The Thunderbolt, being the fourth BSA model, follows the world premiere of BSA Bantam 350 in July this year along with the BSA Scrambler 650
Classic Legends has unveiled the BSA Thunderbolt adventure motorcycle at the ongoing EICMA 2025 in Milan, Italy. It is the brand’s fourth model under the BSA brand as it had earlier held the world premiere of the Bantam 350 and Scrambler 650. The first BSA motorcycle to go on sale was the Gold Star 650 nearly three years back in 2022. For the unversed, Classic Legends presently owns three brands BSA, Jawa and Yezdi in the Indian market. The Thunderbolt, presented as the first-ever BSA adventure motorcycle, will launch in the market by mid 2026.
The original Thunderbolt was globally renowned for its touring and off-road prowess as it last rolled off the production facility in Birmingham in 1972. Now, the company has revived the ‘Thunderbolt’ nameplate as its first-ever adventure bike. Classic Legends claim that the BSA Thunderbolt is built to conquer every kind of terrain – be it city roads, be it gravel track or be it the muddy streets through rain and dust.
Flaunting a rugged design as people expect an adventure bike to be, BSA Thunderbolt gets a a rally-style beak and rear rack. Some of the notable features onboard the ADV motorcycle are traction control, three ABS modes (Rain, Road & Off-Road), USD front forks, upswept exhaust, preload adjustable monoshock rear suspension, slip and assist clutch.
The off-roading capability is further accentuated by adjustable front windscreen, high ground clearance, lower saddle height, reinforced bash plate, lightweight design, exoskeleton frame, wide handlebars and knuckle guards. The digital instrument cluster boasts of Bluetooth connectivity and turn-by-turn navigation while a USB charging slot is also there to charge the Smartphone on the go.
At the heart, it has the same 334cc single cylinder liquid-cooled DOHC engine which delivers top power of 28.8 bhp and peak torque of 29.6 Nm. We have already seen this engine in multiple Jawa and Yezdi motorcycles. The engine is paired with a 6-speed gearbox. The fuel tank capacity stands at 15.5 litres. BSA Thunderbolt comes with additional space at the rear to store luggage for the longer journeys.
Boman Irani, Director and Co-founder of Classic Legends Pvt Ltd, which owns BSA, said: “The new BSA Thunderbolt is adventure-ready and engineered to go the distance. Combining dynamic on and off-roading capabilities, unrivalled performance, and effortless usability, our new bike inspires confidence. It’s for riders with a ‘go anywhere and do anything’ attitude who seek new destinations and want to trust that their motorcycle will not just get them to where they want to go, it will excite every sense along the way. BSA doesn’t just build motorcycles, it builds legends and the new BSA Thunderbolt proudly carries that legacy forward.”
