Like many youthful motorcyclists, I by no means totally appreciated the legend of Brough Superior—till I began digging into its historical past. What I discovered was a model that fairly much-defined efficiency and craftsmanship within the early twentieth century, incomes its place as one of the revered names in motorcycling.
Usually known as the “Rolls-Royce of Bikes,” Brough Superior machines have been meticulously hand-built, providing unmatched velocity and high quality of their period. Every SS100 was examined to exceed 100 miles per hour earlier than leaving the manufacturing unit—an unimaginable feat within the Twenties and ’30s. The exclusivity and status surrounding these bikes have made them a number of the most fascinating collector’s gadgets on the planet immediately.
That’s why the upcoming Worldwide Basic MotorCycle Present in Stafford, occurring on April 26 to 27, 2025, is shaping as much as be fairly an epic occasion in motorbike historical past. To have fun 100 years of the SS100, the present will characteristic a record-breaking public show of over 20 Brough Superior SS100s—a gathering of a number of the rarest and most storied machines ever constructed.
Among the many lineup is the legendary 1929 JTOR V-twin JAP-powered George VI, as soon as owned by none aside from T.E. Lawrence—higher often known as Lawrence of Arabia. His deep love for Brough Superiors is effectively documented, and his private assortment of those bikes positively contributed to their legendary standing.
One other bike value searching for is the 1927 Works Scrapper, a JTOR V-twin JAP-powered velocity demon constructed by Freddie Dixon, which held the title of the world’s quickest in 1929. In the meantime, the Cunliffe Brough, a 1926 KTOR V-twin JAP-powered mannequin with an eye catching lilac and nickel end, is one other uncommon gem that is anticipated to be on show on the occasion.
Photograph by: Bonhams
This 1925 Brough Superior 981cc SS100 is predicted to fetch north of £300,000
If seeing these machines in particular person isn’t sufficient, two of those iconic SS100s will go below the hammer at Bonhams’ public sale on Sunday. Contemplating that previous Brough Superiors have fetched effectively over £300,000 (roughly $380,000), it wouldn’t be stunning to see bidding wars pushing costs into record-breaking territory. As traditional motorbike values proceed to skyrocket, these SS100s stand as a number of the most coveted investments on the planet of classic bikes.
Given the growing rarity of those machines, collectors and museums will undoubtedly be vying to assert possession.
However even if you happen to don’t have deep sufficient pockets to bid on one in all these legends, the Stafford present continues to be a must-visit occasion for any motorbike fanatic. With commerce stands, memorabilia, autojumble stalls, membership shows, and reside leisure, there’s a lot to see and expertise. And, in fact, getting up shut with these historic Brough Superiors is a once-in-a-lifetime alternative.
Suffice it to say that whoever finally ends up with these machines gained’t simply be shopping for bikes—they’ll be proudly owning a chunk of motorcycling royalty.
