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An old BSA WM20 bike is standing in a glass case in the hall of the 50th IFFI Film Festival going on in Goa. This is the same bike from Sholay on which Jai and Veeru once sang ‘Yeh Dosti Hum Nahi Todenge’. This is the bike which is not just a part of the film, but has become the last salute to an entire era. But do you know that the famous Jai-Veeru bike from the film Sholay is actually a 1942 BSA WM20. This is a military bike made by the British company Birmingham Small Arms. Let us tell you some more special things about it.
You must have seen the film Sholay. A very famous song in this famous film was ‘Yeh Dosti Hum Nahi Todenge’, the iconic 1942 model BSA WM20 motorcycle is once again in the news. This vintage bike, which has bitten dust in the hills of Ramanagara, is now attracting people’s attention at the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI – 2025) in Goa.
The Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) of Karnataka has specially displayed this 83 year old bike. After the demise of actor Dharmendra on Monday, this bike has also become a painful reminder of his era and his charming style.
Now you might be wondering whether this bike still runs. According to a Times of India report, DIPR Commissioner and ADGP Hemant Nimbalkar said that on the completion of 50 years of Sholay, there was a desire to show such a memorable ‘thing’ that would instantly take people into the world of the film.
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He told that the shooting of the film was done by former Additional Chief Secretary of Bengaluru L.K. Atiq, who has also been the chairperson of the Bengaluru Business Corridor, bought it about three years ago. This original BSA bike was originally a family heirloom in Karnataka, passed down from grandfather to grandson.
The famous Jai-Veeru bike from the movie Sholay is actually a 1942 BSA WM20. This is a military bike manufactured by the British company Birmingham Small Arms, which was made in lakhs for the British Army during the Second World War. The registration number of the bike used in Sholay is MYB 3047, chassis number is M20 116283 and engine number is M20 4299.
Talking about the features, it had a 500 cc single cylinder side-valve engine, which gave 12.5 horsepower. Its top speed was 100 kilometers per hour, but in army use it ran best at 55-60 km/hour.
In 1942, the British Army used to get this bike for around 50 to 60 pounds, which was around 700 to 800 Indian rupees at that time.
Its weight is 170 kg, fuel tank is 13 liters. There were girder forks at the front and a big carrier at the rear. The brakes were drums on both sides, with rubber running low due to the war, so the handle grips and footrests were metal covered with canvas.