Owners Review

Anthony Merchant, a 29-year-old Wednesbury GPO engineer, wrote that the C15 forgave all my early clumsiness and became a firm and indispensable friend, turning me from a raw recruit into a real enthusiast. I covered 20,000 miles and the bike was off the road a mere two days in 21 years. He has succinctly summed up what is surely one of the numerous little mounts on British roads.

It is a learner’s machine. It does inspire affection. It is reliable. These are the facts which emerge from the reports of over 100 C15 owners. In the lists there is a preponderance of 16 to 18 year olds although "veteran" riders of middle age bump up the statistical average age to 21. Between them these owners have covered nearly 1.25 million miles on their bikes. 1960 is the average year of manufacture. Reporters, as usual, come from all walks of life but there is a larger-than-usual proportion of schoolboys this time.

Performance
Acceleration is the bull point of the CI5. "Terrific especially in second and third," reports Roger Padbury, of Croydon. Others prefer the less enthusiastic "good," but the machine definitely comes out creditably on that score.

Top speeds are not so impressive by modern standards although the 80 to 85 of the sports version, the SS80, is pretty good. The average figure for the standard machine is 75. One rider says 100 mph, but the majority are more modest in their claims! Confirms 20 year old Alan Mitchell of Cambridge: "The engine gives good low-down punch with good acceleration. Not a very high top speed (68 mph) but it will cruise all Day at 50 to 55 mph." "The C15 is no super sporting mount," says Colin Scott of Lewes, Sussex, but he has made the trip from Brighton to Sunderland with 60 mph on the clock as often as possible all the way. Alan Stokes, of Birmingham, an 18-year-old accounts clerk, finds that the performance of his SS80 is all he expected but, he says, the engine is noisy mechanically.

STARTING
"First kick cold starts guaranteed, provided the carburettor is flooded and the air slide closed yet the engine will accept full air as soon as it has fired." That’s the impression of everyone, in the words of Roger Padbury. Just as satisfied, after 15,000 miles’ experience, is Alan Loader, 38, of Enfield, Middlesex. "Starting is excellent rarely more than two kicks and usually only one."

HANDLING
No real complaints, although many say that the rear suspension is not firm enough for pillion work. Yet Colin Scott, who weighs nine stones, finds the rear units too hard for solo work.

Answer, it seems, is to fit adjustable damper Units. Even so it would be hard to eater for David Woodman of Glasgow who complains that the rear suspension of his bike bottomed when he carried a 22-stone passenger! A couple, like 28 - year - old Gerald O’Shea of Crofton Park, London, mention uncertainty on wet roads. Steering, in the general opinion, is light and positive. Despite this, two or three reporters are severely critical of the handling—but the opinion of the majority must prevail. Last word to a keen owner, obviously a farmer, who suffers from fowl handling!

FUEL CONSUMPTION
The praise is really handed out here! "Fantastic," "marvellous," "wonderful." These are just a few of the adjectives. Averages work out at about 90 mpg overall, though many claim more than this for town work. SS8O owner’, report a higher consumption an average of just over 80 mpg.

BRAKING
The brakes, while not superlative, are adequate for the performance. "Good," reports Sydney Edgecombe, of Totnes, who does not own a C15 hut has worked on and ridden many examples of this Small Heath range. Although Ralph Kelsall, of Cannock, thinks that his bike has "real stoppers" he is of the opinion that a larger 7in front brake would be useful when stopping from high speeds.

Judging from the percentage mark of 77, there is possibly room for improvement as Alan Stokes would tell you. He doubts whether his front anchor could de-skin a rice pudding!

TRANSMISSION
Stories, not in any great number, of clunky gear changes and boxes full of neutrals. But, generally, the reporters have little to complain about. A constructive word comes from 18-year-old Peter Robinson of Fareham, Hants: "Trouble experienced in getting false neutrals was completely cured by spending 7d on a new cam-plate spring!" Both gear box and clutch, report many, are light and positive in operation. Several, however, single out premature rear-chain wear as a criticism point.

OIL TIGHTNESS
Not many make a big song and dance about oil leaks, but most include a passing reference to the fact that leaks do occur. The mark of 58 percent in the table is pretty low by any standards. Main leaks, according to Aim Loader, are from both front fork legs, pushrod cover joints and cylinder-base joint. Others have been troubled by loss of oil from the primary chaincase and gear box.

DETAIL FINISH
"No criticisms," reports 25-year-old Alan Crowe, of Highgate: "The C15 has very good chrome and enamel. It gleams richly after five years in all weathers and even minor points on the engine and bike bear close examination." One or two, however, say that the black enamel on the headlamp and front fork soon loses its gloss. "Finish is good in some respects. The paint work is okay and the chrome is heavy. The bike is mechanically satisfactory but the attention to detail is not so good as on many foreign two—fifties." That’s what David Hopkins of Cardiff thinks. A point brought out by many readers is that the tool box cover is difficult to fit.

RELIABILITY
The C15 comes out of this report with flying colours on the score of reliability. As always there are tales of mysterious breakage’s and seizures before many miles have been clocked up. But the experiences of many riders with big mileage’s are compelling. "When I sold her in 1963," writes 23 year old Maurice Venn, a bank cashier of Fleet, Hants," I had covered 60,000 without niggling troubles. At 42,000 I replaced big end and valve springs but otherwise I have had no major repairs." Another satisfied customer is Richard Hills, 34, of Farnborough: "In 36,000 miles I have had three rear chains, two gear-pedal springs and new valves and guides. The rear tyre was replaced at 21,000 and the front one at 29,000. The battery and rear bulb took the chop at 30,000 miles and the main bulb at 35,000. I might add that I regularly change the oil at 2,000-mile intervals." Premature engine troubles are not numerous. But in any case, as you will see under "Service," the factory always seems sympathetically disposed so genuine cases.

SERVICE
Comments range from "best in the world" to a mere "okay." Yet spares from the factory receives an inexplicably low 63 per cent in our table. Despite this, dealers seem to have a 20 per cent better record! According to Michael Smith, 21a, Barnhill, Angus, railway man, his dealer usually has every part in stock but postal applications to the BSA factory seem rather slow. Slow or nor BSA appears to treat their customers very well. Tales of new parts being supplied free, without persuasion, are common. "The after-sales service." confirms Ralph Kelsall, " is excellent."

ELECTRICS
Reliable, but not particularly inspiring in action. That is what most feel. "The headlight is not really good enough and the beam is infuriatingly difficult to adjust", says Colin Scott. Universal condemnation is handed out to the horn as usual in these reports. A new slant comes from Chris Plowman, a 17-year-old Solihull sixth-former: " I nearly got hauled up by the police for making disgusting noises behind an officer’s back! The horn sounds like a well worn raspberry!" The emergency start system is acknowledged reliable and effective.

ACCESSIBILITY
Oh yes, this is where Mr. Reporter starts to sharpen his pencil. "My only moan about the C15," confides Harold Hellawell of Abergavenny. It seems to be mainly clutch-cable replacement that causes the trouble. Off comes the side of the engine unit, together with a goodly number of other bits such as the exhaust pipe. And if you’re not careful, as some reporters obviously aren’t, you can allow the distributor to rotate and upset the timing. Trick here, according to the factory service department, is to mark the distributor with a pencil beforehand, so that it can be tightened up in exactly the right spot. For 1965 the clutch cable attachment has been completely redesigned and it is not now a long job to change a cable. Minor points such as the awkwardness of rocker adjustment are the rest of the story here. Several say that the battery has to be removed from the bike for topping up and this is rather awkward. Praise, however, goes to the quickly detachable petrol rank. On the whole, when it comes to major jobs, the C15 is easy to strip and rebuild.

OVERALL VIEW
Brian Sale, age 21, of Bromborough, Cheshire, is outspoken in his summing up: "A good, robust machine built in the true tradition of British motor cycling but who wants it? A good market research programme into what the 18 year old of today wants wouldn’t do BSA any harm." There is certainly an element of truth in what he says. But then he was obviously attracted to the C15 before he graduated to a BMW five-hundred twin and it is at the learning stage that the C15 has its maximum appeal. There is room for improvement but reporters have been very good in remembering that the C15 is sold at a keen price. You pays your money and if you buy the BSA you get a reliable little tourer, not a high-powered ultra-fast sports bike. Sixteen-year-old David Hopkins says: "As an economical, sturdy, utility mount it excels. As a learner’s machine it is the best on the market. But as a fast, enthusiast’s machine for long distances it is rather outclassed. Ideal only as a first machine a stepping stone to more significant machinery." This is fair comment; which I think the factory would agree with. Let the last word go to Colin Scott, a Sussex schoolboy: "A machine of character, the C15 is economical, reliable, fairly unobtrusive and tolerant of more than it’s fair share of abuse."

Technical Details
The C15 is a modern, completely redesigned replacement of the successful, non-unit construction C11 and C12 ranges. When the new Star was born in September, 1958, it was obvious that a vast cleaning-up and modernising scheme had been carried out.

The BSA C15 was surely one of the nicest and cleanest-looking two fifties to come out of a British factory.

What goes to make the C15? It is a perfectly straightforward overhead-valve engine of 249 cc. Bore is 67 mm and stroke 70mm. Compression ratio of the earlier Cl5s was 7.25 to 1, but it was upped to 7.5 in 1960 and it is now 8 to 1.

Initially, when it was introduced in 1961, the compression ratio of the SS80 was 10 to 1 but was lowered to 8.75 for 1962.

The lower half of the C15 received attention when the SS8O was introduced. To withstand the extra punch, forged-steel instead of cast-iron flywheels were fitted. This innovation applied also to the standard model from 1963 onward.

A caged, double-row roller big end, as on the Gold Star, superseded the C15’s shell-type big end.

In 1964 the new double-row roller big end bearing was also fitted to the standard model.

Closer gear ratios are a feature of the SS80 6.36, 7.64, 10.54 and 13.44 to 1.
For the standard C15 the equivalent ratios are: 5.98, 7.66, 10.54 and 15.98.

On both models a 60-watt alternator charges the six-volt 13-ampere-hour battery through a rectifier.

Suspension of the tourer and sportster is by hydraulically damped telescopic front fork and pivoted rear fork. Both brakes are 6in in diameter. Tyre sizes on both models are the same back and front 3.25 x l7in.

Current prices are £198 17s 4d for the C15 and £218 5s 6d for the SS80.
In addition, there are trials and scrambles versions at £215 5s 9d and £216 38 3d respectively.

Wayne's BSA C15 Star

Started life in 1958. The C15 replaced the terrible C12 and was a pretty reasonable bike by rather low UK standards. 250cc OHV 4-stroke with a 4 speed gearbox, the thing would do 70 plus on a sunny day with a following wind. Nice gearbox, decent brakes the classic learner's tool before Government got all weedy and girly. Suspension was good, with oil damped telescopic forks and a proper swinging arm out back.

The big hit was the engine/gearbox. Up until the C15, bikes had separate units but this bike combined them for the first time, making the whole plot easier to maintain and more reliable. The motor still suffered from a dodgy plain-bush big end and chocolate main bearings. Combined with a pathological desire not to change the primitive oil, these failed prematurely, giving the bike a reputation for unreliability.

I bought mine, a '59 model in an attractive mottled green, to pass my test. Having ridden a Japanese 90cc Honda the performance of the BSA came as a bit of a shock ... it was awful! I thought of 250cc as a big engine, so was expecting some serious performance. This was my first lesson in English bike design philosophy: if it just about runs then cut a few more corners and market it.

The bike test in those days consisted of bunking off school, riding round the town centre a few times until the examiner, a miserable old chap in a rumpled grey suit, stepped out in front of you waving his clipboard. This was the sign to perform your emergency stop. As long as the bike kind of rustled to a halt somewhere in his vicinity then you passed - brakes were so useless that a sudden and controlled stop was not expected. Lots of fun could be had by misunderstanding his instructions, so he spent most of the test wandering around trying to find you, whilst you gaily banged and popped your way along the wrong streets leering at all the mums.

Test passed and I discarded the L plates. Tiring of the awful C15 I bought a Royal Enfield Crusader Sports - a bit like the GT but not as good. This had a bit more go but was forever blowing oil everywhere. Original Article

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