Diamond Dave Langston.

We take a look at his career as a Works BSA Trials rider from the late fifties until the begining of the seventies, and still riding a BSA BSA B25 later.

Photo Courtesy Offroad Archives 2021...

Dave Langston was a rider that did not get headline coverage in the Motorcycle rags very often although nearly every trial he ever rode in he got first class results, Nationals and Centre trials.

He represented BSA mostly riding in the B team shall we say although getting as good a results as the so called A team members and some times beating them, and was always a good team member with results in the SSDT as you will see in some of the other pages. Although part of the Langston farming family, Dave did not work on the farm and for quite a long time  I was told that he worked for a civil engineering contractor laying public cables , etc. At the end of his working life, time was spent working for Watsonian Sidecars local to where David lives in the village of Stretton-on-Fosse.

 Probably the most publicised trial ride for Dave was riding the works 150cc BSA Bantam (HOK496D) in the 1968 Scottish Six Days Trial.

Photo Courtesy Ed Freeman Collection...2025...

This is the works BSA Bantam (HOK496D) that Dave rode as a 150cc machine in the 1968 SSDT...

And don't forget his trials wins on the BSA B32 Gold Star (BSA 300) that Dave rode at the start of his BSA Works career in 1959.

Mate and fellow trials rider Dudley Taylor who used to live in Morton-in-Marsh at the time traveled with Dave to many of the National and Midland centre trials he tells me, and also to grass track and race meetings… Dave Langston was also a nearly unbeatable grass track rider at the time in the sixties and seventies, riding not only the BSA engined bikes, but  350 and 500 JAP machines tuned by fellow Campdonian Bill Davies, and David's father in law at the time. Dave's address was down as Ebrington at that time, in many of the event programs.

Photo Courtesy Offroad Archives 2021...

Dave aboard one of the JAP grass bikes.

With the run of BSA 250 C15T bikes that Dave rode for the factory with the Birmingham registration registered number (231 AOL) the first was like all the early first batch C15T’s with the swan neck frame but fitted with a Lyta loaf type alloy tank…Dave rode this type of C15 until the Mk 2 framed bikes came to be used and like most of the other works riders with the exception of as we know Scott Ellis with his home built frame and Arthur Lampkin sticking with a swan-necked frame longer than most, and Brian Martin with his development framed bike (BSA250) the others Works riders substituted the Mk 2 frame on their steeds with the oil in frame Victor GP versions. And that is what Dave also had as his last works ride C15T…(231AOL)…

Photo Courtesy Ed Freeman Collection...2025...

The last works (231AOL) BSA C15T of Dave's.

Then after a gap in trials riding like most of us did at the time it was not until 1977 when Dave bought the ex works development Mike Mills BSA B25 Legend that Dave took up trials riding again. As written on the show information board by Ted Freeman and a bit of an input from me.

From the Freemans.

Dave Langston rode a trials motorcycle for the BSA Factory at Armoury Road Small Heath,Birmingham, as a member of the official BSA Factory competition trials team under BSA Competition Manager Brian Martin from 1961 until 1969.

In 1970 the Legendary Mike Mills joined BSA At Umberslade Hall as a designer with the specific remit to design a trials machine to supersede the C15 and Bantam trials bikes which he duly did.

Regrettably at around that time that the machine was finished the BSA Group went into receivership in late 1972, and Mike Mills acquired the new machine in lieu of full payment for his services.

Mike Mills continued to ride and develop the BSA B25 “Legend”trials machine until he sold it to David Langston in 1977. Dave Langston then campaigned it with success until the early eighties, it then was stored in the back of a garage and not used until Dave had it refurbished by mate  John Gleed of John Gleed Motorcycles, at Hook Norton Oxfordshire for him to ride in the Scottish Pre65 Classic Trial at Kinlochleven near Fort William… in May 1988. Dave also rode it again in 1989 Pre65 trial.

Dave rode the bike in a few local trials  and the Bonanza when he had time until laying it up again at 

Dave’s home garage at Stretton-on-Fosse  until 2015 then the bike was restarted after a gap of 26 years. The BSA B25 engine has a different stroke to the standard BSA B25 engine, and other different parts such as the cam that makes the bike so suitable for trials events.

The BSA Legend was then bought by avid BSA Trials bike collector Ted Freeman and prepared to do the show at Telford of that year.

The present owner of this BSA 250 B25 MM legend  is the Ed Freeman Collection.

Photo Courtesy Jason Batsford...

The Mike Mills built last Works BSA B25 at Telford show.

Photo Courtesy Alan Taylor 2025...

"Diamond Dave Langston" aboard the Mike Mills framed BSA B25 at "Chips Quarry" in the Cotswolds...

Photo Courtesy Offroad Archives (D Wylde) 2025..

Diamond Dave aboard what looks like a near new BSA C15T and one of the first batch works bikes ? or could it be a Mk2 bike....its a Mk two look at the head steady...

Photo Courtesy Ed Freeman Collection...2024...

A shot of Dave Langston aboard the Works 150cc Bantam (HOK 496D) in the 1968 Scottish Six Days Trial...

Photo Offroad Archive (Deryk Wylde) 2015...

Deryk emailed me this shot in 2015 of Diamond Dave leading the pack on his BSA engined Grass bike...

One of your Neighbours at speed he said...

Photo Courtesy Ed Freeman Collection...

Dave riding the 

 ex Mike Mills Legend last Works BSA B25 trials bike.

Photo Courtesy Ed Freeman Collection...

Dave trying hard on the Works 150cc Red T2 Bantam(HOK 496D) in the 1968 Scottish Six Days Trial...

Photo Courtesy Offroad Review ( Deryk Wylde) 2021...

The lad had an early start into the trials game...

Deryk said you will like this your young neighbour again... 

Diamond Dave Langston aboard a little DOT his first trials bike I would think...

More Later.

12/2025...