The origins of BSA date back to 1861, when the Birmingham Small Arms Company was founded, originally dedicated to the manufacture of firearms, hence the three rifles in its shield. BSA declined from the 1950s onwards and, despite merging with Triumph to form the Norton Villiers Triumph group, the Birmingham company ceased operations in 1973. A revival has come half a century later thanks to the Indian groups Mahindra and Classic Legends, who aim to revive the motorcycle culture of the past in the present.
