Brough Superior motorcycles were built by George Brough in Nottingham, England from 1919 to 1940. All Bough Superiors were hand-assembled from carefully chosen top-quality components to meet the customer’s precise specifications and needs. Each motorcycle was assembled twice, firstly to fit all the components and tailor the machine to the customer, then it was then disassembled for painting, plating and polishing before re-assembly.

Every SS100 was tested at the banked Brooklands motor racing circuit to certify it was capable of 100mph or more before delivery. “The Motor Cycle” publication called Brough Superior “The Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles” due to the outstanding fit and finish, high performance and price; the £200 purchase price was equivalent to a year’s salary for a skilled worker.

The Alpine Grand Sport version was named after Brough Superior’s success in the 1925 Alpine Trial, a tough regularity event held annually in Austria. A team of six SS100s, one of which was ridden by George Brough himself, dominated the event winning the Best Performance award.

Production models offered to the public featured a lower-compression JAP KTOR racing engine (made by Joseph A. Prestwich, Ltd.), with a Sturmey-Archer 3-speed gearbox and chain drive to the rear wheel. A small flyscreen for wind protection and fully equipped toolboxes mounted to either side of the rear luggage rack. This machine also has the sprung frame option, which greatly improved the ride quality on rough roads. Brough pioneered the use of dual interconnected mufflers, which improved performance without excessive noise, important for motorcycles intended for road use.

Brough Superiors were owned by many wealthy and famous motorcyclists, including the well-known British writer, spy and army officer T.E Lawrence (who fought alongside Arab guerilla forces during the First World War and became known as Lawrence of Arabia). Lawrence owned seven Brough Superiors, including four SS100s.

Lawrence died on May 19, 1935, at age 46, from severe head injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash. Six days earlier, near his Dorset home, he swerved his Brough Superior SS100 to avoid two boys on bicycles, losing control and crashing. He never regained consciousness after the accident. His death sparked a movement to improve and mandate helmet safety.