AUSTRALIAN B40 AWD - GA

AUSTRALIAN ARMY B40 AWD TIME LINE

1960 Contact negotiations begin. Companies include BSA Norton Triumph Velocette Royal Enfield.

1961 Triumph BSA Royal Enfield and Norton machines arrive. Still waiting for Velocettes.
BSA's model C15 SOLO OHV- described as lightweight sports machine with good prospects if fitted with 2.5 to 3 gallon fuel tank.
Minor drawbacks include different size wheels front and rear and the requirement for 85-95 OCTANE fuel. BSA B40; a new machine
developed from the C15 but not officially released. No complete specification available as yet. This model may well be suitable!

1962 Extensive testing carried out in various locations around Australia.

1963 November. BSA manufacture batch of 20 C15AA machines fitted with B40 engine units.
Frame Nos from C15AA.105 to C15AA.124
Engine Nos from B40.5436D to B40.5455D. Engines were randomly fitted into frames.

1964 February BSA Dispatches the 20 C15AA/B40 machines to Australian Army after being passed by British Army inspection.

1965 February. 1 only B40 WD to British Army specification - Dispatched to Melbourne via air freight.

1965 More testing under "Extended User Trials "program.

1966 Australian Army places order for 450 B40 AWD motorcycles. Including Tools Books and spares the contract is worth AUD
$350,000. Engine and frame Nos begin at B40GA.101.

1966 November BSA displays B40WD (B40GA) at Earls Court show fitted with Solex 26WH2 carburettor. The B40GA instruction
shows that the B40GA was to be fitted with the Solex carb. but was changed to an AMAL concentric.

1967 January and February. Remaining models assembled with AMAL concentric 926 carburettor.

1967 B40GA mainly used by Royal Australian Corps of Transport, Military Police and Royal Australian Corps of Signals.

1969 BSA exports B40 Roughrider models to Australia. These are often mistaken for Australian Army machines but were not used for
military purposes.

1972 BSA AWD withdrawn from service and sold off through Australian Government auctions.

1972 Onwards. Many B40 AWD's "Civilianised" with different colour schemes, exhaust systems and the removal of military equipment.

1972 BSA B40 AWD replaced by Suzuki twin cylinder GS400.

(Info supplied by Neil, Australia)