About

The New Zealand BSA Motorcycle Owners’ Club was established in 1978 to foster friendship, competition, discussion and adventure. The club has regular meetings in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Otago with a national membership of more than 200 enthusiasts, dedicated to the preservation and active use of motorcycles manufactured by the Birmingham Small Arms Company, Birmingham, England. 

The New Zealand BSA Motorcycle Owners’ Club participates in classic displays and shows, and members join in local rides. A National Rally is held each year with club chapters taking turns to host the event. Many club members have more than one BSA in the shed and all share the passion of making these collectible machines last another life time.

Members receive our magazine Southern Star six times a year. The magazine has articles on the history of BSA, restoration and maintenance advice, Club activities, special offers to members, as well as motorcycles and spares wanted and for sale. Articles from Southern Star have been reproduced in BSA Club magazines and newsletters in Australia, UK, USA and The Netherlands.    

The club welcomes new members and is the ideal forum to learn more about your BSA, and keep it on the road or track. If you are interested in BSA motorcycles, join the club, you are among friends. You don’t have to own a motorcycle to be a club member, but it helps.

Membership year runs from January to December.

Postal Address:
PO Box 33-018
Petone
Wellington 5046
New Zealand

NEW ZEALAND BSA MOTORCYCLE OWNERS’ Club History

The New Zealand BSA Owners’ Club Incorporated had its origins in 1976 when Ken Hume of the Auckland Vintage Car Club Motorcycle section started a BSA Owners’ Register. In November 1977 Robert and John Cochrane met with Ken after getting approval from the UK Club and we set out to establish the NZ Club. John and Lyn Pugh came on board and with John’s knowledge of setting up Incorporated Societies a first AGM was held in March 1978 with over 25 owners attending from as far afield as Dunedin, Manawatu and Wellington.

The AGM and monthly meetings in the early days were held in Paekakariki at St Stephens Hall. The club staged an impressive Static Display of 13 BSAs in Coastlands Shopping Mall on Saturday 7 July 1978. The event received coverage in the Motorcycle News in the UK and Two Wheels in Australia. In February 1979 the club staged one of the first major Classic Motorcycle Shows in the World with 108 motorcycles from veteran, vintage, classic and a few post classic machines.

The Club had established a regular magazine Southern Star, that was well received and by 1982 the NZ Club had 256 members, including 6 in Australia. The NZ Club was in those years the 2nd largest club in the world, after the UK with Germany having 250 members.

In 1996 the New Zealand BSA Owners’ Club hosted the International BSA Owners’ Rally. The event attracted 100 overseas guests from Canada, California, Ohio, New York, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, United Kingdom and Belgium. Theo Geilin of Belgium rode his 1952 B31 350cc plunger model across Europe, the Middle East, India, Asia, China and Australia to attend the New Zealand event and featured on national television news. This was the first International in the Southern Hemisphere. 

Each year the New Zealand BSA movement holds a National Rally for owners throughout the country. The New Zealand Club has its Headquarters in Wellington, an active branch in Auckland and over 200 members throughout the country. There are affiliated clubs in the South Island, The Canterbury BSA Owners’ Club and the Otago BSA Owners’ Club. Each of the four groups takes turns to host the annual rally.

Life Members:

Hugh Anderson
John Cochrane
Robert Cochrane
Brett Frontin-Rollet
Ken Hume
Barry Palmer (Polly)
Graham Stott
The late:
Joe Cochrane QSM
Shirley Cochrane

Club Patron:

Jeff Smith