Page 10 - LHR Sept 25.

Gordon Johnston and the
BSA A7 Star Twin

A Rider in 1976
In the mid-1970s, Gordon Johnston had
developed a reputation as a passionate rider
who valued British motorcycles not just for
nostalgia but for their mechanical soul. While
many riders were trading in their old BSAs
and Triumphs for gleaming Japanese
machines with electric starters and five-speed
gearboxes, Johnston doubled down on the
classics.
His BSA A7 Star Twin, carefully maintained
and lovingly ridden, became both a personal
statement and a public reminder of what
British engineering once represented. In 1976,
Johnston was often seen at local rallies, club
runs, and events where the Star Twin drew
crowds of admirers. At a time when the
motorcycle press was lamenting the collapse
of BSA, Johnston's presence with his A7
symbolized a defiance of the narrative that
British bikes were obsolete.
Riding the Star Twin in the Seventies

By 1976, the Star Twin was nearly three
decades old. On paper, it was outclassed: 26
horsepower, a four-speed gearbox, and a top
speed of around 85 mph paled in comparison
to the 100-plus mph superbikes from Japan.
But Johnston's perspective — shared by many

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LHR Motorcycle Magazine September 2025