BlacK@TacK: BFG 1300, a Citroën GSA-powered motorbike in Belgium

www.reKup.net

Big Fat Gsa-powered MotorBike.
Boccardo - Favario - Grange

Petite Histoire:

As the Lomax 424 was sold end of April 2007 through eBay,

I was quite happy with my collection of Belgian Gillet-Herstal motorcycles from the fifties, type Belgica & Légia.
( see www.belgica.reKup.net )

But then I came accross this Citroën-powered motorbike on eBay in the summer of 2007 and I decided promptly to sell off all my oldtimer motorbikes except one,
the Gillet-Herstal BELGICA 200cc - 1954 (only 78 kms on the clock when I bought it, + 1.500 nowadays),

and to purchase this unique - never driven - specimen :

Since the first time I saw these bikes in real life ( ICCCR 1998 - Chevetogne - Belgium ) I was fascinated by them. At that time Jeroen Cats was figuring out what they changed to the engine, to use that technology perhaps on the 4-cilinder 2CV and Lomax 424. Especially the electronic ignition intrigued him, as I was more flattered by the design of the rocker-covers.

Over the years my documentation on the subject BFG grew largely. All magazines and leaflets that appeared on eBay and elsewhere, were purchased, read and stored.

Including the recommendable book of Thierry Cazanabe;
'BFG; MF, S.A. Boccardo : Enquête sur une décennie d'échec' / Vous avez dit motos françaises ?

« BFG, Mf, Boccardo : enquête sur une décennie d'échecs » analyse le pourquoi du comment de l'échec de la réindustrialisation de la motocyclette en France durant les années 80. Particularité de ces motos : elles utilsent des moteurs de voitures. Trahisons, dérapages médiatiques, luttes d'influence, batailles politiques, tout est exposé, disséqué, et apporte un éclairage nouveau sur un mal bien français qui consiste à scier la branche sur laquelle on est assis.

And now I'm the proud owner of a unique bike in Belgium.
As I visited D'Ieteren Archives in Brussels, they came up with a sales brochure and pricelist from the eighties, but they also assured me that no bike was ever sold and/or registered in Belgium through their channels.
As BFG was hand over to MBK in 1984, connected to Yamaha, they were at that time the official importer for the MBK/BFG 1300.

The story goes that around 25 BFG's were exported to Japan, but the importer went bust by the time they arrived.
In the january 1987 edition of 'bike', there is the article 'Not tonight Josephine' about 1 of them that returned to Britain.

This bike came back through 'Bike Direct Ltd. from Bristol'.
The only thing they told me is that this bike has been standing in a Citroën showroom in Japan for 25 odd years, without moving.
But it sure moves now!

With the help of 'garage Linssen' in Kontich, the bike was restored in driveable condition.
New belts, rubbers, tyres, oil, etc.

The BFG-club was the right address for some missing parts and february 23th 2008, the first trip to the moto-jumble from my club,
the 'Early-Riders from Antwerp'. (100 km)
followed by a bikers-fair in Antwerp, where I got my first speeding ticket!

Another trip was the ACRO-rally - Bonheiden, end of March 2008. (1.000km)

Citroën-highlights of the year 2008 were the CitroënJumble Namur (B),

followed by the Dutch CitroMobile in Utrecht. On both meetings lots of intrest for this unique specimen of motorcycle.

May 25th 2008 was the BIG national meeting from the BFOV/FBVA in Brussels, Atomium Square: (teller at 2.400 km)

May 2009 : + 5.000 kms !
Meetings attended: VankRally / Kontich, Rockabilly-day / Assenede, Early Riders / Schilde, Indian Day , ...

November 2011 : Decision made, time to pass this bike on to the next enthousiast...

BFG 1300 - 1982 - N° 147
anno	1982	registered : 01 / 01 / 1983
registration	chassis-nr.: 0147	engine-nr.: 0982600183 (G13 / 646)
type	1301
kms on the clock / mileage	03 / 08 / 2007: 3 km and counting... 27 / 04 / 2008: 1.000 kms -> www.CitroenJumble.be 01 / 05 / 2009: +5.000 kms! 10/10/2011 : 9.987 kms
engine	1299 cc aircooled flatfour boxer 48KW / 65 PS/HP	CITROËN G13 / 646 (from Citroën GSA 1979 - 1986)
oil	20W50 PennZoil
oilfilter	MANN C06 - 67 402 58 492 -> MANN-HUMMEL W712/15 PURFLUX LS450A FRAM PH4765 TECHNOCAR R76
bougies	EYQUEM 800 LS / CHAMPION N6Y / BOSCH W5D / KVAS 800 LS (info Odyssee N° 0 - 02/1983)
gearbox	5 speed gearbox - made in Grenoble
alloy wheels	2.15 x 18 - WM3 - FPS - Italy (part of Hayes-Lemmerz)	also seen on Moto Guzzi Le Mans & others
tyres	front: MICHELIN 90/90 H18 A48 tube type max.load 430 LBS AT 42 P.S.I. COLD ( CRU000641 )	rear: MICHELIN 120/90 H18 M48 tube type DOT FUGN 739T 142
brakes	BREMBO (also mounted on several Moto Guzzi's) front: double discs rear: single disc	6 brakepads: 55mm x 54mm x 9mm BREMBO MNTXM64GG - 07 2256 30 - 889 6 G PREMIER DMX-GG - P 01 - KBA31039 - LK3906 ...
battery BFG 12N183A	12V - 20 Ah (min. 14 Ah)	BOSCH type BBM20 OLD ref. 0 180 0 5200 C TASHIMA Y50-N18L-A EXIDE E50-N18L-A2
alternator	12/14 Volts 40 MPS	DUCELLIER type 5140068
suspension	front: TELESCO (Spain)	rear: de Carbon (France) 6611 A12 82
car parts	rearview-mirrors rear axle / cardan headlight engine dashboard	Fiat Panda Citroën Méhari 4x4 Renault 16 Citroën GSA Renault 5 TS / Alpine
floater in gasoline-tank	JAEGER - made in France (same style as 2CV)	27571 01 - 12V - C2
production	400 x BFG - 1982 -> 1983 150 x MBK - 1984 -> 1988 10 x l'Atelier Précision - 1988 -> 1996	Total: 560 ex.

Kontich / Antwerp (B)	Erwin ( reKupnet ) Obourdin	erwin@reKup.net

The first encounter ...

Condition november 2011, as to be sold, complete with manuals, original tyres, Zümo, ...
( as displayed at Moto Retro Leuven, 23 oktober 2011 ) Make me an offer by clicking here !

TOURING MOTORBIKES 1982 / 1983
BFG	1300	1299cc	300 kg	5.000

AMF / Harley Davidson	FLTC Tour Glide Classic	1340cc	355 kg	-
BMW	R100 RT	980cc	217 kg	3600
HONDA	GL 1100 DLX	1085cc	285 kg	4100
KAWASAKI	Z 1300	1286cc	296 kg	6000
LAVERDA	1200 TS	1116cc	245 kg	4600
MOTO GUZZI	1000 SP Cockpit Integrale	949cc	210 kg	3900
SUZUKI	GSX 1100 E (KATANA)	1067cc	258 kg	3500
YAMAHA	XS 1100 Sport	1101cc	258 kg	3500

BFG Linx
Moto Club BFG	FR	the one and only club-site
Cats-Citroën.net	NL	Jeroen Cats' view on the BFG-matter
Citroënët	UK	Julian Marsh' story
The BFG 1300 page	DK	a little Danish boy with a BIG motorcycle
Anonyme	FR	percheron de type B F G fidèle monture depuis octobre 1982
Lane Motor Museum	USA	a BFG at the Lane Motor Museum / Tenessee
www.smitbros.nl	NL	Smitbros - Texel, they acquired BFG N° 25 in june 2009.

last update: 09/11/2011 21:42:37

Petite Histoire:
As the Lomax 424 was sold end of April 2007 through eBay,
I was quite happy with my collection of Belgian Gillet-Herstal motorcycles from the fifties, type Belgica & Légia. ( see www.belgica.reKup.net )
But then I came accross this Citroën-powered motorbike on eBay in the summer of 2007 and I decided promptly to sell off all my oldtimer motorbikes except one, the Gillet-Herstal BELGICA 200cc - 1954 (only 78 kms on the clock when I bought it, + 1.500 nowadays),
and to purchase this unique - never driven - specimen :
Since the first time I saw these bikes in real life ( ICCCR 1998 - Chevetogne - Belgium ) I was fascinated by them. At that time Jeroen Cats was figuring out what they changed to the engine, to use that technology perhaps on the 4-cilinder 2CV and Lomax 424. Especially the electronic ignition intrigued him, as I was more flattered by the design of the rocker-covers.

Over the years my documentation on the subject BFG grew largely. All magazines and leaflets that appeared on eBay and elsewhere, were purchased, read and stored.
Including the recommendable book of Thierry Cazanabe; 'BFG; MF, S.A. Boccardo : Enquête sur une décennie d'échec' / Vous avez dit motos françaises ?
« BFG, Mf, Boccardo : enquête sur une décennie d'échecs » analyse le pourquoi du comment de l'échec de la réindustrialisation de la motocyclette en France durant les années 80. Particularité de ces motos : elles utilsent des moteurs de voitures. Trahisons, dérapages médiatiques, luttes d'influence, batailles politiques, tout est exposé, disséqué, et apporte un éclairage nouveau sur un mal bien français qui consiste à scier la branche sur laquelle on est assis.
And now I'm the proud owner of a unique bike in Belgium. As I visited D'Ieteren Archives in Brussels, they came up with a sales brochure and pricelist from the eighties, but they also assured me that no bike was ever sold and/or registered in Belgium through their channels. As BFG was hand over to MBK in 1984, connected to Yamaha, they were at that time the official importer for the MBK/BFG 1300.
The story goes that around 25 BFG's were exported to Japan, but the importer went bust by the time they arrived. In the january 1987 edition of 'bike', there is the article 'Not tonight Josephine' about 1 of them that returned to Britain.
This bike came back through 'Bike Direct Ltd. from Bristol'. The only thing they told me is that this bike has been standing in a Citroën showroom in Japan for 25 odd years, without moving. But it sure moves now!
With the help of 'garage Linssen' in Kontich, the bike was restored in driveable condition. New belts, rubbers, tyres, oil, etc.

The BFG-club was the right address for some missing parts and february 23th 2008, the first trip to the moto-jumble from my club, the 'Early-Riders from Antwerp'. (100 km) followed by a bikers-fair in Antwerp, where I got my first speeding ticket!
Another trip was the ACRO-rally - Bonheiden, end of March 2008. (1.000km)
Citroën-highlights of the year 2008 were the CitroënJumble Namur (B),
followed by the Dutch CitroMobile in Utrecht. On both meetings lots of intrest for this unique specimen of motorcycle.
May 25th 2008 was the BIG national meeting from the BFOV/FBVA in Brussels, Atomium Square: (teller at 2.400 km)
May 2009 : + 5.000 kms ! Meetings attended: VankRally / Kontich, Rockabilly-day / Assenede, Early Riders / Schilde, Indian Day , ...

November 2011 : Decision made, time to pass this bike on to the next enthousiast...