Anand Mahindra reacts as former UK PM Boris Johnson rides a made-in-India motorcycle

Renowned industrialist Anand Mahindra is widely celebrated for his dynamic social media presence, consistently captivating online audiences with engaging stories, witty commentary, and remarkable global highlights. His digital feed regularly serves up moments of inspiration, cross-cultural pride, and unexpected delight—and his recent online activity was no exception. In a fascinating new update that quickly went viral, Mahindra spotlighted ex-UK PM Boris Johnson enjoying a made-in-India motorcycle

Anand Mahindra on Boris Johnson

In a video, Johnson discusses owning a BSA motorcycle manufactured in India and highlights the Bantam as an example of the technological and industrial links between Britain and India. He is also seen taking the motorcycle for a ride across an open field.

The video caught the attention of industrialist Anand Mahindra, who shared it on X. Mahindra expressed his appreciation for Johnson’s endorsement, noting that Mahindra is proud to have revived the historic motorcycle marque and is now manufacturing BSA motorcycles in India.


Mahindra also injected some humour into his post by referring to Johnson’s initials. He joked that the company hoped the BSA name would remain associated with its original meaning, Birmingham Small Arms, rather than being playfully renamed after the former British prime minister.

History of BSA Bantam

BSA has a long-established history in Britain. The company’s name originally stood for Birmingham Small Arms, reflecting its origins as a British industrial manufacturer. The motorcycle brand is now part of the Mahindra Group and is operated by Classic Legends, the Mahindra subsidiary that also manages the Jawa and Yezdi motorcycle brands.

The Bantam itself is one of BSA’s most recognisable historic models. First introduced in Britain in 1948, the lightweight two-stroke motorcycle remained in production until 1971. Over its long production run, the Bantam was offered with engines of different capacities, ranging from 123cc to 173cc.

The modern BSA Bantam carries forward that heritage while being produced in India. Classic Legends has positioned the resurrected BSA marque for international markets, with the motorcycles being exported overseas.

Despite the brand’s revival under Indian ownership and production, the Bantam is not currently sold in the Indian market. It is, however, available in the UK and European markets, giving the motorcycle an unusual journey from British origins to Indian manufacturing and back to international roads.

Johnson’s video has therefore brought renewed attention to the cross-border story behind BSA, combining a historic British motorcycle name with its modern Indian manufacturing base.