BSA Bantam D1 Restoration

The bike is a BSA Bantam model D1 dating from 1948. Following WW2, the initial production was for export only, this one would have been amongst the first batch to be sold in the U.K. It has a rigid frame, a rubber bulb horn and no battery. Interestingly, the early models did not have the famous Bantam chicken logo on the tank, just a BSA flying wing logo.
I bought it in 1995 looking like the top picture. I didn't start work on the restoration until 1998 and took about 12 months to complete it.

I was born in Birmingham and could see the BSA factory from my bedroom window. My first proper motorcyle (in 1961) was what was known then as a BITSA. A Bantam constructed from various models of the Bantam.
A sign of the times was that these bikes had no locks or ignition, you kickstarted it and eventually, it went. You'd park it on the kerb outside of your work and when you came out it was still there. I don't think you could do that today.