Well known road racer / engineer Roland Pike built two Pike-BSA’s for the 1952 Isle of Man TT. One being a 500cc, the other being a 350cc; this very bike. Both were frames to his own design fitted with BSA Gold Star engines.
Roland Pikes exploits as a keen racer and engineer had been noticed by BSA in the early 1950s and hence he was offered to work for them as Head of the Development Department where he helped to develop the BSA Gold Star. Roland Pike is also known for his development work and involvement in the 1954 Daytona Race. BSA went to Daytona with 6 bikes and finished first 5 places.
Both the 500cc and 350cc Pike-BSA TT Gold Star were still under construction when he was hired at BSA and so were finished in the development shop at BSA. Both bikes then competed in the 1952 TT but Roland had no luck with them.
The Junior 350cc suffered a broken pushrod and the Senior 500cc lost the gear lever and had to retire.
It was Roland’s last race. Being very busy at BSA with developing the Gold Star, there wasn’t time for racing anymore and so the Pike-BSA’s were sold on.
The 500cc was sold to Dennis Lashmar, a friend of the Pike family, and winner of the 1949 1000cc Clubmans TT on a Vincent, prepared by Roland’s brother Stan.
The 350cc was sold in February 1953 to an unknown Scotsman who road registered it. At the end of ‘53 Dennis Lashmar bought the 350cc back from the Scotsman and owned both Pike-BSA’s now.
Dennis Lashmar used both the bikes for Grand Prix racing in 1954. In ‘54 he competed in the Isle of Man TT, Belgian Grand Prix, Dutch TT, and the German Grand Prix. In the German Grand Prix held at Solitude on the 25th of July Dennis Lashmar sadly lost his life in the 500cc race. After the accident, Roland Pike’s brother Stan flew out to Germany and brought his van with two bikes back to England.
The 350cc is then mentioned in some late 50’s race results in the hands of N. Clarke and J.A Scully. Then around 1970 it was found as a basket case near Hull, UK and was bought by a Dutchman who didn’t rebuilt it but kept it untouched in his garage.
In 1997 it was advertised and the new owner painstakingly rebuild it back to its fomer glory and participated in some racing events over the years. In the last few years the Pike-BSA TT Gold Star has been exhibited in the living room of the owner who has now decided to sell.
Here is the chance to own a fully documented race bike with incredible provenance. The owner has gone to great lentghs to research and document the history of this interesting bike.
The original green log book is also present, clearly showing the frame number, so if one wanted to register the bike for the road, it is very possible. The original frame number stamping is clearly visible on the frame and goes together with the log book. It would make a very unique racer for the road or an incredibly well documented show piece.
