Hello there...I'm new to this forum and thought I'd do an intro and then attack you with a question. I'm 60 years old and I live on an island in western Canada. I'm big on vintage/classic "stuff"...not limited to mechanical but predominantly mechanical. I have a collection of toasters (mostly Sunbeam's), literature, bottle, oil lamps, cigarette tins and paraphernalia...and of course motorcycles (I have five Harleys from 42 to 78, a 1970 BSA Thunderbolt and a 70's vintage Peugeot moped) not to mention a collection of vintage tools.

The latest addition to my collection (the reason I joined) is a BSA Star Flyer 3 speed which may or may not be a 1963 (63 SA rear hub). I'm wondering if somebody can help me determine with certainty what year it is and where I might be able to find parts. It has a shifter built into the right grip and it doesn't work and has a bar mounted shifter on it.

Hello and welcome!. We tend to use the SA hub stamp to date our 3 speeds. Unlike motorcycles, there is no official model year designation for these bikes. There is a general chronology of changes over the years that can pin down a reasonably close date of manufacture, put this image is far too small to see the details needed. More than likely, this bike has a Sturmey Archer AW hub. These are amazingly reliable units so problems shifting are usually cable adjustment or some other simple fix.

Yes it has a Sturmey Archer AW hub and originally shifted by turning the right grip. It's not working and has been replaced by a bar mounted shifter. I just bought it yesterday and haven't had a chance to look into the haandlegrip shifter. Are there any good places to buy parts for this vintage bike?

I'm no SA historian but I question whether a twist grip shifter was around in the early 1960s. later 1960s, yes. I also agree that these bikes evolved very slowly and maintained style, color, spec for many years at a time. Not until the late 1960s US bike boom and Raleigh's take over of many smaller Brit brands did the market cycles match up with calendar years, IMO. Andy.

There are a few dealers like Harris Cyclery that stock old English bike parts, but your best bet is eBay. The BSA bicycle division was bought out by Raleigh in 1957. Sometime soon afterwards, bikes labeled BSA were actually Nottingham built Raleighs and many of the parts aren't interchangeable with the older Birmingham built bikes. The hub date suggests that it's a Raleigh built bike, but it's best to check other details to be sure. Wheels can be changed. Sturmey Archer parts are usually good across the board, still there's minor changes and cable length differences to watch out for.

Twist grips got big around '65 so it's possible your bike was assembled with a slightly older SA hub. The triggers are far superior so don't go back looking for a twist grip. You've joined the list so you've got the best support right here. If you take a cheap BF membership, you can post in in the Wanted and For Sales ads and there's a lot of parts out there of these bikes.

Welcome to the C&V forums!

Welcome. It's not uncommon for wheels to be changed over the years; it's also not uncommon for shifters to be changed. As BigChief says above, you should check other features to figure out whether it's a Nottingham Raleigh or Birmingham BSA product; the easiest ways to tell are the location of the fender eyelets on the rear dropouts and the threading of the headset and bottom bracket. Sheldon Brown will be your best friend: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/raleigh26.html