If you read and enjoyed the article on Reg Wagger and its heading photo of him on his little 125c Bantam in 1949. You may be interested to see this D1 BSA Bantam which is currently ( 10 March 2013) being auctioned at eBay

The seller expands on an interesting history of the bike which has a providence stretching back to the time it was first sold with a belief that prior to that sale the Bike had been used in the ISDT possibly 1951. Something we can start checking from our FIM Stewards reports.

BSA Bantam D1 1951 Competition Trials 125cc, ex-Don Morley.

A phenomenal machine in tip top condition, a time warp Trials bike. Built by the BSA Factory in Birmingham during 1950, but not sold off by them or privately registered until September 1951 ( when it is suspected, but not possible to prove due to age), that it was used in that years ISDT.

It is in absolutely superb condition and still on it’s original saleable (please don’t) registration number and has it’s complete owner history via the original buff Log Book and a two page original written and signed A4 letter/report by the highly respected award winning author, photographer and authority on Competition motorcycles Don Morley.

The Bantam has had three long term (and famous rider) owners during the bikes past history and three short term owners between 1951 and 1956).

The first long term owner was the famous BSA Bantam Racer Maurice ‘Mole’ Benn who lapped the TT at over 70mph on his other home tuned road racing Bantam, and twice finished on it at the 1963 & 1964 Ultra Lightweight TT’s before likewise tuning this machine for trials. Mole owned it for over 40 years, and restored it back in 1977 before eventually selling it to VMCC President Ray Blackwell who in turn passed it on to the great man himself Don Morley (Google him to see how great he really is), Trials rider for over 50 years, and was the ‘Classic Bike Magazines’ long term trials bike tester etc, in addition to being the Author of over 20 specialist books including such as ‘Classic British Two Stroke Trials Bikes’ and ‘Classic British Four Stroke Trials Bikes’ (now out of print but currently selling for £60 to £100 per copy).

Back to the bike itself, it is in just perfect mechanical condition, indeed it should be, in that it has only done 164 miles since Mole Benn tuned and totally rebuilt it.The outward condition might best be described as ’older restoration’ yet is still in superb condition as can be seen from the bang up to date photographs, with just a few paint chips, such as tyre levers on the two pack painted wheel rims and such as the exhaust system, where the chrome plate is just lifting In some areas, though certainly not badly enough to bother with.

The bottom line is, this is a truly great ultra lightweight trials machine for use, to show, or put in a museum, and is one that needs nothing doing to it, and comes with a real and authenticated pedigree history and provenance.

Please don’t value this bike against current BSA Bantam D1 market values. This is an original and famous, unique, highly sought after D1 Competition Bantam with it’s original saleable registration number.

Included in the sale is, the original buff Log Book, a current V5C, a Tax Disc to 31-08-2013 (no MOT required pre 1960), the original signed letter/report from Don Morley detailing the history of the bike and an original copy of Motorcycle Sport with a four page article on Mole Benn’s TT ride in the 1963/64 races.