They are born again brands. Triumph, Norton, Indian, MV Augusta among others. And now Brough Superior. The renaissance can be the effort of a few men or of a big corporation. It doesn’t matter. As motorcycle lovers we can only wish them success. After 3 years of designing, of prototyping, of road testing, of jumping all the hurdles of homologation, of sourcing vendors, of organizing the assembling workshop and of training technicians, the new Brough Superior SS100 is ready for serial production to continue George Brough’s legacy.
Brough Superior’s history starts in 1923 with the first Brough SS100 launched in 1924. SS stands for Super Sports and 100 for the warranted top miles per hour speed the model could reach. Just imagine what it meant to ride a motorcycle at 100 MPH almost one century ago. Brough Superior motorcycles were bought by many celebrities like the Colonel T E Lawrence aka Lawrence of Arabia who owned seven Broughs (one never delivered) and who died in 1935 riding one, and George Bernard Shaw, the famous Irish critic and playwright, critic, polemicist and Nobel prize winner. Dubbed The Rolls Royce of motorcycles the SS100 formed the backbone of the Brough Superior lineup (19 models). Victim of World War II austerity and of lack of materials to manufacture, George Brough’s Nottingham, UK factory closed in 1940.
In 2008, Englishman Mark Upham, a Brough Superior enthusiast, a former Ducati dealer and restorer of classic motorcycles bought all the rights of the famous brand. Objective is to keep the SS100 impressive prestige, DNA and main design attributes in a package of modern high-performance, high-quality and inevitably high-priced components. Without success Upham toured England looking for partners and options to produce the new Brough Superior SS100 motorcycle in the UK. Then he had a chance encounter with French designer Thierry Henriette owner of Boxer Design in the south city of Toulouse. An agreement was reached for Thierry Henriette to design the 1st prototype eventually shown in Milan in 2014.
Most striking and distinctive visual element, the original SS100 cigar shaped gas tank has been kept. Another French company, Akira Technologies in the city of Bayonne was given the task to design and build the 997 cc, liquid-cooled eight-valve 88-degree V-twin engine (because George Brough’s last bikes were a 90-degree V-twin.) FYI, Akira is also the builder of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R motor which powered Tom Sykes to the 2013 World Superbike Championship crown, as well as his teammate Jonathan Rea’s domination in 2015 of the WSBK series.) Bore/Stroke 94 x 71.8mm. Compression ratio 11:1. 127 hp at 7000 rpm. EFI w/ Synerect ECU and two 50mm Synerject throttle bodies, each with a single injector. Engine can be tuned to 140 hp, depending on customer preference. A neat design touch is the integration of the clutch slave cylinder into the primary drive cover, giving the engine casing a sleek look. Transmission 6-speed CIMA. Brake calipers are machined from
Frame is machined titanium frame with fabricated titanium subframe. In the front a Front: Hossack/Fior-type cast aluminum wishbone fork with twin articulated titanium triangular links. Fewer parts on the steering reduces the sprung to unsprung weight ratio, offering great suspension and a comfortable ride. In the rear, a cast aluminum swingarm moving on Öhlins shocks.
Wheels (18” front & rear) are CNC-machined forged aluminum dressed in Dunlop 120/70-18 front and 160/60-18 rear. Brake calipers are cut by Beringer from blocs of aircraft-grade 6082-T6 aluminum alloy pinching four small diameter aluminum-ceramic discs in front, and a a single disc and in the rear. Dry weight is 410 lbs (186 kg)
No doubt, the new SS100 keeps the character of the original Brough Superior. Even with a starting price of $55,000 and with many options that can easily push the price to twice, the new SS 100 should attract many fans of the brand, either riders or collectors or both. 700 serious pre-orders from each corner of the globe would have been received. Can’t wait to road test the modern day successor of the Brough SS100. Brough Superior Manufacturing.
Nice looking motorcycle. Seems to hold at least somewhat true to what one would imagine what the Brough would have possibly morphed into had it survived all those years.
I’m sure that there will be a lot of criticism of the liquid cooling and the radiator hanging out on the front of the down tubes, but personally, anything that gives the engine the ability to put out more power and makes it last has go to be a good thing.
Way out of my price range, but I wish them lots of luck in their endeavor.
Interesting look, not sure if the sportbike-ish tail suits it, but if not the aftermarket can/will take care of that. Love the overall look except for the side treatment of the engine which looks like a meld of the old Virago and new Scout, yuck. Love the tank!
Yikes. It’s hideous. Just goes to show you that you can throw everything including the kitchen sink at something and still have it turn out like some sort of nightmare amalgamation of completely disparate parts. Good try I guess, but it’s time to hire a proper designer. The old Broughs had beautiful lines and a balanced look, this thing is an insult to the brand. It’s a hulking, mess of just awkwardness and missed opportunity. Too bad.
I like very much
Brough would have survived I don’t think they would have done better.
Support those who try to revive a prestigious motorcycle brand. Imagine the investment in sweat equity and capital required.
Pretty good I think.
The side of the engine is supposed to evoke the external push rods of the original JAP engines, and succeeds as well as could be hoped for without reverting to the same outmoded technology. I do think that it lacks beauty. I don’t find it ugly, but it looks much more parts-binnish than truly designed. To truly honor the brand (only IMO, of course), the highest performance technology of the era should meet true design brilliance. I wish them every success, as each one sold will instantly become either incredibly collectible or tragically worthless. I hope for the former, but I won’t be spending my lottery winnings on one.
WOW!
What a mess!
You can put lipstick on a pig but its still a pig!
Triumph Motorcycles Ltd
Triumph Motorcycles (Hinckley) Ltd is the largest surviving British motorcycle manufacturer. When Triumph went into receivership in 1983, John Bloor, a former plasterer who acquired his wealth from building and property development, became interested in keeping the brand alive, and bought the name and manufacturing rights from the Official Receiver.[8] The new company, initially Bonneville Coventry Ltd, ensured that Triumph has produced motorcycles since 1902, winning it the title of the world’s longest continuous production motorcycle manufacturer. A licensing agreement granted to pattern spares manufacturer, Les Harris, kept the Triumph Bonneville in production until 1988 until Triumph re-initiated a new range during 1990 and 1991. Triumph now makes a range of motorcycles reviving model names of the past, including a newly designed Bonneville twin.
I would love to ride one. I’m not familiar with the history of broughs or their bike , but I love this one.
Titanium frame seems odd or first one I’ve heard of. One small bump up & then what? Totaled?
What’s the cost to repair a titanium bike? Certainly out of my price range, but I wish them the best of luck and much success. Happy to see another historic brand come back to life
Ugly. Pretencious. #notarealbrough
Looks Terrible!!!….probably goes good but jeeze would you wanna be seen on it?…NO WAY!
Nice overall bike. Especially like the weight!
Some things are best left in the past.
“Bruff, since 1923” ☺
One for the wealthy bike enthusiasts!
I like the look myself. I wouldn’t buy one myself even if I had the money only because I am getting too old to ride a sports bike with the leaning forward aspect but if I was younger, yes I would love to be riding the new Brough. I hope the company producing it does well, I love the return of so many of the iconic makes which have been resurrected in recent years.
I am always Ficken amazed when I look at something that looks as Fine as this Motorcycle and the quality at least from evaluating a Picture as this Brough superior. I would wait to judge the riding and handling of this bike until it is tested, but it looks like a Rolex Watch. Beautiful Photo’s, Cyril. Were you at the Factory?
I dunno. The angles, especially the engine V seem all wrong. I’m sure it performs just fine, but the looks don’t do it for me.
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