The Birmingham Small Arms Company, BSA for short, is a British motorcycle manufacturer and former automobile, bicycle and weapons manufacturer based in Birmingham, England.

BSA was founded in 1861 from fourteen arms companies, which had already appeared in the merger as Birmingham Small Arms Trade Association, England.

The company established new branches after the arms trade deteriorated. Bicycle production began in the 1880s, and the company's first experimental motorcycle was designed in 1903.

The first prototype of an automobile was produced in 1907. Already in the next year the company sold 150 automobiles.

From 1909, BSA offered a range of motorcycles for sale. In 1910, the company acquired the British Daimler Motor Company to equip its cars with its engines.

During the First World War, the company returned to arms production and expanded its business activities. BSA produced rifles and the Lewis machine gun, but also grenades, motorcycles and other vehicles for this war.

At the end of the twenties the motorcycle industry in Great Britain grew enormously fast and especially the cheaper Triumph Model P competed with the BSA Model S26.

The resulting price competition between motorcycle manufacturers led to 15 solo models and 11 combinations.

The solo machines ranged from a single 249 ccm side valve to the 986 ccm "Colonial" V-Twin model.

Our BSA presented here with 493 ccm capacity was the best known model and is equipped with a BSA three-speed gearbox and acetylene lighting.

BSA was particularly successful with the construction of heavy single-cylinder motorcycles, the "M" series. The M20/21/22 were all side controlled single cylinders. Later there were also models with overhead valves (OHV).

BSA motorcycles were exported to large parts of the world and were considered very reliable.

The name BSA has survived in the motorcycle sector until today. The name rights are now held by the BSA Regal Group and the company still produces spare parts for motorcycles.