BlacK@TacK: BFG 1300, a Citroen GSA-powered motorbike in Belgium

BFG 1300 - 1982 - N° 147
anno	1982	B. registered : 01 / 01 / 1983
registration	chassis-nr.: 0147	engine-nr.: 0982600183 (G13 / 646)
type	1301
kms on the clock / mileage	03 / 08 / 2007 : 3 km and counting... 27 / 04 / 2008 : 1.000 kms -> www.CitroenJumble.be 01 / 05 / 2009 : +5.000 kms! 10 / 10 / 2011 : 9.987 kms 15 / 04 / 2012 : sold at 10.401 km...
engine	1299 cc aircooled flatfour boxer 48KW / 65 PS/HP	CITROËN G13 / 646 (from Citroën GSA 1979 - 1986)
oil	20W50 PennZoil
oilfilter	MANN C06 - 67 402 58 492 -> MANN-HUMMEL W712/15 PURFLUX LS450A FRAM PH4765 TECHNOCAR R76
bougies	EYQUEM 800 LS / CHAMPION N6Y / BOSCH W5D / KVAS 800 LS (info Odyssee N° 0 - 02/1983)
gearbox	5 speed gearbox - made in Grenoble
alloy wheels	2.15 x 18 - WM3 - FPS - Italy (part of Hayes-Lemmerz)	also seen on Moto Guzzi Le Mans & others
tyres	front: MICHELIN 90/90 H18 A48 tube type max.load 430 LBS AT 42 P.S.I. COLD ( CRU000641 )	rear: MICHELIN 120/90 H18 M48 tube type DOT FUGN 739T 142
brakes	BREMBO (also mounted on several Moto Guzzi's) front: double discs rear: single disc	6 brakepads: 55mm x 54mm x 9mm BREMBO MNTXM64GG - 07 2256 30 - 889 6 G PREMIER DMX-GG - P 01 - KBA31039 - LK3906 ...
battery BFG 12N183A	12V - 20 Ah (min. 14 Ah)	BOSCH type BBM20 OLD ref. 0 180 0 5200 C TASHIMA Y50-N18L-A EXIDE E50-N18L-A2
alternator	12/14 Volts 40 MPS	DUCELLIER type 5140068
suspension	front: TELESCO (Spain)	rear: de Carbon (France) - 6611 A12 82
car parts	rearview-mirrors rear axle / cardan headlight engine dashboard	Fiat Panda Citroën Méhari 4x4 Renault 16 Citroën GSA Renault 5 TS / Alpine
floater in gasoline-tank	JAEGER - made in France (same style as 2CV)	27571 01 - 12V - C2
production	400 x BFG - 1982 -> 1983 150 x MBK - 1984 -> 1988 10 x l'Atelier Précision - 1988 -> 1996	Total: 560 ex.

Kontich / Antwerp (B)	Erwin ( reKupnet ) Obourdin	erwin@reKup.net

Petite Histoire du moto BFG en Belgique: Small story about a BFG in Belgium:
As the Lomax 424 was sold end of April 2007 on eBay to someone in Marseille,
I was quite happy with my collection of Belgian Gillet-Herstal motorcycles from the fifties, type Belgica & Légia. ( see www.auto-moto.link/belgica )
But then I came accross this Citroën-powered motorbike on eBay in the summer of 2007 and I decided promptly to sell off all my oldtimer motorbikes except one, the Gillet-Herstal BELGICA 200cc - 1954. (only 78 kms on the clock when I bought it in 2004. 3.000 nowadays, in a private museum. But that's another story! )
and to purchase this unique - never driven - specimen :
Since the first time I saw these bikes in real life ( ICCCR 1998 - Chevetogne - Belgium ) I was fascinated by them. At that time Jeroen Cats was figuring out what they changed to the engine, to use that technology perhaps on the 4-cilinder 2CV and Lomax 424. Especially the electronic ignition intrigued him, as I was more flattered by the design of the rocker-covers.

Over the years my documentation on the subject BFG grew largely. All magazines and leaflets that appeared on eBay and elsewhere, were purchased, read and stored. I think I have the largest documentation, outside the BFG-club. (if someone intereseted, everything is for sale, or can be lend out)
Including the recommendable book of Thierry Cazanabe: 'BFG; MF, S.A. Boccardo : EnquÃ¨te sur une décennie d'échec' "Vous avez dit motos françaises?"
"BFG, MF, Boccardo : enquète sur une décennie d'échecs" Analyse du pourquoi du comment de l'échec de la réindustrialisation de la motocyclette en France durant les années 80. Particularité de ces motos: elles utilisent des moteurs de voitures. Trahisons, dérapages médiatiques, luttes d'influence, batailles politiques: Tout est exposé, discuté, et apporte un éclairage nouveau sur un mal bien français qui consistee à scier la branche sur laquelle on est assis.
So I was now the proud owner of a unique bike in Belgium. As I visited d'Ieteren Archives in Brussels, they came up with a sales brochure and pricelist from the eighties, but they also assured me that no BFG or MBK was ever sold and/or registered in Belgium through their channels. As BFG was hand over to MBK in 1984, connected to Yamaha, d'Ieteren was at that time the official importer for the MBK-BFG 1300. Rumour goes that d'Ieteren Sport attempted to sell the BFG-MBK 1300 to the Belgian gouvernment. From hearsay I know that the 'gendarmerie' in Belgium did a 1 month test-drive, without result.
The story goes also that around 25 BFG's were exported to Japan, but the importer went bust by the time they arrived. In the january 1987 edition of 'bike', there is the article 'Not tonight Josephine' about 1 of them that returned to Britain.
This bike came back through 'Bike Direct Ltd. from Bristol'. They were clearing out and listed it on eBay. The only thing they could tell me is that this bike has been standing in a Citroën showroom in Japan for 25 odd years, without moving.
With the help of 'garage Linssen' in Kontich, the bike was restored in driveable condition. New belts, rubbers, tyres, oil, etc.
The BFG-club was the right address for some missing parts and february 23th 2008, the first trip to the moto-jumble from my club, the 'Early-Riders in Antwerp'. (100 km) followed by a bikers-fair in Antwerp-eXpo, where I got my first speeding ticket!
Another trip was the ACRO-rally - Bonheiden, end of March 2008. (1.000km)
Citroën-highlights of the year 2008 were the CitroënJumble Namur (B)
followed by the Dutch CitroMobile in Utrecht. On both meetings lots of intrest for this unique motorcycle.
May 25th 2008 was the BIG national meeting from the BFOV/FBVA in Brussels, Atomium Square: (teller at 2.400 km)
May 2009 : + 5.000 kms ! Meetings attended: VankRally / Kontich, Rockabilly-day 2009 / Wippelgem, Early Riders / Schilde, Indian Day , ...
2010 : Traction-meeting ARRAS
After almost 4 years of loyal service, I had some financial difficulties and sold the BFG to an enthousiast, who promised me to keep it till eternity. He also told me that he was the test-driver at the time for a 1 month trial, via d'Ieteren. Looking at his 'moustache', you can guess his profession at the time. I met him at Moto Retro Leuven, in 2012.
April 2012: 10.401 kms My last drive, to Galmaarden. Registration plate MIG-945 cancelled on 7th december 2012.
UPDATE: Looking for an affordable & driveable MBK to hit the road...

TOURING MOTORBIKES 1982 / 1983
BFG	1300	1299cc	300 kg	5.000

AMF / Harley Davidson	FLTC Tour Glide Classic	1340cc	355 kg	-
BMW	R100 RT	980cc	217 kg	3600
HONDA	GL 1100 DLX	1085cc	285 kg	4100
KAWASAKI	Z 1300	1286cc	296 kg	6000
LAVERDA	1200 TS	1116cc	245 kg	4600
MOTO GUZZI	1000 SP Cockpit Integrale	949cc	210 kg	3900
SUZUKI	GSX 1100 E (KATANA)	1067cc	258 kg	3500
YAMAHA	XS 1100 Sport	1101cc	258 kg	3500

BFG Linx
motocyclette.World	BeNeLux +	moto-parts finder with +1.001 contacts through only 1 form
Moto Club BFG	FR	the one and only club-site
Cats-Citroen.com	NL	Jeroen Cats' view on the BFG-matter
Citroënet	UK	Julian Marsh' story
Anonyme	FR	percheron de type B F G fidèle monture depuis octobre 1982
Lane Motor Museum	USA	a BFG at the Lane Motor Museum / Tenessee
Moto Passion	FR	BFG - 1300 Odyssée (François-Marie Dumas)
Motoren-encyclopedie	NL	BFG Citroën 1300
www.smitbros.nl	NL	Smitbros - Texel, they acquired BFG N° 25 in june 2009.
Motoren & Toerisme	NL	januari 2012 - Dirk Melkebeek: Klassieker: BFG 1300 (1983)

The first encounter ...