1929 Brough Superior SS100

The Brough Superior SS100 (Super Sports) was designed and built by George Brough in Nottingham, England in 1924. The first bespoke motorcycle with components chosen from many different suppliers, the SS100 was designed to meet specific customer requirements. All bikes had a guarantee that they were capable of 100 mph. In 1928, George Brough broke his own world record with a 130.6 mph run.

Every owner was encouraged by Brough to suggest their own ideas for developing the SS100, which meant that almost all of his motorcycles were uniquely hand-built and the design continually evolving, no two Broughs are exactly the same. Owners had multiple options of handlebars, exhaust shape and much more. Brough utilized the best motorcycle parts and features and united them together in the SS100. For example, the castle forks at the front of the bike are essentially derived from Harley Davidson designs of the time. All of this came at a cost: in 1929, you could buy a small house for the price of a Brough Superior.

T. E. Lawrence (known as Lawrence of Arabia) bought one of the first SS100s in 1925 having previously owned three Brough SS 80s. The crash that would end Lawrence’s life came while riding another SS100, on a narrow road near his cottage near Wareham in 1935. The accident occurred because a dip in the road obstructed his view of two boys on bicycles. Swerving to avoid them, Lawrence lost control and was thrown over the handlebars. He was not wearing a helmet and suffered serious head injuries that left him in a coma; he died after six days in hospital. One of the doctors attending him was a neurosurgeon, who began a long study of what he saw as the unnecessary loss of life by motorcycle dispatch riders through head injuries. His research led to the use of crash helmets by both military and civilian motorcyclists.

**Specifications:**

* Engine: OHV 50-degree Twin-cam KTOR JAP (made by J. A. Prestwich) V-twin

* Displacement: 998 cc (60.9 cu. in.)

* Horsepower: 50 bhp (37 kW)

* Transmission: Sturmey-Archer 4-stud 3-speed hand-change gearbox