'65 BSA Thunderbolt 

Creating a cool custom bike isn't about deadline. It's about vision. This is how Ed Kubiez and Jesse Bassett saw it...

Jesse Bassett's Gasbox | Custom BSA | 650cc | Cleveland, Ohio 

Engines are, of course, the beating heart of any motorcycle, and the 650cc BSA A65 engine is a great looking power unit. However, it took us a long time to see it that way. Here at Sump, we're mostly Triumph people, but we own and ride other bikes too, including an old BSA M20 sidevalve, a Norton Commando and more recently a Matchless G80 and a 350cc Velocette MAC (these last two bikes in fairly large pieces).

Triumph engines, we think, are still the prettiest, and most of the other engines fitted to the bikes in our modest collection rate about the same as each other in terms of looks, but perhaps with the Matchless slightly ahead of the pack. And we love the design of the Royal Enfield Bullet engine, not that we've ever owned one.

The BSA A65 engine, however, has until fairly recently always struck us as a perfectly "worthy" bag of bolts, but just ... well, dull. We've said that before once or twice. And that's usually our default position. Worthy, but dull.

And then, without warning, another cracking BSA A65 rolls into our field of vision and our eyes go straight to its heart and we wonder all over again why we keep overlooking these 650cc twins. That was the position a few years ago when Jesse Bassett, from Cleveland, Ohio, USA contacted us with some snaps of a bike he'd built. Jesse runs a motorcycle building business called Gasbox. Did we want to feature his custom BSA A65 on Sump? We said we did, and you can see that bike if you click the link you've just passed.

And then, a few weeks ago Ed Kubiez, also from Cleveland, Ohio, USA contacted us and sent us some snaps of his A65 Thunderbolt custom and asked if we wanted to see more and maybe share the bike on Sump.

Naturally, one look was all it took. And naturally we could see that Jesse Bassett's hand had been at work here (but okay, Cleveland, Ohio was a handy clue).

This bike is, for us, about as pretty as they come. It's lightweight, economical in design, and beautifully finished. So okay, the lack of a front brake leaves something to be desired if you're planning to use it in any kind of anger. But if you've got suitably empty roads in your neighbourhood, a controlled trigger finger and reasonable eyesight, you can ride forever with only a rear stopper, especially with one such as this that appears to have plenty of bite.

But it's that engine that does it for us. It's all BSA, but it's been polished like a jewel and perfectly detailed, and it reminds us that the A65 motor, when treated right, is up there with the best of them. Listen to what Ed Kubiez has to say about his Gasbox wheels...

I purchased this 1965 BSA Thunderbolt via Craigslist in Durham North Carolina in December 2012. Before I got it, it had been sitting for ten years in a basement, next to a hot water heater. I brought the bike back to Cleveland, Ohio fully intent on really making it something special. So I sought out Jesse Basset to do the build. I'd seen his work, and I'd been impressed. Being in such high demand, it was a challenge getting into the queue for Jesse's talents, but Jesse accepted the bike in June of 2013. But several months passed before he was able to start on the BSA. Therefore, the waiting time aside, the total build took 21 months to complete.

This custom Thunderbolt has many unique features starting with a one-off 6-inch frame stretch frame. You have to follow the lines of this bike from the seat backwards to appreciate the functionality of the curves.

Next are the vintage Invader wheels, 19" front and 16" rear. They're neat, simple and very elegant. But no front brake was implemented in order to give the Invader its sole space and keep it clean. But an absolute must was a rear perimeter brake that Jesse hand-fabricated from stainless steel. The stopping power comes from a hand-controlled Brembo single piston caliper. It works fantastic and doesn't lock up.

Next, the 650cc Thunderbolt motor received a stock rebuild and is fully polished. The top end was swapped for a later model dual carb Amal set up; again, all fully polished. The exhaust is also custom hand-fabricated by Jesse. These pipes do nothing less than fondle each other.

Kustom Tech controls are used throughout. They add a stylish mix of brass and aluminum. Meanwhile, a Hurst hotrod shifter was mated to the original BSA collar and then chromed.

The gas tank is a modified Harley-Davidson Superglide tank that Jesse had laying around the workshop. Further mods took place including narrowing that tank, moving the filler forward, and frenching-in early BSA brass nameplates. I wanted the tank to be as low and close to the motor as possible, and I think that's been achieved.

The 'bars are Biltwell trackers that have been narrowed 2" from the center. The tail light is a 1940's unit of unknown origin.

Paint is PPG Flamboyance done by Joe Koenigsmark of Angel Dust Cycle Paint in Cleveland, Ohio. The paint includes blue variegated gold leaf surrounding the tank's blue jawbone shape, topped off with hand pinstriped edges.

The brass BSA engraved flying "V" just in front of the seat is the work of artist Steven Weinstein from Lillian Rose Choppers in California. All front end parts were black powdercoated to match the invader wheels.

Many visits, sketches and discussions went into what I truly wanted in this bike. The goal was to create a balance; a flow from front to back to enhance functionality and create a very unique differentiating result.

At times I thought it might never get done. But in hindsight, the time it took really helped the process and solidified a builder/owner understanding that would ultimately produce this beautiful BSA.

We did not have a "deadline", but instead shared a vision. For me it all culminated when I was invited to show the BSA at the Mama Tried show in Milwaukee earlier this year. My absolute gratitude goes to all the craftsman involved with this build. I especially want to thank both Jesse Bassett and Tim Fiorucci at the GasBox for creating this rolling art.

It was well worth the wait.