Ahh, yes, the old barn story. You know, the one where a bike builder finds a basket case in a barn in the middle of nowhere and wrenches the life back into it. It's nearly a classic tale in the motorcycle industry. At the very least, it's a popular standby for builders trying to conjure up a story behind their build. This '68 BSA was rescued as a rolling chassis from a barn in Akron, Ohio, by owner Gail Williams. Before he salvaged the remains, Gail thought about what he was up against.
Gail grew up around British motorcycles, so they weren't foreign to him (pun intended). He was buddies with three brothers who peddled Brit bikes and parts, and he spent hours on end with them working on the bikes. "I always said one day I would buy one and fabricate a bobber," Gail recalled. That fateful day came in 2003, when one of the brothers parted with a beloved '64 BSA chassis with a '71 motor in the corner of their barn. "Actually, I proudly hauled it back to my barn," Gail said, "and the transition began."
Gail grew up around British motorcycles, so they weren't foreign to him (pun intended). He was buddies with three brothers who peddled Brit bikes and parts, and he spent hours on end with them working on the bikes. "I always said one day I would buy one and fabricate a bobber," Gail recalled. That fateful day came in 2003, when one of the brothers parted with a beloved '64 BSA chassis with a '71 motor in the corner of their barn. "Actually, I proudly hauled it back to my barn," Gail said, "and the transition began."