Difference between revisions of "Brough Superior"

From CycleChaos
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(added reasons)
 
(3 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[Image:1926-Brough-Superior-SS100.jpg|right|thumb|1926 Brough Superior SS100]]
[[Image:1926-Brough-Superior-SS100.jpg|right|thumb|1926 Brough Superior SS100]]


George Brough named his new machine the Brough Superior.He wanted  to mak sure it was different to the Brough name used on  father William Edward Broughs machines    .  George used his own frames and bought engines and various other parts to produce exciting, exclusive, and expensive bikes. 


'''George Brough''' named his bikes '''Brough Superior''' to the displeasure of his [[motorcycle]] engineer father '''William Brough''', thereby relegating William's bikes to be henceforth known as '''Inferior'''.  George used his own frames and bought engines and various other parts to produce exciting, exclusive, and expensive bikes.
The source of the Father-Son disagreement was  NOT concerning cylinder angles.  W.E. Brough had become an advocate of the flat twin, producing his own engines totally in house ( which he had done with all the earlier productions) , capacities of 496cc to 810cc. The reason that the break between the two men occurred was COST . It was post WW1 and father William was short of funds, He had been attempting to raise capital by selling redundant factory stock,complete engines, bits of engine frames ,even a Brough carAdverts had been regularly posted in the press. Independently son George had been going out on a limb with his own sports development of the 500cc Brough  flat twin engined machine..  


The source of the Father-Son disagree was concerning cylinder anglesW.E. Brough had become an advocate of the flat twin, adopting ABC engines for his motorcycles before moving on to the production of his own engines retaining the configuration with capacities of 496cc to 810cc, a move that George did not support and which prompted the production of some of the most iconic motorcycles ever produced.  
It would have the engine carried in a detachable duplex cradle, so it could easily be removed. The frame lugs tapering down to the tubes, with a  toolbox astride the top frame tube. The 500cc OHV engine was a new type that had already been made and undergone bench testing. The crankshaft ran on roller bearings with its mainshafts and wide roller big ends drilled for heat treatment.Two camshafts instead of the single previous one.Figures on test were 14 bhp at 4200 rpm and 13.2 bhp at 5600 rpm.The press were duly astonished at the high engine rpm attained.George said he was prepared to stand by the design to the tune of £100.


When George wanted to put his new Brough engine into production the cost was more than his father would contemplate. Father & son relationship could be mercurial to say the least,Best friends one minute, daggers drawn the next.


George's bikes did prove to be superior and not just against his father's bikes.  In the 1920s and 1930s George racked wins and records.  Located in Nottingham, England the firm was thought to produce some of the best bikes in the world.  ''[[The Motor Cycle]]'' claimed they were essentially "the Rolls Royce of motorcycles", and Brough used this quote as a slogan in advertising - Rolls didn't object.
William Edward Brough was actually  a rather  Superior  engineer, much better than his son George. 
 
When George Brough  started on the 1927 V4 engined machine,it was his father he turned to  , William did all the patternmaking , casting & machining ,including the  crankshaft ,  , 
 
 
George's bikes did prove to be good and not just against his father's bikes.  In the 1920s and 1930s George had wins and records.  Located in Nottingham, England the firm was thought to produce some of the best bikes in the world.  ''[[The Motor Cycle]]'' claimed they were essentially "the Rolls Royce of motorcycles", and Brough used this quote as a slogan in advertising - Rolls didn't object.


George was well known as a competitor in motorcycle racing, highly regarded as a technician and understood the value of marketing. He successfully utilized all of these talents in elevating his machines to being objects of desire, items that did more than simply provide transport.  
George was well known as a competitor in motorcycle racing, highly regarded as a technician and understood the value of marketing. He successfully utilized all of these talents in elevating his machines to being objects of desire, items that did more than simply provide transport.  
Line 13: Line 20:
His flair for marketing, permission was sought and secured from the illustrious carmaker to describe his machines as "The Rolls Royce of Motorcycles", combined with his insistence that only the best components were used in the creation of the motorcycles bearing the Brough Superior script and that they were then assembled with a level of care and precision beyond that of other manufacturers ensured that the motorcycles leaving his premises were more than the sum of their parts. His competition background resulted in machines that handled and went as well as they looked, whilst the "bespoke" nature of the machines ( although a catalogue was published the machines therein represented a starting point for the would be owner, in 1930 the range consisted of the 680, SS80 and SS100, which would then be tailored to your specific requirements) attracted a clientele that included the "a" list celebrities of the day.  
His flair for marketing, permission was sought and secured from the illustrious carmaker to describe his machines as "The Rolls Royce of Motorcycles", combined with his insistence that only the best components were used in the creation of the motorcycles bearing the Brough Superior script and that they were then assembled with a level of care and precision beyond that of other manufacturers ensured that the motorcycles leaving his premises were more than the sum of their parts. His competition background resulted in machines that handled and went as well as they looked, whilst the "bespoke" nature of the machines ( although a catalogue was published the machines therein represented a starting point for the would be owner, in 1930 the range consisted of the 680, SS80 and SS100, which would then be tailored to your specific requirements) attracted a clientele that included the "a" list celebrities of the day.  


For the 1930 season, when the example offered was built, the SS80 represented the middle machine in the range, for those with deep enough pockets there was the overhead valve SS100, whilst the more impecunious would look to the pretty, but slightly small (in George Brough's eyes) 670. Those seeking a machine that balanced performance and stamina would opt for the SS80. All three machines utilised [[JAP]] powerplants, however, the SS80 (so named because 80 mph was guaranteed to be attained by the machine by the manufacturer) employed a side valve engine instead of the over head valve units fitted to its larger and smaller siblings. The 981cc vee twin transmitted the power to the rear wheel via a three speed gearbox, in the case of the machine offered a Sturmey unit , fitted with high gears and a chain final drive.
For the 1930 season, when the example offered was built, the SS80 represented the middle machine in the range, for those with deep enough pockets there was the overhead valve SS100, whilst the more impecunious would look to the pretty, but slightly small (in George Brough's eyes) 680. Those seeking a machine that balanced performance and stamina would opt for the SS80. All three machines utilised [[JAP]] powerplants, however, the SS80 (so named because 80 mph was guaranteed to be attained by the machine by the manufacturer) employed a side valve engine instead of the over head valve units fitted to its larger and smaller siblings. The engines  used all chain drive to the rear wheel via a three speed Sturmey Archer gearbox  


==Models==
==Models==
Line 21: Line 28:




==Model 6/80==
[[Image:1927 Brough Superior Model 6-80.jpg|right|thumb|1927 Brough Superior Model 6/80]]
The 6/80 was a less expensive alternative to the illustrious SS100 & SS80 Broughs, and was known as "The Miniature SS100".  Offering good performance with outstanding flexibility, combined with low weight, made this model extremely popular.  [[Brough]] made nothing in house, but purchased or had built the components to assemble a [[motorcycle]].


{{clear}}


[[Category:Motorcycle manufacturers]]
[[Category:Motorcycle manufacturers]]
[[Category:English motorcycles]]
[[Category:English motorcycles]]
[[Category:Defunct motorcycle manufacturers]]
[[Category:Defunct motorcycle manufacturers]]

Latest revision as of 05:15, 16 December 2023

1926 Brough Superior SS100

George Brough named his new machine the Brough Superior.He wanted to mak sure it was different to the Brough name used on father William Edward Broughs machines . George used his own frames and bought engines and various other parts to produce exciting, exclusive, and expensive bikes.

The source of the Father-Son disagreement was NOT concerning cylinder angles. W.E. Brough had become an advocate of the flat twin, producing his own engines totally in house ( which he had done with all the earlier productions) , capacities of 496cc to 810cc. The reason that the break between the two men occurred was COST . It was post WW1 and father William was short of funds, He had been attempting to raise capital by selling redundant factory stock,complete engines, bits of engine frames ,even a Brough car. Adverts had been regularly posted in the press. Independently son George had been going out on a limb with his own sports development of the 500cc Brough flat twin engined machine..

It would have the engine carried in a detachable duplex cradle, so it could easily be removed. The frame lugs tapering down to the tubes, with a toolbox astride the top frame tube. The 500cc OHV engine was a new type that had already been made and undergone bench testing. The crankshaft ran on roller bearings with its mainshafts and wide roller big ends drilled for heat treatment.Two camshafts instead of the single previous one.Figures on test were 14 bhp at 4200 rpm and 13.2 bhp at 5600 rpm.The press were duly astonished at the high engine rpm attained.George said he was prepared to stand by the design to the tune of £100.

When George wanted to put his new Brough engine into production the cost was more than his father would contemplate. Father & son relationship could be mercurial to say the least,Best friends one minute, daggers drawn the next.

William Edward Brough was actually a rather Superior engineer, much better than his son George.

When George Brough started on the 1927 V4 engined machine,it was his father he turned to , William did all the patternmaking , casting & machining ,including the crankshaft , ,


George's bikes did prove to be good and not just against his father's bikes. In the 1920s and 1930s George had wins and records. Located in Nottingham, England the firm was thought to produce some of the best bikes in the world. The Motor Cycle claimed they were essentially "the Rolls Royce of motorcycles", and Brough used this quote as a slogan in advertising - Rolls didn't object.

George was well known as a competitor in motorcycle racing, highly regarded as a technician and understood the value of marketing. He successfully utilized all of these talents in elevating his machines to being objects of desire, items that did more than simply provide transport.

His flair for marketing, permission was sought and secured from the illustrious carmaker to describe his machines as "The Rolls Royce of Motorcycles", combined with his insistence that only the best components were used in the creation of the motorcycles bearing the Brough Superior script and that they were then assembled with a level of care and precision beyond that of other manufacturers ensured that the motorcycles leaving his premises were more than the sum of their parts. His competition background resulted in machines that handled and went as well as they looked, whilst the "bespoke" nature of the machines ( although a catalogue was published the machines therein represented a starting point for the would be owner, in 1930 the range consisted of the 680, SS80 and SS100, which would then be tailored to your specific requirements) attracted a clientele that included the "a" list celebrities of the day.

For the 1930 season, when the example offered was built, the SS80 represented the middle machine in the range, for those with deep enough pockets there was the overhead valve SS100, whilst the more impecunious would look to the pretty, but slightly small (in George Brough's eyes) 680. Those seeking a machine that balanced performance and stamina would opt for the SS80. All three machines utilised JAP powerplants, however, the SS80 (so named because 80 mph was guaranteed to be attained by the machine by the manufacturer) employed a side valve engine instead of the over head valve units fitted to its larger and smaller siblings. The engines used all chain drive to the rear wheel via a three speed Sturmey Archer gearbox

Models[edit | edit source]