Oct 1946 XA7.101 XA7.101 A7 twin introduced, rigid frame with telescopic front forks, 7 inch (1947 season) brakes 31/2 gallon tank. Black frame , chrome tank with three painted panels one on top and one eitherside in front of the kneegrips in bla

How to recognize the A7 and Sporting variants

Note where years are given they are BSA seasons usually running from August of the previous year through to July in the following. So although the A7 was launched in October 1946 that was the BSA 1947 season.

Oct 1946 XA7.101 XA7.101 A7 twin introduced, rigid frame with telescopic front forks, 7 inch (1947 season) brakes 31/2 gallon tank. Speedo in tank and special centre stand fitted. During the year normal type of centre stand fitted and oil feed to exhaust rockers added. Black frame, chrome tank with three painted panels one on top and one either side in front of the kneegrips in black lined with double gold lines. Winged BSA tank badges. Wheel rims were chrome with black centres lined with single gold. Alternative finish devon red, although the despatch books don't record any of the first years production being so finished.

1948 YA7.101 YA7.101 Speedo on fork top. Finish as 1947 devon red now appears in the despatch books and catalogues specify when available.

1949 ZA7.101 ZA7.101* Two part frame construction to allow for rigid and plunger. Left front engine plate pierced for dynamo. Colour as before

ZA7.101 ZA7S.101 Spring frame with plunger rear suspension optional extra.

ZA7S.101 ZA7S.101 A7 Star Twin introduced. As A7 but with slightly higher compression motor, twin carbs, spring frame as standard. Finish as A7 but with matt silver tank panels double lined in maroon, special Star Twin transfer. Wheel rims chrome with matt silver centres lined in maroon.

1950 ZA7.7001 ZA7.4001* A7 twin continued. Devon red now only applied to the petrol tank.

ZA7.7001 ZA7S.6001 A7 twin spring frame continued.

ZA7S.4001 ZA7S.6001 A7 Star Twin valanced front mudguard

1951 AA7.101 ZA7R.6001 A7 twin. Redesigned motor with new cylinder head and rocker box, AA7.101 ZA7S.14001 modified crankshaft, alloy con rods and additional oil supply to the camshaft trough. Finish as before.

AA7S.101 ZA7S.14001 A7 Star Twin as A7 but with high compression pistons, single carb. 8 inch front brake. Finish as before.

1952 AA7.5001 ZA7S.26001 A7 twin. Improved mechanical breather, underslung pilot light. Rigid frame deleted from range. Finish as before **.

AA7S.1001 ZA7S.26001 A7 Star Twin as A7 but with manual ignition. Finish as before. Metal Star Twin badges on petrol tank**.

1953 BA7.101 BA7S.101 Headlamp enclosed in cowl containing speedo, ammeter and lighting switch. Boxed in rear number plate. 8 inch front brake. Finish now all over maroon with chrome tank side panels with gold lining. New metal tank badge with circular portion containing winged BSA and 'lightning flash' back to kneegrip.

BA7S.101 BA7S.101 A7 Star Twin. Modification as per A7 but finish now dark green frame and hubs with light metallic green elsewhere. The petrol tank light metallic green with chrome sides lined in dark green. New round plastic badge probably with pale green background. Brake back plates chrome plated.

1954 BA7.2001 BA7S.8950 A7 spring frame continued. All models have redesigned cylinder barrels and heads to increase fin area for cooling. Finish as above but with round plastic tank badges. Chrome plated front brake backplate painted rear.

CA7.101 CA7.101 A7 swinging arm frame introduced engine and gearbox now separate units. Finish as spring frame A7.

BA7S.2001 BA7S.8950 A7 Star twin continued. Finish as above.

CA7S.101 CA7.101 A7 Star Twin as Star Twin but in swinging arm frame.

CA7SS.101 CA7.101 A7 Shooting Star introduced as Star Twin but with alloy cylinder head, separate inlet manifold and swinging arm suspension. Finish as A7 Star Twin but with rear brake back plate finished in dark green

Dec 1953 BA7S.2559 BA7S.12895 A7 Star Twin production stopped.

July 1954 CA7S.303 CA7.5948 A7 Star Twin swinging arm frame discontinued. The vast majority of these machines were exported to Sweden.

1955 CA7.1501 CA7.7001 A7 as above with pilot light in the reflector, steering head lock, new monobloc carb. Finish as above.

CA7SS.501 CA7.7001 A7 Shooting Star as A7 above. Finish as A7 Shooting Star above.

June 1955 BA7.2741 BA7S.16787 A7 Spring frame production stopped.

November 1955 CA7.2701 EA7.101 A7 twin as above but now with alloy Ariel type hubs and backplates. Brake crossover shaft in the swinging arm pivot. Finish as above with black as an option.

CA7SS.2301 EA7.101 A7 Shooting Star as A7, integral cylinder head and manifold. Finish as above.

Oct/Nov. 1957 CA7.5001 FA7.101 A7 replacement of alloy hubs with cast iron version, improved clutch and silencer, new headlamp cowl and roll on centre stand. Finish black frame, forks, chainguard, hubs, hub cover plate centre and brake plate centre. Rims of last two chromed and polished respectively. Princess grey mudguards, mudguard stays, oil tank toolbox, air cleaner box, and petrol tank, which has chromed side panels lined in red. Black option available.

CA7SS.4501 FA7.101 A7 Shooting Star as A7 but with 8 inch front brake, no air cleaner. Finish in same style as A7 but with metallic green in place of princess grey. Tank lining dark green.

Sept 1959 CA7.7101 GA7.101 A7 modified rear brake, new design of mudguard, front has a separate fixing for the number plate, pear shaped tank badges with red background. Finish as above but with devon red in place of princess grey.

CA7SS.6701 GA7.101 A7 Shooting Star as A7. Finish as above but background to tank badges black.

Sept 1960 CA7.8501 GA7.11101 A7 as above. Finish as above apart from the brake back plates which remain in alloy with polished rims. Devon red now referred to as fuschia red.

CA7A.8501 GA7.11101 A7 alternator model chiefly for police use.

CA7SS.8001 GA7.11101 A7 Shooting Star as above . Finish as above.

Sept 1961 CA7.9714 GA7.21120 A7 as above .Finish as above, fuschia red now referred to as royal red.

CA7SS.9277 GA7.21120 A7 Shooting Star as above. Finish as above.

May 1962 CA7.10020 GA7.23137 A7 discontinued.

CA7SS.9343 GA7.23021 A7 Shooting Star discontinued.

* These frames are sometimes stamped with an R to indicate rigidNOT racing frames.

** The finish on these tanks during 1951/52 depended on the supply of nickel so some tanks were finished in matt silver which in normal circumstances should be chrome plated. The rest of the finish on the tanks remained the same.