Highlights
- One private owner from new
- Ultra-low mileage
- Finished in the Traditional colour scheme, evoking the S.S.100 of the 1920s and ’30s
- A glorious example in nearly-new condition
The Background
The Brough Superior name commands instantaneous respect. Even people who’ve never heard of it previously recognise instinctively some superlative, transcendental quality. The clue, after all, is in the name: Superior. Was ever an epithet more evocative or appropriate?
But isn’t it also a dying whisper, a ghost from a fast-vanishing past? Doesn’t it belong to an age of dashing aristocrats, urbane daredevils, and all the carefree prosperity of high society between the wars? Not anymore. Brough Superior is alive and well, as peerless as ever but thoroughly modern, thanks to the efforts of Mark Upham and Thierry Henriette since 2013.
Like so many of us, Upham longed to experience the halcyon days of British motorcycling, when enthusiasts built machines, free from legislative interference and uncorrupted by money, with the single-minded aim of realising their vision of the perfect motorcycle. Since time-travel was out of the question, he resolved to do for himself as George Brough had done some 90 years previously, but taking advantage of modern styles and technology. Having acquired the rights to the name, he approached Henriette, C.E.O. of Boxer Design in Toulouse, to oversee the development of a new bike.
The revived Anglo-French Brough Superior S.S.100 débuted at the Milan Motorcycle Show in 2013, and entered production in 2016. With a water-cooled, dohc, 997cc V-twin developed with French specialists Akira Engineering, its specification is very impressive on paper. The use of titanium, carbon fibre and aluminium in the chassis is testament to the exceptional thought and care that went into the Brough’s design. Beringer brakes and Öhlins suspension rank among the best names in their fields. With all-aluminium bodywork it weighs only 400 lbs., making it one of the lightest one-litre road bikes ever built.
On the road, reviewers fell over themselves to compliment the smoothness of the engine and the brilliant handling. But to be a Brough Superior, it’s not enough to be well-engineered, strongly constructed and fast. Didn’t the Broughs of the ’20s and ’30s have that elusive something, a romance, a poetry? So, too, do their modern ancestors. Look closely and observe how every part has been thoughtfully designed. The combined input of the engineer and the artist is apparent all over the new Brough Superior, and there really is nothing else like it.
The History
This Brough, number 34 of a production run of only 300, was bought by the vendor in 2020 from its first keeper, Moto Corsa Motorcycles, a Brough Superior franchise in Gillingham, Dorset. With the bike finished in the ‘Traditional’ colour scheme, he specified Brough Superior performance silencers and a black chrome radiator guard as dealer-fitted accessories.
The vendor is a longstanding motorcycle enthusiast and collector, and since its purchase the Brough has occupied space alongside some of the finest names in British motorcycling from the 1920s onwards, including an original Brough from the 1930s.
With a dozen or so motorcycles at his disposal at any one time, all maintained in running order as far as possible, the Brough has only been used very sparingly over its life, which accounts for its extremely low odometer reading of only 842 miles.
The vendor retains an attachment to all his bikes, but the decision to start a new life in Sweden means the collection has to be sold.
The Paperwork
In addition to its current V5, the Brough comes with a wealth of original factory and sales literature, including two glossy sales brochures and the original S.S.100 Owner’s Manual. Also included is the sales invoice from Moto Corsa.
The Condition
The vendor’s philosophy is an admirable one. He believes his bikes were built to be ridden and doesn’t approve of pristine trailer queens. As such, his bikes may show some signs of the wear-and-tear of riding, but he keeps them running like clockwork.
Of course, as one of his newer machines with fewer than 850 miles covered, the Brough has not really had a chance to suffer from the rigours of road use, so cosmetic wear-and-tear really isn’t an issue with it. You’d really be hard-pressed to see any difference between how the Brough presents today and its condition four years ago when it left the factory.
If the word ‘concours’ really means ‘better than new’ then the Brough isn’t concours, but it certainly is close to showroom condition. The paint and tank are almost perfect, with what looks like a very slight paint blemish near the rear light. Some of the bare metal parts have weathered very slightly over time, but that is certainly no drawback. Such a progression is inevitable and will no doubt have been anticipated by the factory, since it allows the bike to accrue a more textured finish which can only be acquired with time and will never appear in quite the same way from one bike to the next.
The leather of the seat looks like new and still feels supple, with just a few creases to testify that the bike has been ridden from time to time. All the decals and badges, of which there are quite a number (Brough Superior is justifiably proud of its products) are beautifully presented, and the aluminium wheels are its crowning glory, looking just like highly polished turbine blades.
The Mechanics
As we’ve gone to some trouble to emphasise just how much this bike is like new, we hardly need to say that the same might be said of its mechanical parts, which have been cared for and maintained even though they have never been subjected to hard use. We have seen the bike run and believe the engine to be in excellent health. Since it does not have a current M.o.T., we are unable to guarantee its roadworthiness, but we don’t foresee anything ugly rearing its head when you take it to be tested.
In the meantime, why not satisfy yourself with the S.S.100’s technical specification, which is one of the best you’re ever likely to see?
- Engine – 997cc watercooled dohc 88-degree V-twin four-stroke with four valves per cylinder and composite chain/gear cam drive
- Power – 100 bhp at 9800 rpm
- Maximum torque – 88 lb. ft. at 7450 rpm
- Compression ratio – 11:1
- Fuel/ignition system – electronic fuel injection with Synerject E.C.U. and two 50mm Synerject throttle bodies, each with a single injector
- Gearbox – six-speed
- Clutch – multiplate oil bath clutch with hydraulic operation
- Frame type – machined titanium frame with titanium subframe and triangles
- Front suspension – Fior-type aluminium casting fork with twin articulated triangular titanium links and pre-load and rebound adjustable monoshock with 120mm travel
- Rear suspension – Cast aluminium swing-arm pivoting in engine crankcases, with pre-load and rebound adjustable monoshock and progressive rate link with 130mm travel
- Front brake – four 230mm Beringer 4D stainless steel discs with two four-piston Beringer radial calipers
- Rear brake – one 230mm Beringer 4D stainless steel disc with one two-piston Beringer radial caliper
- Wheels – aluminium machined wheels (18 spokes)
The Appeal
We’d all love an original Brough Superior, but how often would it get used? Unless you’re especially brave, you might think twice about riding it to work every day, so it becomes an occasional plaything for high days and holidays. There’s nothing wrong with that, but since some of us like to travel to work and around town in style, we need something that can match the old Brough for class while being a bit more usable. Until recently, we had a problem, but the new Brough was created so that we might cease to despair.
With each component carefully designed and crafted, numerous nods to the marque’s pre-war heritage, and the assembled bike being in essence an exercise in titanium and aluminium sculpture, it’s one of the best-looking motorcycles you can buy today. It’s also fast, powerful and, so the road-testers say, a dream to ride in every respect. If ever there was a motorcycle for the modern gentleman and discerning enthusiast, this is it. There’s just one catch – production of the S.S.100 is limited to just 300 units, each with a bespoke finish. If we were in your shoes, we’d buy one while we’ve got the chance.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
