BSA Gold Star 650 finally arrives in U.S. after lengthy homologation, shipping delays
After years of anticipation and a series of delays tied to homologation, shipping and tariffs, BSA’s return to the U.S. market is becoming a reality.
The first U.S. shipments of the 2026 BSA Gold Star 650 are arriving at dealers, including GP Motorcycles in San Diego, where the dealership says the motorcycles are now in stock. GP is currently listing the Gold Star at $7,495.
The arrival marks an important step in BSA’s long-planned return to the American market. Mahindra-owned Classic Legends revived the historic British marque with the modern Gold Star, which returned to production in 2021 and has since expanded into markets including Europe, India, Japan and New Zealand. BSA announced plans to enter the U.S. market as part of its broader global expansion.
The Gold Star 650 combines styling cues from BSA’s classic single-cylinder motorcycles with modern components and technology. The 652cc liquid-cooled single produces 45 hp at 6,500 rpm and 55 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm, with a five-speed transmission. The motorcycle also features Brembo braking components and ABS.
GP Motorcycles founder Paul Lima has a particularly personal connection to the BSA name. In 1985, Lima discovered a 1971 BSA 650 Lightning sitting in the weeds beside a garage in a San Diego suburb. He purchased the motorcycle, which he still owns, and considers it the beginning of what eventually became GP Motorcycles.
Now, more than four decades later, Lima’s dealership is selling the modern BSA Gold Star.
“We have been waiting a long time for these,” the dealership said in announcing the arrival. “With those issues all sorted, the new 650 Gold Stars are finally arriving.”
The first U.S. shipment is limited, according to GP, with the dealership encouraging prospective buyers to place deposits as inventory becomes available. BSA’s U.S. arrival has been anything but straightforward. In late 2025, reports indicated that roughly 160 Gold Stars had become caught up in import issues after sitting in containers in Miami, leaving customers and dealers waiting.
The latest dealer activity suggests that those hurdles are now being overcome. BSA’s U.S. website is currently soliciting customer interest in the Gold Star 650 and describing the model as “almost ready to hit the open roads of America.”
For U.S. dealers and riders, the Gold Star represents the return of one of the most recognizable names from Britain’s motorcycle manufacturing era — this time in a modern 650cc package aimed at the modern-classic segment.
