Lot 262: BSA 70cc Dandy

The 1950s was a boom time for the moped, a 'no frills' utility machine that offered basic transport for the masses. The Dandy, BSA's entry into this highly competitive market, was over engineered to say the least. The single-cylinder two-stroke engine formed the right-hand side of the swinging arm, pivoting on the frame; no bad thing in itself, but the contact breaker points were inaccessible until the engine had been removed, and the two-speed pre-selector gearbox was an unnecessary expense on a machine that had to compete with NSU's less complicated Quickly. There are no documents with this example, which bears a tax disc dated November 1964, presumably the last occasion it was used on the road.