1954 BSA D3 Bantam Plunger Competition.

Have you got two identical footrests there? They’re actually handed left and right, but will fit either side if you’re happy with the footrest rubber being 90° out on one side.

If you do have two the same then, possibly, we might be able to help each other out as I have two the same here too. It would be typical for us to have four identical ones between us, but you never know. 🤣

I can put a picture together of all the bits you need. If you’re going to run a centre stand then you’ll need the slightly wider competition version too, although modifying a standard one is easy.

Good score on the seat. 👍

Actually, looking over the parts book and my notes again, it specifically says you do need two left hand footrests, (item 69, part no. 29-7550) which is what I bought.

No. 70 I will make from 7/16” hex bar, it’s only really no. 71 I need now but I should be able to dimensions it off the bit I already have.




Id also love to get my hands on an unmolested
Competition spec brake pedal, but I think that’s wildly optimistic!

A bigger sprocket would probably be a good idea. Are you going to need to delve into the engine or does it still run?

I think it depends what you want to do with it. The standard competition sprocket would leave top useable enough for 40+ mph potential, so riding it on the road would remain a possibility. A bigger sprocket than that might be worth it if you really wanted to explore its off road potential, but it would drop the top speed to moped levels and, with the standard gearset, probably make first redundant.

Personally, I think the stock competition sprocket would be low enough, but I can see where you’re coming from.

If the engine has stood unused for that long you might find that the crank seals have gone hard and given up the ghost. Also, the generator side main and the big end are both lubricated by the oil in the petrol, so if it’s stood somewhere damp then they might well be a bit rumbly. Certainly the ones on my D1 engine are, which is what’s spurred me into rebuilding an engine for it. Definitely try and get it going, you’ve got nothing to lose, but if it’s hard to start or rumbly and you decide to pull it apart then they’re simple enough. Gearbox bearings normally last forever unless the cases are left split, and your engine has mains on the primary drive side that are lubricated by the gearbox oil, so they’ll probably be fine. The only thing you should change as a precaution if you split the cases (unless you know for sure how long it’s been in there) is the gear change return spring.

I finally got fed up with looking at the disassembled engine on my workbench yesterday and started putting it back together. I’ll update my Bantam thread accordingly later.

Oh yes. Thing is it most definitely is, and I can prove it various ways!

I can’t believe their naivety at not realising pretty much all competition models ended up modified at one point, or blindly saying ‘well it’s not the same as the catalogue picture’. Well neither were most competitions as supplied, cos most were bought without lighting!

That’s the thing, half the ‘wrong’ bits I did myself 20 years ago when I couldn’t get the right parts.

But the internet experts don’t know that…

Finally got some bloody tyres.
This is the third set i ‘bought’ after getting ghosted by the first seller after agreeing to buy them, then the second seller ‘finding some damage on them’ when I won them for very cheap 🙄

Tbh it’s no bad thing (other than a delay getting it rolling again) as this set are better than the other two, they basically as new. I didn’t want to buy new as even the cheapy brands are about £140 for a pair. A premium brand like this are about £200, which is more than the bike really warrants at this stage. They’re Michelin trial competition X11, which are basically the best traditional looking (I.e. classic block tread pattern) trials tyres you can get.
They cost my £71 which I thought was reasonable given the condition. Of course Hermes totally
F-ked up the delivery, claiming they ‘couldn’t find the address’ and both me and the seller where worried they’d gone missing, before they turned up 3 days late with no explanation. Standard Hermes service really…

But here they are-


Perfect condition, no wear to speak of at all.

Even the sidewall lettering isn’t too modern in design.


Id bought some new tubes in preparation, so I wrestled the rear one on with only 1 tyre lever and a lot of swearing. So much so I’ve not done the front one yet 😂
Need to find my other levers before I give that a go.

Now one thing I need to mention is the sizing. I’d gone down to an 18” rear wheel as previously mentioned, the prime reason for this is the ‘standard’ combination of tyres for trials bikes for the best part of 30 years is a 18” rear rim and a 21” front. If you’re buying imperial sizes it’s usually a 4.00-18 out back and a 2.75-21 up front. Which is exactly what I have.
The rear tyres ends up the same rolling radius as a 3.50-19, so gearing and speedo wise it’s all pretty good. You end up with some extra girth and more tyre squish though, which is directly translatable to grip.

Only slight issue aside with that is the rear mudguard and bracketry are a bit tight for such a tyre.




But, it looks dead cool and making up some new stays/tweaking the guard to shape a bit isn’t that hard.

Really sorts the look of the bike having the fat tyre and matching alloy rim out back though, it’s an even cooler looking thing now.



Another thing ticked off, Best buy some more parts…

Awesome!