case you find one in your BSA frame. From 1932-35 BSA used a system based on numbering the annual model range from 1 upward, plus a prefix letter for the model type. The engines during this period used a combination ofa year letter and the range number. Thus for 1933 the range number began at 1 for the 249 cc side-valve single and ran up to 13 for the 1000 cc vee-twin.

The first was thus the 833-1 and the last the G33-13, having been the G32-10 the year before and becoming the G34-14 the following year, when the range size increased. For 1936 the year numbers were left out, and from 1937 the system was amended. From then the engine and frame used the year letter followed by the model type and the actual number. This followed through for all engines, but the frames differed a little as some were used for more than one model so the one prefix was common to several. Thus the 1937 M20 numbers began from engine HM20-101 and frame HM19101 with the same frame also being used by four other models. The year letters were: 1932=Z, 1933=A, 1934=8, 1935=E, 1936=D, 1937=H, 1938=J, 1939=K and 1940=W. The wartime M20 models have a letter W prefix as used for the few 1940 machines which were built between the works returning from their annual holiday and the outbreak of war. Approximate dates of production are as follows: 1939 101-9719 1940 9720-27039 1941 27040-50549 1942 50550-70000 1943 70001-90000 1944 90001-110000 1945 110001 on

Wartime models

Prewar models

What· Year Is It?

Postwar models 1945-69
Bantam Year Model 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 Year 1954 1955 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 Model 01 03 01 03 Model 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 Model 03 03 OS 07 07 07 07 07 07 (Police) 07A (U5A) D7 (Trail) 07 07 (U5A) 07 (Trail) 07 07 (de luxe) 075ilver Engine LuCRS WiPA~ UYO-101. YO-I01 UY0-2oo01 UYOL-101 YOl-101 YD-20001 YD1-40001 YOll-3001 YOLt-8OO1 YOl-63001 B02l-l01 B02.-10i Rigid frame Y01-101 YOl-20001 YOl-40001 YDl-64oo1 B02-101 Rigid frame B02-146OO 802-14600 802-34701 B02-34701 Plunger frame B025-S5OO1 BOlSB025-6SOO1 B025-67581 B025-70501 B025-73701 B02S-76680 B025-78746 Y01S-20001 YD15-40001 Y015-64oo1 B02S-101 Spring frame 8025-14600 B025-146oo B025-34701 B025-34701 Spring frame

•
Year 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 Year 1956
1957

compditian BO-I0l B03-101 00-101 803-5138 Dirn:t 00-4801 DO00-8577 00-i0812 00-12501 00-14501 00-15481 00-16129

Dirrctl

Engine 8Qtttry BOB-I01 B03B-I0l OOB-101 803B-5138 Engine &tttry 00B-3301 ODB00B-7849 00B-10628 DOB-lZSOl 00B-14501 008-16413 00B-17606

1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963

Dirn:I 803-10401 B03EOS-101 E07-101 E07-1501' E07-3OO1 E07-4501 E07-5505

1964
1965

1966

Engine Batttry B03B-12801 B03BE05B-101 E07B-101 E07B-7OO1 E078-15501 E078-23OO1 E078-26904 E07BP-26904 ED7A-S50S ED7BA-26904 E07-550S F07-101 E07-6887 F07A-101 E07A-6887 E07-6887 F07-3001 E07-9OO1 F07-9076 F07-101 F07-101 F07-10127

Swing arm frame

C03-101 COlFOS-I01 07-101 07-8101 07-18401 07-27450 07-33268 07-33268 07-33268 07-33268T 07-38400 07-38400 07-38400 07-42878 07-49855 to 51960; G07-101 to 8616 07-51320 to 51960; G07-101 to 8616

What Year Is It?

Bantam
Year 1961 1968 Model 010 01055ports OloB Bushman 014{45upreme 014{45 Sports 014{4BBushman 014/4 Supreme 014{45 Sports 014{4.BBushman Engine 010-101 DIOA-IOI DIOA-IOI 013B-IOI to 780 013B-IOI to 780 013C-I0l to 780 014B-78l· 014B-78l 014C-781 Swing arm frame 010-101 OIOA-IOI BDIOA-101 0138-101 D138-1015 013C-IOIB 014B-78l D14B-7815 Q14C-78lB

Vear 1946-47 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953

C range CIO 4nd 01

CIO engine XClO-lOI

Cll engine XCll-IOI

YCIO-IOI YCll-IOI ZClO-IOl ZCll-IOI ZCI0-4oo1 ZCn-SOOl ZCIO-7oo1 zcn-recoi With four-speed gearbox ZCIO-lOCOI ZCn-25OOl Withfour-speed gearbox BClO-lOI BCll-IOI With four-speed gearbox Model C10l CnG CUG (4-speed)

Rigid frame XCloG-IOl Girders XCloT-101 Telescopics YClO-IOI ZCIO-IOI ZCIO-lOOOI ZCIO-2l001 ZClO-29001 BCIO-IOI

Spring frame

tCIOS-IOI ZCl054-l0l ZCIOS-2601 ZCIOS4-2001 BCIOS..,IOI BCIOS4-IOI Spring frame BCIOLS-lOI BClIS-IOI BCllS4-101 BCIOL5-4501 BCnS-4001 BCn54-8OO1 DCIOS-IOI EC12-101 BCn54-l8001 OCI05EC12.EC12-l600l

CIOL,CnG and CIl

Year 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958

ctot

CnG CnG (4-speed) Cl2

cret

Engine BCIOl-IOl BC1lG-101 BCnG-Iol . 8CIOl-4001 BCnG-11501 BellG-1I501 BC10L-7001 BCIIG-2.300l BCIOlBCllG-

Rigid frame BCn-IOI BCnR4-l01 BCn-SOI 8CIIR4-501

CIOl Cl2 CI2

acrrc-sooor
833 engine
XB33-101 Y833-l01 ZB33-101 ZB33-4oo1 ZB33-7oo1 ZB33-11oo1 BB33-IOI BB33-2.001 BB33-2.oo1 BB33-5001 BB33-5001 Rigid frame XB31-101 XB31-IOI YB31-IOI ZB31-IOI ZB31-9001 ZB31-l400l Z831-l9OO1 BB31-l01 8B31-1386

831 4iul 833 Year 831 engine 1946 XB31-101 1947 XB31-101 1948 YB31-l01 1949 ZB31-IOI 1950 ZB31-9OO1 1951 Z831-15OO1 1952 ZB31-21oo1 1953 B831-101 1954 BB31-6001 BB31-6oo1 1955 BB31-15001 BB31-15OO1

Brange

Spring frame

zans-iccoi

ZB315-IOI ZB3l5-5001

Z8315-17001 BB315-101 8B315-5895 CB3l-101 88315-12001 CB31-6oo1

What Year Is It?

B31 And B33 Rigid frame Spring fraine B33 engine Year B31 engine B833-7301 1956· BBll-22oo1 EB31-101 BB331957 BB31EB31GB33-101 1958 GB31-101 FB31-101 1959 GB31-1909 GB33-662 FB31-2572 GB33-1001 1960 GB33-101 832 And B34 Spring frame Rigid frame 8l1engine 834 engine Vear XB31-101 XBl2-10l 1946 XB34-IOI XB32-101 XB31-101 1947 YB34-101 YB32-101 YB3l-101 1948 ZB34-101 ZB31-101 ZB32-101 1949 ZB315-5001 ZB34-2001 ZB31-9OO1 Z832-3OOI 1950 Z8315-5OO1 Z832A-3001 ZB34A-2oo1 ZB31-9OO1 Alloy ZB315-1OOOl Z834-3OO1 ZB32-4oo1 ZB31-14001 1951 ZB315-1oool ZB34A-3001 ZB31-14oo1 ZB32A-400l Alloy ZB315-17oo1 ZB34-4001 Z831-19OO1 ZB32-5OO1 1952 ZB315-17oo1 ZB31-19001 ZB32A-5001 Alloy ZB34A-4oo1 ZB31-19OO1 Z831S-17oo1 Sand cast ZB34A-5001 ZB31-19OO1 Z831S-17OO1 Diecast B834A-I01 BB31S-101 BB31-101 19S1 BB32A-101 CB31-101 B834A-201 BB32R-12 1954 BB32A-201 BB34A-301 BB32A-201 1955 BBl2A-251 BB34A-351 CB34-101 1956 BBllA-301 CB34BB34A1957 BB32AYear 1949 1950 1951 1952 Clubman Sand cast Diecast 1953

Brange

Gold Star B31 and 834

ZBl4G5-4001 ZB34GS-5OO1 BB34GS-I01 BB32G5-101 BB32GS-lOl BB34GS-101 BB32GS-I001 BB34GS-lOO1 1954 CB34GS-I0l CB32GS-lOl BB34GSD-101 CB32D-I0l Daytona BB34GS":2001 BBl2GS-2oo1 1955 CB32GS-SOI CB34GS-501 DB34GS-I01 DB32GS-lOl DB34GS-501 BB32R-30l 1956 Spring frame B34 engine B34 DBD engine Year 811 engine CB32-4oo1 DB32GS-SOI DB34GS-501 DBD34GS-2oo1 1956 CB32DBD34GS-2963 DB34GS1951 DB32GSCB32-7oo1 DBD34GS-3001 1958 Catalina frame Spring frame Year Bll engine B34 engine CB32C-IOI 1959 DB32GS-1S01 DBD34GS-3753 CBl2-7873 CB3lC-lSI 1960 DB32GS-1601 DBD34GS-4601 CB32-8701. CB32C-601 1961 DB32GS-1741 DBD34GS-5684 CB32-10101 CBl2C-741 C832-11001 1962 DB32GS-1794 DBDl4GS-6504 CB32C-8S7 1963 DBD34GS-6881 CB32-114S1 Note: C"bdiJlII mothls IIStII 499 " engi'le 0111,.

B3l engine ZB32GS-IOI Z832GS-2oo1 Z832GS-3001 ZB32GS-4001 ZB32GS-6001

B34 engine ZB34GS-101 ZB34GS-2oo1 ZB34GS-3OO1

Rigid frame ZB31-101 ZB31-9OO1 ZB31-14001 ZB31-19OO1 ZB31-19OO1 ZB31-19OO1 Z831-19OO1 BB31-101

Spring frame ZB325-101 ZB32S-2001 ZB32S-3OO1 ZB32S-4001 ZB325-4001 Z8325-4001 ZB325-4001 BB325-101 BB3lA-101 (Swing arm) CB32-101 CB32-101 CB32-lS0l CB32-1501 . CB32-4001

What Year Is It?

M range Year
1946-47 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 . 19S7 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963

M20 engine
XM20-101 YM20-101 ZM20-101 ZM20-4001 ZM20-600l ZM20-l000l BM20-10l BM20-l00l BM20-2S0l

MZ1 engine
XM21-l01 YM2l-101 ZM21-101 ZM21-SOO1 ZM21-800l ZM2l-1000l BM21-10l BM21-l60l BM21-450l BM21-750l BM21BM2l-l1001 BM2l-l2033 BM21-l2901 BM2l-1430l BM21-15453 BM2l-l5588

M33 engine
YM33-101 ZM33-101 ZM33-3001 ZM33-4001 ZM33-SOO1 BM33-l01 BM33-50l BM33-130l BM33-210l BM33-

Rigid frame
XM20-10l ' YM20-10l ZM20-101 ZM20-7001 ZM20-10001 ZM20-14001 BM20-10l BM20-1S02 BM20-4001 BM20-700l BM20BM20-l000l BMlO-I0313 BM20-l0451

Spring frame

ZM20S-10l ZM20S-30l BM20S-10l BM20S-1l92 BM20S-400l BM20S-800l BM20SBM20S-1100l BM20S-l2031 BM20S-12031 BM20S-14201 BM20S-1S06l BM20S-ISIS9 Note: For 1961-63 some M21 ellgints had allldtmulfor /ilttd. Where this was dOllea 'titer A was .lltd 10Iht

engint IIlImber prt/i:r,

CIS range Year CIS engine

1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 ClS-lOI CI5-l100l ClS-212S1 C15-29839 C1S-4l807 ClsD-lOI CISF-lOI

SS80engine

C1SSS-I01 C15SS-110l C15SS-270S C15SS-3633 ClSFSS-10l

.CI5-IllOl ClS-22001 C15-27644 CI5-3l801 ClS-38035 ClS-422l1 C15-4S501

eas-ier

Frame

Sportsman engine
1966 1967 C15F-2089 ClSG-lOl ClSFSS-200l C1SSG-101 CI5-4900I ClSG-101 CI5SG-lOl

CI5 competition r.nge YearCISS engine

1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 C15S-l01 ClSS-30l C15S-2ll2 ClS5-3l01 C15S-400l C155-4373 ClSFS-10l

ClSTengine
ClST-10l ClST-301 CIST-I056 C1ST-I451 ClsT-200l CI5T-2116 C15FT-lOI

Frame
C15S-10l C15S-50l C15S-270l C1S5-3601 ClSS-lOOOI ClSC-IOI ClSC-853 C15C-1601

Olher CI5 models Year CIS USA engine

1963 1964 1965 1967 C15B-409 C15DB-IOl CISFB-I0l

CIS police engine C15P-41807 ClsDP-IOI C15FP-IOl ClsPG-IOl

Frame
C1S-38035 C1S-42211 C15-45501 ClSPG-10l

What Year Is It?

, Year 1963 1964 1965 Year 1963 1964
1965

Pastoral engine C15T-1602 ClST-2116 ClSFT-lOl CIS Starfire ClS-U807 . C1SSR,-225 ClSFSR-101

CIS Racer ClSR-lOl

Frame ClSA-137 ClSS-4123 C15E-lOI C15E-136 frame C1SC-l01 C1SC-8S3 C15C-1601

CIS Trials Cat C15FT-I01

B40, C15, B15 and 844 ranges Year 840 engine 5590 engine 1961 840-101 1962 840-3601 B408SS-101 84055-180 1963 840-4506 840S5-426 196. 840-5275 840FSS-IOI 1965 B40F-l01, 1966 840F-1149 84oG-101 1967 B4oG-20l Model 840 (USA) 840 (Police) 840 Super Star 840 Sportsman B40Enduro Star B40Rough Rider C25 B25 B44GP B44VE B44VR B44SS B44V5 Year 1963 1964 1965 1964 1965 1964 1965 1969 1967 1967 1968 1966 1967 1966 1967 1967 1968 1968

Frame B40-l01 B40-3511 B40-5017 B40-6668 B40-7775 840-9973 B40-9973 B4oG-201 Frame 840-5017 840-6668 840-7775 B40-6668 B40-777S C1SC-8S3 C15C-1601 HCB4O-462M C25-101 B25-101 B258-101 B44-101 ' B44-267 C15C-3137 B44EA-10l 844R-I01 8448-101SS B44B-I0lVS

Please check engine and frame numbers!

Engine 8408-563 840P-S27S 840FP-101 B408-1088 840F8-101 B40T-143 840FE-101 HCB40-462M C2S-101 C2S-101 825B:"101 B44-101 B44-131 B44E-l01 B44EA-lOl B44R-101 B44B-10l B44B-I0l

Year 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951

1952

Semi· and pre.unit twins

A7 engine XA7-10l YA7-10l ZA7-l0l ZA7-700l AA7-101 AA7-5001 BA7-l0l BA7-200l

A7ST engine ZA7S-l0l ZA7S-400l AA7S-l0l AA75-l00l BA7S-l01 BA7S-2001

AIOengine

1953 1954 1955 1956 1957

ZAIa-l01 ZA10-400l ZAlO-I200l BAIO-lOl BAl0-700l BAlO-UOOI BAlO-14001 BAIO-16036(Last)

Rigid frame XA7-l0l YA7-l0l ZA7-101 ZA7-400l ZA7-600l ZA7-800l BA7-10l

Plunger frame ZA7S-10l ZA7S-6001 ZA7S-l400l ZA7S-2600l BA75-l01 BA7S-89SO BA1S-lS001 BA7S-18001 BA7S-20289

What Year Is It?

Year A7 engine A7SS engine AI0 engine AIORR engine 19S4 CA7-l0l CA7SS-l0l CAlO-lOl CAIOR-lOl - 19S5 CA7-lS0I CA7SS-S01 CAIO-4S01 CAIOR-601 19S6 CA7-2701 CA7SS-2301 CAIO-8001 CAIOR-2oo1 19S7 CA7CA7SSCAIO- . CAIOR19S8 CA7-S001 CA7SS-4S01 DAlO-6Sl CAloR-6001 19S9 CA7-SS67 CA7SS-S425 DAIO-4616 CAIOR-SI93 1960 CA7-7101 CA7SS-6701 DAIO-7601 DAlOR-IOI 1961 CA7-8S01 -CA7SS-800l DAlO-13201 DAIOR-3001 1962 CA7-97l4 CA7SS-9277 DAIO-In61 DAI0R-S958 1963 DAIO-17727 DAIOR-6197 Nole: From 1961 some engines wert filled wilh lin 1I1ttnllltor lind lhe engine lIu_"ber prefix Itlter Ii addtd to it. From 1958 tht sports Ii10 model was lht Ii1oSR. Swing arm frame CA7-10I CA7-7001 EA7-l01 EA7FA7-l01 FA7-8S22 GA7-10l GA7-lIIOI GA7-21120 GA7-23643 fDOlliJ then hallt a

AIO Super Flash, Spitfire and RGS Sf frame Year Engine BAIOS-IOI BAIO-IOI 1953 BAIOS-70l 1954 BAIOS-701 CAIOSR-776 1959 DAIOSR-IOI 1960 1961 DJ\1oS R-401 DAIOR-5958 1962 DAtOR-8I97 1963 Last RGS DAtoR-10388 Model A50 ASO(Police) A6S A6S (Police) A6SR A6SR (Rev-Counter) A6ST/R ~odelaboveframe Above rod brake Model below frame AsOC (USA) A6SL/R A6SSH ASOCC(USA) ASoCand ASOCC(UK) A6SL and A6SLC Model ASORoyal Star ASOWasp A6S Thunderbolt A6S Lightning A6S Hornet A65 Firebird A6S Spitfire Frame number

Spitfire frame FA7A-101 GA7A-lOI GA7A-40l GA7A-536 GA7A-748

RGSErame

GAIO-IOI GAIO-390 GAIO-t914 1965 AsOA-686 A50AP-121 A65A-1134 A6SAP-267 A6SB-334 A6SC-I0S2 ASO-S437 ASOB-4001 ASOD-lOl A6SD-I742 A65E-701 AsOB-S07 A50DC-IOI A6SDC-2IS8 1969 AsoRC-lOI A6STC-IOI A6SLC-IOI A6SFC-IOI As engine

Unit twins

1962 A50-101 A6S-101

1963 ASO-S23 A65-1947

ASO-IOI ASOA-IOI

ASO-2288 ASO-2701

1964 ASOA-IOI ASOAP-IOI A6SA-IOI A65AP-IOI A6SB-IOI A6SC-IOI A65B-lOl ASO-5S01 ASOB-IOI ASOB-IOI A6SD-IOI A6SE-IOI

1966 ASOR-IOI AsoW-IOI A6ST-I01 A6SL-IOI A65H-IOI A6SS-101 ASOC-IOI

1967 ASoRA-I01 AsOWA-IOl A6STA-IOI A6SLA-IOI A6SHA-IOI A6SSA-IOI As engine

1968 ASORB-IOI ASOWB-lOl A6STB-IOI A6SLB-I01 A6SFB-IOI A6SSB-IOI As engine·

What Year Is It?

1969 and later From 1969 on, a new coding system was used with a two-letter prefix for the month and model season year, followed by the model code and a serial number. This last began each year at 00101 and ran on irrespective of the machine it went on. The model season year ran from August to July. The first letter was the month and the code was: E May K 5eptember A January B February G June N October C March P November H July o April J August X December The second letter was the model year and the code was: C August 1968 to July 1969 D August 1969 to July 1970 E August 1970 to July 1971 G August 1971 to July 1972 H August 1972 to July 1973 Model codes were: 1969-70 0175, 017S8, B2S5, 84455, B44V5, ASOR,A65T, A6Sl, A6SF, A7S 1971DI7S,B2555,B25T,A6SF5 1971-72 85055, BSOT, A6ST, A6Sl, A7S, A7SV 1971-73 BSOMX 1972 A70l Scooters Year Single engine
1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 5-101 5-6720 5-11407 .5-12498 5-13263 5-13576

Twin engine
¥VIOl VV3201
W1l790 W17800 W18485

Frame

1018 4001

Noft: Eltetri, stlin twins had Ittt". E IIddtd

188008 301408 318258 336618 343008

fo

number.

,ngin,

Dandy and Beagle Year Dandy engine

1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 OSE-101 O5E-11oo1 O5E-14462 [),SE-17901 D5E-21651 [}SE-22164

Dandy frame
05-101 OS-11S01 05-15165 05-18001 05-21801 05-22268

Year
1964 1965'

Beagle engine
K1:"101' Kl-3507

Beagle frame
K1-101 Kl-3315

Ariel Huntmaster Year Engine prefix

1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 Last

. PI LF ~LF NLF2858 CNLF 4230 CNLF 5838 CNLF 6073

Please check engine and frame numbers!