KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- The Bantam is an old name BSA has resurrected.
- In its latest avatar, it is a single-cylinder 350cc motorcycle.
- It is based on the Jawa 42 FJ.
The BSA Bantam is the newest motorcycle that has just been showcased globally by the British bikemaker. The Bantam is an old name not very common to the Indian market, and this is BSA's first 350cc motorcycle in its present-day lineup under Classic Legend's ownership.
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2025 BSA Bantam Unveiled; Details
The Bantam follows a neo-retro approach in terms of design, blending a mix of classic and modern elements. It gets a round LED headlamp, a teardrop-shaped fuel tank, a compact upswept tail section, and twin-spoke alloy rims. Most of the mechanical parts are finished in black to give it that modern look and feel.
The Bantam is categorized as a 350cc motorcycle, and it also gets an upswept exhaust pipe, but there is no twin-pipe treatment seen here. There are five different paint schemes to choose from; Avalon Grey, Firecracker Red, Victor Yellow, Oxford Blue, and Barrel Black.
The Bantam is said to be based on the Jawa 42 FJ, since it has been developed jointly with Classic Legends, along with a few other specialist engineers. It bears the same 334cc, liquid-cooled engine, putting out 29bhp at 7750rpm and 29.62Nm of torque at 6000rpm, paired to a 6-speed gearbox. These figures are nearly identical to the 42 FJ.
BSA has not mentioned anything specific about the hardware bits, but it is likely that many components are shared between the two motorcycles. The Bantam rides on an 18-inch front and a 17-inch wheel at the rear, and it also weighs 185kg, which makes it heavier by just 1kg. It also deploys a 320mm disc at the front and a 240mm disc, both receiving floating callipers. The wheelbase measures up to 1440mm, which is identical, and it comes with dual-channel ABS.
Not much is known about the features, except that it gets a single, round circular pod instrument cluster, similar to some Yezdi motorcycles. The bike is likely to get a slip-and-assist clutch as well.
Alongside the Bantam, BSA also showcased the Scrambler, which is based on the Gold Star 650, and there are rumours floating that it could be the next bike from BSA for India. However, more remains to be seen on that front.
Verdict
Is the Bantam headed to India? BSA and Classic Legends are yet to release any official statement on the same, and given BSA's more premium positioning in the Indian market, it seems as if the Bantam will not be brought here, at least for now.
