Sunbeam S7

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Following BSA’s takeover of Sunbeam in 1943, the Redditch factory continued to produce a range of luxury touring machines based on designs taken from BMW as part of war reparations.

The S7 was introduced in 1949 with a 500cc inline twin-cylinder rubber-mounted engine mated to a shaft-drive gearbox with car-type clutch and overhead cam shaft. In keeping with its gentlemanly image, it was equipped with balloon tyres akin to the offerings of Harley Davidson. This produced an ‘armchair’ ride that was unhurried and comfortable at the expense of the sporting characteristics of the S7’s other BSA stable mates.

Needless to say, these luxuries came at a price and while the costly machine sold in steady numbers, it was never the great success that BSA had hoped for. In an effort to bring costs down and to make the machine more mainstream, an S8 version was later produced using conventional forks and front wheel from other members of the BSA range and a thinner section rear wheel to match.

Both S7 and S8 versions remained in the catalogue until 1957 when production finally ceased. Increasingly sought after today, the ‘fat boy’ S7 now has something of a cult following, its styling well attuned to contemporary custom trends.

This classic Mist Green S7 was first registered on 25th July 1951 and a continuation RF60 logbook charts its history from 1957. Supplied with three old MOT certificates issued between 1969 and 1977, an original workshop manual and a current V5C, it also has a purchase invoice dating from 1994 when it was acquired for the Stondon Museum Collection. Still bearing its original Sunderland registration, this cult gentleman’s tourer is sure to appeal to the ‘hipster’ rider of today.