This Jaw-Dropping Motorcycle Reimagines a Century-Old Tradition with Mechanical Innovation and Precision
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You might think of motorcycles and watches as two very different beasts. And to a degree, you'd be right. But they actually have a lot more in common than you might realize, especially on the higher end of the craftsmanship scale.
They both rely on high levels of precision manufacturing, for instance. They also utilize many of the same materials. And the gears! Oh, the gears.
So, it makes perfect sense that Richard Mille and Brough Superior would collaborate on the RMB01 motorcycle. It's also safe to say that the results speak for themselves.
The bike's inspiration dates back over 100 years to the board trackers of the early 1900s. This bike is obviously a thoroughly modern beast, but the details definitely speak to its old-school racing predecessors.
For instance, the RMB01 has an elongated gas tank, a minimalist seat and a wholly visible engine. These are all hallmarks of classic board trackers.
That said, this bike's contemporary engineering and materials put basically every classic board track racer to shame. For instance, its 997cc water-cooled DOHC 88-degree V-twin four-stroke engine (a work of art all its own) is good for about 100 horsepower — more than double most of its historical counterparts.
It also boasts a carbon fiber frame, a self-supporting exoskeleton, an engine made entirely from aircraft-grade aluminum and more. Plus, the bike boasts Brough's signature double-wishbone Fior-type fork.
It wouldn't be a Richard Mille collaboration without some measure of horological inspiration and design. But don't fret, the RMB01 has plenty of that, too.
The most obvious detail is the bike's cockpit. Looking an awful lot like one of Mille's watches, it features a mechanical speedometer co-engineered by both brands. Many of the aforementioned materials were also chosen for their use in both high-end watchmaking and moto design.
However, some of the stylistic details also speak to the brands' overlap. For instance, the forged wheels are a custom design which, along with the hubs and disc rotors, are meant to evoke the design of tourbillon watches.
Like Brough's other bikes and Mille's deep catalog of watches, this collaboration is mechanical art taken to the nth degree. Of course, that level of care, craftsmanship and material exceptionality comes with a catch: very few of these bikes are being built.
Believe it or not, this isn't a one-off project. The Richard Mille x Brough Superior RMB01 motorcycle is getting a 150-unit production run. That said, you'll have to contact to the brands for more information on pricing and availability.
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