1939-1945 BSA Airborne Folding Paratroopers Bike (‘Parabike’)
- A ‘Barn Find’ in Very Authentic Original Condition
Frame Number R77467
This Airborne recently came out of long-term storage. It’s a classic ‘barn find’ – which, for modern-day vintage vehicle collectors, is like finding buried treasure.
It has never been restored. Everything on it is authentic and original, with the exception of the bicycle bell, which was not army issue.
I enjoy looking at restored vintage vehicles as much as the next fellow. But, with most vintage machines now restored – and many of them over-restored – totally original unrestored examples such as this have now become the ultimate collector’s pieces. Please bear in mind that I paid a lot for it, so it’s not cheap!
Of course, the best thing about a good unrestored BSA Airborne like this is when the original transfers still exist. The BSA Piled Arms motif on the seat tube, above, is in good condition.
The arrow on the headstock is also in remarkably good condition for its age; they usually fade more than the BSA transfers.
Original, readable transfers are the first thing I look at when I inspect a vintage bicycle. If necessary, everything else can be found and replaced. Original transfers can’t.
It brings me a lot of pleasure to see a bike as original as this. To my missus, it would no doubt look like a rusty old wreck and she’d wonder why I’ve left cracked tyres on it. She likes shiny bikes. Maybe ‘oily rag’ originality is a ‘bloke’ thing? To me, it feels like a direct connection with the past, with history. I’m not someone who wears smart clothes, so I suppose I’m an ‘oily rag’ myself? The tyres are original ‘War Grade’ issue that – despite sidewall cracks – still pump up.
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Close up views of original War Grade front tyre, front wheel & brakes
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Close up views of the original handlebars, levers, grips, handlebar tommy bar retainer, front lamp bracket
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Close up views of original sliding pedal footpegs, BSA chainset, upper and lower folding retainers.
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Close up views of original BSA Airborne saddle and saddle frame
The saddle is the original, though a little worse for wear. If you wish it can be built up underneath, though I don’t mind it as it is.
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Close up views of original rear War Grade tyre, rear drop outs, rear brakes, rear wheel, rear hub, frame number
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For comparison, you can see the Airborne here next to my wartime US Navy Columbia.
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I hope you can see all you need from the photos provided on this page. Any questions, please contact me as below. Worldwide delivery is available.
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PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE BIDDING
OWNER: BuyVintage Online Auctions
LOCATION: Brighton, E.Sussex, United Kingdom
Britain - delivery is only £45 for a bicycle to main parts of England; extra to Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, etc.
I use a private company that collects when he’s in my area and drops when he’s in yours. It may take around 2 weeks to deliver.
INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY: IT FOLDS IN HALF; IF REQUIRED, I CAN PACK THIS BICYCLE AND SEND IT BY COURIER SERVICE INTERNATIONALLY.
Delivery to -
Europe would cost around £150.
USA, North/ South Amercia, Australasia, Japan, Asia, etc would cost around £250.
PAYMENT: Paypal is okay for cheap items; otherwise deposit only on paypal please.
International purchasers – Please discuss payment and shipping before the end of the auction.
AFTER PURCHASE: Please email me your phone numbers; I prefer to speak to all purchasers personally.
FEEDBACK: I do everything I can to make your purchase a pleasurable experience. But I only leave feedback when someone has taken the trouble to leave it for me.
VEHICLE CONDITION: Vintage vehicles are wonderful beasts – but each has an individual personality and they sometimes have bad days just like you and me.
You will need basic mechanical skills (or a local mechanic) to use one on a regular basis.
These are rare vehicles whose values are not necessarily based on running order.
IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THE ABOVE, PLEASE DO NOT BID.
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If you have any questions about this (or any other vehicle in these BuyVintage Online Auctions),
you can contact Colin in the Customer Service Department between 9am and 7pm daily:
By Phone – (UK 0044) 07866-126469
By email – Buyvintage@mac.com
The Auction Catalogue is our website -
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