This is the bike they all copied.

 

 

       THE BSA OTTER.

 

 

 The BSA Otter. has been hidden in the background of the Pre 65 Trials movement for far to long, and has been shunned in some circles as a bike without an identity. Well now is the time for that to change. We will try and run events for ourselves and have one or two rallies a year  for like minded owners to meet. Interested well then get in touch.

 

Welcome.

 

On this web site it is my intention to set up a BSA "Otter" owners club.And to produce

information about

other owners bikes as well as my own collection. 
There will be articles and information about the BSA (and sometimes Triumph) engines that fit into these frames. 
And it is my intention to run club trials for the BSA "Otter", along with a few well chosen bikes out of the Ariel and BSA factories. allowing some of the superb replica examples  that are out there as well to compete, if they wish.
 
A brief history of the "Otter" name, and frame.
 "My Theory".
  [_____________________________]
 
Pat Slinn worked in the BSA Experimental/development department part of the competition shop, and in this shop a well known trials rider had his work bench, this was Samuel Hamilton Miller.
Now Pat worked all day next to one of Sam's Ariel's, and there were two both with the famous registration number GOV132. He got to thinking that  he could possibly construct a frame similar to the one used by Sam for his Ariel's, to fit a 250 BSA engine in, we wont call it a C15 because the engine was an experimental one with a beefed up bottom end.
  Anyway, Pat set to with his hacksaw, and started to make his frame with large two inch top frame and seat tubes, which were to carry the engine oil the same as GOV132. And as there were obviously BSA parts to hand,for frames that Pat had  tested, on  prototype bikes for the British Army, he knew that the swinging arm and sub-frame from one of these bikes would be more than adequate,for the job so used these.
[Take a look at Pat's bike at the top of the page ,and in the Gallery.]
So this is the bike that he rode in most national trials in the UK from 1964.
 Another person working in the same department was Scott Ellis's father Seth, and Scott was now a BSA works rider  and was also on a quest to build a lightweight bike with more ground clearance. Pat remembers seeing Scott's frame in his fathers office one day, and also the comp-shops welder George welding brackets onto the frame. But thinks the main part of  the frame was built outside the factory, and used a Triumph Tiger Cub sub-frame and swinging arm, not forgetting that Scott had just moved over from Triumph, where he was a star riding a works Cub.
Now this frame turned out to be the final one fitted to his works ride BOK228C, first registered in January 1965. And the frame that the late Harry Foster copied and named The "Otter".  but as you see Pat's bike was probably the one that inspired the others. Even the late Brian Martin, Comp shop boss at the time, was given some credit by Sammy Miller for it's design, true or not, we may never know.
 [A foot Note] There were others that made frames along these lines,at the same time Harry was making his,  but do you know where any are? Or in-fact even any that  Harry built.   

  

 

This is Pat's frame in the raw, after forty five years of service Pat stripped the bike's frame back to bare metal before repainting,and rebuilding it to show standard.

Looking at this photo you can see where the influence for the "Otter" frame came from, and as I have said before this must have been the frame in the minds of Scott Ellis and his father, when they went ahead and built up there version.

 

Pat Tells me that he is now in the prosess of re-renovating the bike again making sure that he fits replacement parts that are necessary with the same that were fitted to the bike when he originally built it.  

  

 

 

  More picture of Pat's frame in the stages of build up,  from this shot will be found in the Gallery.

 

 

Hi Charlie,
 
Congratulations on the "Otter" web site Charlie, it really is good. The story of my frame is about correct. Brian Martin did know of it's existence, but I cant remember if he ever rode it. Jeff Smith rode it. The occasion was when BSA was mixed up with a youth motor cycle project that was held on the BSA "Rec" behind the factory, ( where we all tested and practiced on our trials & scrambles machines, and Sammy carved out some amazing sections !) and Jeff was a special guest on one of the sessions. I only wish that we carried cameras in those days like we do today. I enclose some more photos of my bike. When I first built the bike the frame was nickel plated, as per the majority of works frames, and bits and pieces were chromed. when BSA sent me to live and work in Germany I left the bike with my twin brother, he used it but unfortunately did not look after it. He worked for a powder coating company so he had the frame etc striped and powder coated. I am a present restoring it back to it's 1964 condition. 
 
regards,
 
Pat.

 

Other. New Page's will be added with links, and a forum, and will be updated weekly. So call back won't you.