The lasting supremacy of the Brough Superior motorbike

The 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia is based on the book Seven Pillars of Wisdom by British army officer and writer Thomas Edward (TE) Lawrence, based on his exploits during World War 1. A true motorcycle enthusiast, TE Lawrence died on May 19 1935 following a motorcycle accident a few days before, near his home. Nothing to do with the motorcycle itself but it is said that, in avoiding two boys on bicycles, he lost control and was thrown off the motorcycle. 

And the motorcycle he was riding? The Brough Superior SS (Super Sport) 100. He was such a fan of Brough Superior motorcycles that this was his eighth Brough Superior motorcycle. Brough Superior was established by British motorcycle racer, and motorcycle and automobile manufacturer George Brough in 1919, whose passion for motorcycles came from his father, William Edward Brough, who built motorcycles in the late 1880s. George Brough also made automobiles and sidecars under the Brough Superior banner.

In the period between 1919 and 1940, when Brough stopped production due to World War II, it is documented that Brough Superior made 3,048 mainly custom-built motorcycles and launched 19 models, including the SS100, the SS80 and the 680 OHV. 

In 2008, Mark Upman, another motorcycle enthusiast, bought the rights to Brough Superior and brought on Frenchman Thierry Henriette to run the company. Henriette, who is now owner of Brough Superior, launched the new Brough Superior SS100 in 2013. The former Nottingham, UK-based company is now a French company based in Toulouse and has, since 2013, been manufacturing high-end luxury motorcycles drawing inspiration from being located in what is considered the aerospace capital of Europe.

There are four versions of the class SS100:

• Original: It has a 997cc water-cooled V-twin four-stroke engine, 75kW power and 87Nm maximum torque. The frame and subframe are made from machined titanium; front and rear suspension are made from aluminium; and the brakes, front and back are Beringer stainless steel.
• Bert Le Vack: It pays homage to Hebert le Vack, an engineer and motorcycle world speed record holder in the 1920s who rode for Brough Superior. Only nine of these were made.
• Salt Racer: Defined as “a supercharged-race-inspired version” of the SS100, the riding position is more aggressive, allowing the rider to tuck behind the half cowling.
• Karslake: Like the Salt Racer, the Karslake is a racier version of the SS100. 

Other models in the Brough Superior include the Pendine Sand Racer, the Pendine Dixon, the Anniversary Original and the Anniversary Golden Dream (which is probably my favourite in terms of design). And then there are different iterations of the Lawrence, Original, Nefud (adventure) and Dagger (roadster), which are pillion motorcycles (so you can enjoy the ride with a companion). Only 188 models of the Original were manufactured paying homage to 1888, the year in which TE Lawrence was born.

Every motorcycle that Brough Superior makes is engineered and built in their factory and is customised for each buyer. Each is beautifully designed carrying the ethos of George Brough while taking advantage of the more modern-day developments in engineering and design. This is most evident in what I would consider their crown jewel: the AMB 001, designed in collaboration with Aston Martin to make the first ever Aston Martin motorcycle. With only 100 motorcycles made and built for track, the AMB 001 is, simply, exquisite. 

It has Brough’s 997cc water-cooled dohc 88 ̊ V-twin four-stroke with four valves per cylinder and composite chain/gear cam drive engine. Power is 180 hp. The frame is made from CNC aluminium and has a carbon fibre body. The front suspension is a Fior-type CNC machined aluminium fork and the rear suspension is CNC machined swingarm. It sits on 5-poke machined aluminium wheels with a 200/55 front tyre and a 120/55 rear tyre.

With the AMB 001 sold out, Brough Superior has also made the AMB 001 PRO inspired by Aston Martin’s Valkyrie Amr Pro. The AMB 001 PRO’s power is 225 hp compared to the original’s 180 with the front tyre being 120/70 and the rear being 200/55. Other differences are in the colour, with the PRO mirroring the Valkyrie’s racing livery of Verdant Jade and Photon Lime accents.

While Brough Superior have a couple of dealers around the world, except in Africa, one can pre-order through their website, with the price of the motorcycle tailored to your specific needs as the motorcycle is customised to you.