1929 Brough Superior SS100 Alpine Grand Sport
The first bespoke motorcycle built with components from many different suppliers
First motorcycle to use dual, inter-connected mufflers
Each motorcycle individually tested and guaranteed to reach 100mph
Brough Superior motorcycles were built by George Brough in Nottingham, England from 1919 to 1940. Unlike most existing manufacturers, each Bough Superior was 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. It was then disassembled for painting, plating and polishing before re-assembly. Each SS100 was tested at the Brooklands circuit and delivered with a certificate stating it had been timed at 100mph or more. “The Motor Cycle” publication called Brough Superior “The Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles” due to the outstanding fit and finish as well as the high performance.
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 and won the Best Performance award. Production models offered to the public featured a lower-compression JAP KTOR racing engine (made by Joseph A. Prestwich, Ltd.), a small fly-screen for wind protection and fully equipped tool boxes 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. He was fatally injured in a riding accident in 1935 when he swerved to avoid two young cyclists.
Specifications:
Engine: OHV 50-degree twin-cam v-twin, 998cc
Transmission: Sturmey-Archer 3-speed hand-change gearbox with chain drive
Horsepower: 50 bhp
Top Speed: 100+ mph