How a two-wheeled work of art set my young heart racing We’re sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Dismiss How a two-wheeled work of art set my young heart racing Normal text size Credit:Simon Schluter We fell in love with the little old motorcycle the moment our father handed over 10 pounds and declared it was ours. It was a Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) Bantam, its maroon and cream colour scheme already dulled by age, its single-cylinder motor capable of hurling the bike along at maybe 90km/h with a tailwind. My young brother understood instinctively how mechanical things functioned, ensuring the old thing started most of the time and that its motor sang sweetly enough. I saw a work of art. The economy of the design placed everything where it should be. No frippery. It had a vibrating fustiness about it standing still, but all those designed parts came together when you twisted the accelerator and urged it into clattering motion. Even at 80km/h on our beach or on a back track it felt dangerous and thrilling and, best of all, every girl wanted a pillion ride.