BSA Bantam D14/4 vs Honda H100a

[Piercee100]

Hiya peeps, Over the weekend my wife and I were mucking about on my old Honda H100a. This bike has a massive 99cc and 11hp I think? Anyway we were amazed that two up it could power us along at high 50's and even hit 60+ on downward bits!

I was talking to a manager at work who restores and sells old british bikes who promptly tried to sell me a bantam D14/4 (it looks lovely) despite needing a bit of work. Anyways, as a cooler alternative to a scooter for around town could the BSA perform as well as my H100a?

1980 H100a- 99cc 11hp 77mph (in theory although I top out at 70) 5 gears.
1969 Bantam- 175cc 12.6hp 65mph (70ish possible apparently) 4 gears.

Had loads of fun on the the little Honda and wondered whether the BSA could be just as fun with a little more style and a slightly bigger seat plus having an extra 75cc maybe a little more power oh hills?
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Rides: Honda H100a (Retired), VT500e (Sold), Kawasaki ZX400 (sold), Kawasaki GT550 (Sold), Suzuki Inazuma (Daily), Honda CD185t (Broken), LML Star 2t (Last run edition).

[garth]

I doubt the bantam would be any quicker, and would need more maintenance. Points, etc.

I still want one though, strangely.
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[Aikman666]

My bantam was a complete pain in the arse. However it was hugely downgeared with a 72-tooth sproket so its top end was reduced slightly
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[virus]

personally id stick to the h100 on spares availability alone, bantam parts are getting expensive nowadays.

Cheers
John
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own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

[Piercee100]

I've always fancied something British with the gears on the wrong side (or right side depending on your age). This one just needs a new loom done, so a 12v kit with a cdi (If they make them?) would hopefully cure the reliability problems...

All I really need is the carrying capacity and the ability to keep up with town traffic (whilst looking cool), all our surrounding roads are 50's which my little Honda eats with no problems. If the BSA can sit on a real 55mph two-up and a bit more for the flat then I'm sold. However if its going to struggle on small hills then i'll have to forget it since having no indicators or road presence could just make it too dangerous.
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Rides: Honda H100a (Retired), VT500e (Sold), Kawasaki ZX400 (sold), Kawasaki GT550 (Sold), Suzuki Inazuma (Daily), Honda CD185t (Broken), LML Star 2t (Last run edition).

[Pol Anorl]

My dad pulled a bantam out of the undergrowth one day that thing was a shed, never got it running but felt like adding a brool story here, but the h100 would be a better choice unless you have more money than sense then go for the bantam
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[stinkwheel]

The H100 will out perform the bantam in every measurable way. There is no way a standard bantam would do 70mph except as an immediate prelude to total engine seizure.

I've seen my mates one doing 70 but it was in neutral with the engine off and being propelled along by means of another mate on a bigbore A65 putting his hand on his back and pushing him along.

A bantam CAN be made to perform as well as an H100 but it would take a lot of tuning.

I always fancied gettng a plunger frame bantam and fitting an MZ TS125 or a CZ twinport motor in it. Mainly to annoy Brit. bike spotters. I'd have to flip the rear wheel to do this though because the final drive is on the opposite side.
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I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Piercee100]

Haha that settles it then, staying clear Just goes to show why the British bike industry failed We had the looks but not the go.
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Rides: Honda H100a (Retired), VT500e (Sold), Kawasaki ZX400 (sold), Kawasaki GT550 (Sold), Suzuki Inazuma (Daily), Honda CD185t (Broken), LML Star 2t (Last run edition).