BSA 650 from Italy

[mario]

Hello, my name is Mario from Milano Italy.
I have a small doubt concerning a BSA 650.
The number of engine is A65D 7051
the number of frame is A50B 10501
The motorbike should be a 650 lightning/rocket 1965( I have seen the book "BSA twin restoration author Roy Bacon pag. 201)but the fuel tank is spitfire model.
This motorbike is stationary from my house from more than 30 years, and I remember that the fuel tank was orange(now in green)
The old owner(the cousin of my father) tell me that he never change the fuel tank,he tell that bought the motorbike with that fuel tank.
I ask you: is it possible?is this a 650 l/r with the fuel tank changed? is it a spitfire? or is another model?
Thank you.
I try to send you some pictures.
some parts are not original:silencers,front wheel,rear headlight etc.

[L.A.B.]

The numbers do seem to identify the bike as a Lightning Rocket model.

Unfortunately I don't have a copy of the Roy Bacon BSA restoration book.

Can you describe the fuel tank? Is it fibreglass or steel? What capacity is it? As there were two different Spitfire tanks, and also two different Spitfire models.

Spitfire Hornet 1965
http://ww2.se-ed.net/oldbike/bsa/65c-3.jpg

Spitfire Special 1966-68 (Mk II-III-IV)
http://ww2.se-ed.net/oldbike/bsa/66-3.jpg

The smaller style one would have been available (possibly as a special order option for L/R?) in 1965.
If it is fitted with the large UK Spitfire Special tank then I cannot say if that was available during the 1965 production year or not.
Large Spitfire Special tank:
http://www.vintagebike.co.uk/Bike%20Directories/BSA%20Bikes/pages/BSA%20Spitfire.htm


  

[mario]

The motorbike is fitted whit the large Spitfire special tank like this:

http://www.vintagebike.co.uk/Bike%20Directories/BSA%20Bikes/pages/BSA%20Spitfire.htm

Was it changed or was sold like that?...We don't know

[Blue]

its not impossible that the tank is original to that specific bike, because there was an A10 spitfire with (to my knowledge) that large tank - in fact, i've a suspicion that unit might even have been a special-order gold star design (dont quote me on that).  whatsmore, export markets tended to get special models and goodies before the home market.
in your case i think it probably comes down to the specific dealer/buyer/catalogue on the day it was bought brand new, i.e. what did the buyer specify when ordering, or if it was in the dealership, what changes had the dealer made?