The Goodwood Test – Brough Superior SS100

Heritage

Brough Superior is one of motorcycling’s greatest names, and the original SS100 was the marque’s flagship model. The exotic, hand-built roadburner, powered by a V-twin engine from JAP or Matchless, was the world’s fastest and finest production bike in the 1920s and ’30s. The SS100’s name came from its 100mph top speed, each bike being delivered with a signed guarantee that it had been timed at that figure.

Production numbers were small; prices and quality high. Company boss George Brough was an expert rider and salesman. He had named his marque Superior to the annoyance of his bike-building father, and advertised his bikes as the “Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles”. The car firm’s initial objection was withdrawn after Rolls executives arrived at Brough’s Nottingham base to find show bikes being assembled by workers wearing white gloves.

Brough built roughly 3,000 bikes over two decades, and sold them to enthusiasts including Lawrence of Arabia (who died in 1935 after crashing the last of his series of SS100s), but did not restart production after World War II. In 2008 the name was bought by former Ducati dealer Mark Upham, who produced small numbers of replica V-twins before taking the plunge to develop a new-generation SS100.

Design

Upham wanted a new SS100 inspired by the original. His choice to shape it was Thierry Henriette, boss of Boxer Design in Toulouse, known for his spectacular concept bikes and work for several major manufacturers. Like its namesake, the modern SS100 has a distinctive, hand-fashioned aluminium petrol tank and a V-twin engine; in this case a 997cc, liquid-cooled unit developed in conjunction with another French specialist, Akira, best known for building World Superbike winning engines for Kawasaki.

Chassis design cleverly reinterprets original features. The engine forms a stressed member, with titanium tubes holding magnesium fork struts in a lightweight layout similar to George Brough’s Castle design (and BMW’s Duolever). Wheels are finely spoked and 18 inches in diameter, for a period look. The innovative front brake incorporates four discs whose small, 230mm diameter gives the appearance of a traditional drum. The speedometer is a large, black-faced dial resembling a classic Smiths instrument.

Performance

This new SS100 is intended not as an all-conquering super sports machine but as a refined and respectably rapid roadster, with ridability as important as pure speed. Its engine is softly tuned, making 100bhp in standard form and 130bhp with accessory silencers and a fuel-injection tweak. The Brough produces a broad spread of torque, pulls enjoyably hard through the midrange and is smooth at high revs, effortlessly reaching three-figure speeds as it heads for a top speed of about 130mph.

The riding position is fairly sporty but not excessively so, and sufficiently roomy to be comfortable (higher bars and lower footrests are an option). At 186kg the Brough is light, and handling is reassuringly normal despite the unconventional chassis, with a reasonably compliant and very well-controlled ride from the single front and rear shock units. There’s plenty of grip and ground clearance, and powerful braking – rather too much so in the case of the pre-production test bike. The slightly sharp, initially non-ABS equipped front stopper will be modified for the production SS100s, whose assembly is due to begin in October at a rate of one bike per day.

Passion

The rebirth of a marque as revered as Brough Superior could easily have been an anti-climax, but the SS100 is a delight for anyone captivated by the story of George Brough and his remarkable machines. Designer Henriette has used all his vision and engineering skill to create an new SS100 that is instantly recognisable, follows the old warrior’s format in its V-twin engine layout and many other features, yet is innovative, beautifully styled, immaculately detailed – and, vitally, hugely enjoyable to ride.

Inevitably this fastidiously developed, hand-built SS100 also follows the original in being very expensive. The 20 or so bikes available in the UK this year will cost £49,999 apiece, direct from the marque’s Dorset base. Customers can choose from three petrol tank styles: traditional polished, black or Titanium. Wheels come in a choice of four spoke designs; seat options range from suede to ribbed leather. Which ever the option, the SS100 is a magical motorcycle that brings Brough Superior back to life in suitably imperious style.

Price tag of our bike: £49,999.

Photography by Phil Masters