3 days ago
Fast, fun and reassuringly expensive: the posh motorcycles produced by car brands
'The neatest-looking and most luxurious sporting machine offered to the public. The Rolls-Royce of motorcycles.' When journalist HD Teague penned his observations on a new machine for The Motor Cycle, in 1923, he unwittingly created a brand collaboration that has endured for more than a century.
Teague was referring to the Brough Superior SS80, which was hand-built in Nottingham by George Brough and designed to be the ultimate motorcycle. Brough's Super Sports model was guaranteed to achieve 80mph (hence the name) thanks to a lightweight frame and a 988cc V-twin engine – and each machine was vigorously road-tested to prove it.
Brough was determined his 'superior' luxury bike would appeal to wealthy gentlemen at a time when the class system still dominated British life. Teague's comparison with Rolls-Royce was manna from heaven; naturally, Brough didn't think twice about using the quote in his marketing campaign.
When news of the unofficial association with a motorcycle brand reached Rolls-Royce HQ in Derby, its top brass was not impressed. Letters were exchanged but Brough, unperturbed, seized the opportunity and invited Rolls staff to inspect the meticulous work of his engineers for themselves.
Rolls-Royce approval
Remarkable as it might seem today, when any unauthorised association ends in a 'cease and desist' notice, the delegation from Derby concluded that Brough could indeed call his exceptional bikes 'the Rolls-Royce of motorcycles'.
Spurred on, Brough set about building a new, faster machine, with improved handling and brakes, that could compete with the very best of the era. The SS100 was capable of doing 'the ton' but was also beautifully styled around a teardrop-shaped fuel tank.
Breathtaking to behold, the new superbike was revealed in the 1925 Brough Superior catalogue. Only a lucky few could afford the £170 price tag (for comparison, a Ford Model T car cost approximately £200 at the time).
Each SS100 was crafted to individual customer specification – even the handlebars were bespoke – and every Brough bike was hand-made twice: first to ensure that all the parts fitted perfectly, then dismantled for paint or plating before the final build.
Brough's desire to appeal to the aristocracy worked. Playwright George Bernard Shaw and, later, actor-director Orson Welles chose a Brough Superior. The motorbike also achieved a spate of speed records, including a Brooklands lap best of 124mph in 1939.
Famous fans
Brough's most ardent supporter was Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence. British officer, diplomat and hero of the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire, Lawrence of Arabia bought one of the first SS100s in 1925.
A dedicated biker, Lawrence was waiting for his eighth model to be delivered when he died while riding a SS100 in Dorset, on May 19 in 1935. He wasn't wearing a helmet and suffered serious head injuries. The accident encouraged Lawrence's neurosurgeon, Hugh Cairns, to begin a long study that ultimately resulted in more riders using crash helmets.
Brough Superior continued manufacturing motorcycles until 1940, when the Nottingham factory shifted to wartime production. The company had built 3,025 motorcycles since the first machine was crafted in 1919. Today, original Brough Superiors are among the world's most exclusive and expensive classic motorbikes.
The business was revived in 2008 and is now based in France. The latest Brough model, the Lawrence Dagger, is a modern sports bike costing £60,000. Brough Superior, as the firm is now known, like many other motorcycle marques, has collaborated with car brands. Here are some of the best.
AMB 001 by Aston Martin and Brough Superior
Quite what Lawrence might have thought of the track-only AMB 001 is anyone's guess. Limited to 100 examples, the hand-built racer weighs just 180kg yet produces a mind-boggling 180hp. The 997cc machine is the first Brough to feature a turbocharger, with engine covers machined from a solid billet of metal.
For extra thrills, the £130,000 Pro version increases the power to 225hp and is said to be inspired by Aston Martin 's Valkyrie AMR Pro – a car that will mark the company's return to the top class of the Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race next month in a bid to win the race outright for the first time since 1959.
Brabus 1300 R
The German car tuning specialist is best known for creating high-performance versions of Mercedes-Benz sports cars, such as the SL and SLK. The brand has also worked with Maybach and Porsche – not forgetting the Brabus Smart ForTwo of 2006, as driven by a young Lewis Hamilton when he signed to race for McLaren in F1.
Collaborating with KTM, Brabus has more recently created a series of high-end machines based on the Austrian firm's Super Duke R model. The 2024 R Masterpiece Edition costs about £37,000 – roughly double that of a standard Duke. With only 50 examples built, exclusivity is guaranteed.
Ducati Diavel for Bentley
Possibly the most unlikely collaboration between two- and four-wheeled brands, the £58,000 Ducati Diavel for Bentley is said to have taken its design cues from the ultra-rare, £2 million Bentley Batur, based on the Crewe marque's Continental GT Speed. Only 18 Baturs were produced.
The Italian-built Diavel is restricted to 500 examples, with an extra 50 offering more customisation for customers of Bentley Mulliner, the firm's bespoke division. Luxury touches include carbon-fibre bodywork and an Alcantara seat. A standard Diavel V4 costs £24,000.
Ducati Panigale V4 Lamborghini
A more obvious Ducati collaboration given that Lamborghini is part of the Audi group, plus the brands neighbour each other in Italy's 'Motor Valley' in Emilia-Romagna. Based on the £30,000 Panigale V4 S, some of the parts reference Lamborghini's latest Revuelto supercar, including a lot of carbon-fibre. A matching helmet and jacket set cost extra.
Launched at Milan Design Week earlier this year, the superbike is still the cheapest way into Lamborghini ownership. 'If you own our Revuelto it's highly desirable to add a bike, potentially in the same livery as your car,' said spokesman Federico Foschini.
MV Agusta Dragster 800 RR Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes-AMG announced a 25 per cent ownership stake in high-end Italian bike brand MV Agusta 11 years ago – then opted out three years later. The most memorable result of that partnership was a hand-built version of the three-cylinder Agusta Brutale Dragster, with special input from bike nut Hamilton himself. Only 244 were made, selling at £18,000 – a bargain price for such an exclusive machine.
