[5] There was huge demand for affordable transport after the war and the simplicity of the A7 twin was helped along by the slogan 'It's time YOU had a BSA!'.

The 495 cc (30.2 cu in) twin cylinder engine produced 26 bhp (19 kW) and was capable of 85 mph (137 km/h).

A single camshaft behind the cylinders operated the valves via long pushrods passing through a tunnel in the cast iron block.

This system needed a considerable number of studs and nuts to fasten down the cast iron cylinder head and rockerboxes, many of them deeply recessed and requiring well-made box spanners or the then uncommon sockets.

Most motorcycles of this period tensioned the primary chain by drawing or rotating the gearbox backwards on a hinge with threaded rods, this was known as pre-unit construction.

The electrics (as was universal for larger British motorcycles of the period) consisted of two independent systems, the very reliable and self-contained Lucas magneto, with a dynamo generator to charge the battery and provide lights.

It had the later A10 based engine and the latest design of cylinder head with austenitic steel inlet and exhaust valves.

[2] The earlier models had a dark green frame and a separate carburetor manifold fitted to the alloy cylinder head.

By the end of production in 1962 the BSA Shooting Star was the culmination of the development of the BSA A7, with a black frame with light green tank, mudguards and side panels, it had an alloy cylinder head, a duplex cradle frame with swinging arm rear suspension, full-width cast iron hubs and 8-inch drum brake at the front with a 7-inch at the rear.

In 1952 three BSA A7s were entered for the Maudes Trophy and the International Six Days Trial, achieving 4,500 miles (7,200 km) without problems and confirming the reliability of the design.

All three bikes were randomly selected from the production line, picked up gold medals and earned BSA the Team award as well as the Trophy.

The rules prevented major modification but Alzina was allowed to use 80 octane fuel, which together with a compression ratio of 8 to 1 enabled rider Gene Thiessen to achieve a two way record speed of 123.69 mph (199.06 km/h).

Meguro had been Japan's largest motorcycle manufacturer but in the late 1950s its models had become less competitive and it was short of money.

[14] For the new Kawasaki big bike, the traditional look of Meguro motorcycles was replaced with a sleeker fuel tank, sportier mudguards (fenders) and other details intended to appeal to export markets, especially North America.