The diamond-cut cast aluminium wheels are distinctively different.There is no point arguing the Brough Superior SS100 is cheap; at £45,000 and some change this is one expensive, exclusive bike which stays firmly on the side of the collector/rider than an everyday commuter. Designed to sing in unison with its owner, the model is personalized down to the last detail, from the handlebars to the final customization. But that’s the whole point. There is a choice of three finishes and a number of options including optional wheels, handle bars, footrests and seats.
Best of all it actually goes as well as it looks, just like a production bike... and so it should, I hear you mutter.OK, so its Fior-style double wishbone front suspension is overly stiff and, unlike its plush rear, doesn’t deal with big bumps well at speed, making the bars gently slap in your hands under hard acceleration at gentle lean.
The speedo over reads the faster you go, the switchgear is fiddly, the display is tiny, and up-to-date sports tyres would massively improve feel, steering and confidence.It doesn’t have the performance or poise of a.In fact it’s so well sorted there’s no reason why you couldn’t use the SS100 as an everyday run-around.It has the look and rumble of a vintage Brit, mixed with the road manners and leak-free reliability of a,The Brough has a sensible turning circle, a slick six-speed gearbox, roomy riding position, excellent low-speed throttle response and the lightest clutch action you’ll find this side of a.It might look long and low but it’s not uncomfortable, and you don’t slide off the seat and up the tank under hard braking, either. Its short and dense history over 21 years, the circumstances of its disappearance, the rarity of its motorcycles, their high price and their careful manufacture, have contributed to make this name a myth. Technical specifications are subject to change without notice. The fact it’s so well built, so well-resolved is a triumph for such a small outfit. Bikez.com has been While so many other small companies opt for an ‘off-the-shelf’ motor from one of the many global suppliers, Brough Superior insisted this bike could only exist if they developed their own motor. In 1919, the Brough Superior brand was created. You could neatly gloss over the way it rides and go along with the PR spin, which in this case is all about how the original 1920s-40s Brough was a two-wheeled.Or, with a cold-hearted road tester’s head on, you could judge the SS100 like any production machine we ever ride, but then would that be fair? They are a little scary at first and it takes an unbelievably gentle touch to avoid over-braking. Weighing just 186kg (dry) the Brough is manageable at low speed and fun on the open road. Its looks polarise opinion, but you can’t argue with the quality and attention to detail.To machine, paint and polish the fuel tank takes 35 hours, the novel 230mm Beringer quad disc set-up is chosen to mimic the look of a drum brake, and the chunky twin filler caps have a satisfyingly weighty feel. Eighteen- inch wheels give the SS100 slightly lazy steering, like an old Brit racer, but the Brough has a pleasing feel of togetherness about it and goes precisely where you point it, albeit with a bit of elbow grease, but that’s all part of the fun.Four-disc front brakes offer the kind of extraordinary feel, bite and power sadly lacking from modern brake-by-wire systems, and adding to the wind-in-the-hair-drama of it all is the surreal sight of the screen and headlight (bolted to the front double wishbone) bobbing up and down behind the Big Ben-sized five-inch Smiths-style clock as the front wheel tracks over bumps.Its superb 100bhp, 997cc V-twin motor is a marvel of glassy torque, rumbling vintage charm and shimmering speed. The company probably couldn’t have survived at any other point in history – it enjoyed a brief and extraordinary existence between the two World Wars, selling motorcycles that each cost as much as a house in a decent neighbourhood.Known as the “Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles” for many years, an unofficial nickname attributed to H. D. Teague of The Motor Cycle newspaper. Designed to sing in unison with its owner, the model is personalized down to the last detail, from the handlebars to the final customization. What you get for the price is a handbuilt, beautifully-crafted machine that will always be something special.The bike MCN tested was still at a final prototype stage and elements of the bike are going to change before production. If, however, you look at prices of original Brough’s which rarely dip below £100,000 then it starts to look cheap.