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1929
Brough Superior SS-100
Alpine Grand Sports
Vying with the American Crocker Twin, the British SS-100 is arguably the
most collectable, and valuable of all road legal motorcycles. Ace marketer
George Brough built 2800 machines between 1919 and 1940, and just under
200 were JAP powered SS-100’s, the most exotic of the breed. To put
the rarity into perspective, consider the ‘29 Harley “74”
described above. In 1928 alone, Harley Davidson built 28000 of this one
model, ten times as many as twenty years production of all models of Brough
Superior! The Brough Superior was described as the “Rolls Royce of
Motorcycles” by the motorcycle press of the time, and George Brough
was quick to capitalize on that, using the quotation in his advertising.
There is a legend that a representative from Rolls Royce visited the Brough
works to complain, and on seeing a Brough being assembled by workers wearing
white gloves, gave permission to use the phrase. It’s probably an
urban tale fabricated by the ace marketer! Many land speed records were
set by Broughs in the twenties, thirties, and forties, and the all time
motorcycle speed record at Brooklands was set on a Brough. Lawrence of
Arabia rode SS-100’s and was killed on one. It is smooth and fast,
but has lousy brakes.
Impressions
from the Saddle
If you like old motorcycles, it doesn’t get
much better than this. In addition to two fuel taps, there are no less
than three oil taps to turn on. Forgetting can be expensive! Two float
bowls to flood, plus the usual choke slide, and ignition retard. One good
swing, using the de-compressor, and a mellow V-twin exhaust booms from
the twin fish tails, accompanied by the gentle clatter of open valve gear
and lumpy cams. The clutch is surprisingly light, as is the shift lever
to the three-speed Sturmey box. Soon you are being propelled down the
road on the Rolls Royce of motorcycles at 60 or so, with the engine hardly
turning. Open the throttle, and it surges forward effortlessly, and you
feel you could ride it 1000 miles non-stop. Speaking of non-stop, that’s
a bit of a problem, as the brakes aren’t up to the performance of
the rest of the machine. A wonderful motorcycle, nonetheless, and my most
prized possession.
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