The Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles

This is the story of George Brough and his motorcycle company known as Brough Superior, affectionately known as the Rolls Royce of Motorcycles
Check out Peter Miller's book on Brough!
www.amazon.com/Brough-Superio...
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Disclaimer
Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing."
I do NOT own some or all of the video materials used in this video. In the case of copyright issues, please contact me at [e-mail] for any further action.

[@hisdadjames4876]

What greater legacy may a man give the world, than a son who is a superior version of himself? 🙏

[@markiskool]

I was only 1 minute in when I read your comment. Spot on! I'm 62, wish I would've had the same inspiration for my two boys.

[@hisdadjames4876]

@@markiskool 😂 I remain competitive and I always try my absolute best, but when my sons beat me at things (as they nearly alway do nowadays) we are all equally delighted!

[@lavernebye1837]

That was great

[@lavernebye1837]

I ride a 1200 and I'm 63

[@paulwebb6914]

A sage reflection.🤔🫡🙃🙂

[@lukealonso4177]

Those are, by far, the best looking of the old-timey motorcycles I’ve ever seen.

[@johnboluski-zl1qn]

Velocettes?

[@Miha23_]

​@@johnboluski-zl1qnGood point, K series and Thruxton are gorgeous. Bruffs and Velos are the best looking ones imo.

[@user-ho4nw5sf3w]

T. E. Lawrence is one of my all time motor cycle heros. He once raced a British bomber while riding on what was nothing more than a cow path. The bomber pilot throttled back to a 115 miles per hour. So Lawrence was doing at least that. On a cow path. As for the bike. I've seen a few of them at antique meets. They are beautiful, but then I think all antique bikes are beautiful.

[@BMW7series251]

Brilliant video. My grandfather bought a Brough in the late 1930's with a sidecar. I remember riding in it in the early '50s on a trip to hospital! When he died in 1958 my Gran sold it to a guy who knocked on the door for £25!! My Dad went ballistic!!

[@walkerhjk]

My father was a keen motorcyclist in the 1920s and '30s, He was a friend of George Brough and although he never owned a 'Brough Sup', rode one from time to time. When George was approached by a customer for one of his bikes, the customer was invited to dinner where the proposed bike was discussed and each bike, although basically the same, was 'tailored' for the customer so each and every Brough Superior built was effectively a 'one off' built specifically for each customer.

[@Turnipstalk]

That was a very good video. Somewhere I have a photo of my mother on my great-uncle's SS80, he was a Fleet Air Arm warrant officer mechanic. My grandmother was frightened of my mother going on a motorbike, Great-Uncle Walter told her it was "just a little one." I agree with anyone who says RR is not the comparison. RR were not only at the top end of the market but they were innovative and their R&D were top notch. The cars were left behind when RR went into aero engines, jet engines, nuclear reactors. The Brough was more in the tradition of, say, Purdey or Morgan, making a highly finished, well made product that was in no way groundbreaking. Morgan were mostly out of parts bins, and the bits that were not were not always the best designed, Morgan front "suspension" being a case in point. The Brough Superior, like the Vincent, is sui generis, "of its own kind." I used to visit the DiFazio shop in Frome where Lawrence of Arabia would get his bikes and have them serviced. The DiFazio brothers would eventually design their own hub steering front forks and had some racing success applying them to Japanese bikes. The "Bitza" tradition in British bikes has always been strong.

[@promerops]

Another comparison could be the Bristol.

[@empireoflizards]

Sounds like the coolest bike I've never heard of! Good presentation.

[@michaelb.42112]

I agree !

[@damonmonroe8572]

I've known about brough superiors since I got into motorcycles, but its a lot better to see a good informative video on them.

[@tedjenkins4400]

A story I've never heard before, very well presented. There were some very talented Engineers around during these time.

[@chrislaunders8283]

I have a 1933 11-50 and with an improved front brake is easily usable as a daily ride, even on fast roads.

[@williampayne4410]

My dad has one. No doubt you know him.

[@dannyjohnston1872]

Well done I was fortunate enough to see one in a museum in Vancouver BC there are a beautiful bike 😎

[@wirralnomad]

In 2013 a brand new modern retro designed Brough SS100 was produced, it looks really nice too!

[@philliprobinson7724]

Great video. Large diameter wheels, low seat height, low centre of gravity, all excellent for stability on dirt roads. Just right for its time. Made my G9 Matchless look like a sad dunger, even 30 years later. Cheers, P.R.

[@allenminer6244]

Pretty much my whole family were motorcyclists and I remember my dad saying that the Brough Superior was an incredible machine. It certainly is beautiful.

[@waygone6657]

Wow! What a great story. Thanks for sharing 🙂

[@felixVanDiemen]

What a fascinating story and what a gorgeous motorcycle, thank you 🙂

[@vermhot]

That was fantastic!!!!

[@littleshopofelectrons4014]

Before the local motorcycle museum in Anamosa, Iowa closed down last year, their prized motorcycle was an immaculate Brough Superior SS100. I viewed that bike many times. When everything was auctioned, it must have cost the buyer a fortune.

[@welsh_viewer5913]

Another informative video from Bart. Thanks.

[@marcosargen3729]

Beautiful machines.

[@ramcharger154]

Finally a video that holds my attention longer than a squirrel 😂😂❤❤

[@2loudspeakers]

Superior video! Keep them coming!

[@masonryjoe]

Not only did they break records in racing so many times taking the gold they had beautiful lines and were one of the best looking bikes of their time even to today IMO !

[@philkeyes2040]

Thank you so much for a great video, mate. loved it. Good research, comparable to what I've read elsewhere. Well presented and narrated. We shouldn't forget where our motorcycling roots began. What magnificent motorcyces. Cheers from Australia. Phil

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

Brough Superior cost the same as a Austin 7 car. It was also the same price as 2 Triumph 500 twins in 1938. If you could afford a cheap car, you could afford a new Brough Superior. This should put the price into perspective as to how expensive they were. They were not cheap but they were affordable. Post war he wanted to buy engines from Matchless but they weren't interested. All the big companies built big V twins as sidecar haulers. Post war parallel twins were the up and coming thing.

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

@@Turnipstalk An Austin 7 was not capable of going 90 mph. The BS was the same price regardless. You paid separately for the sidecar. You mean the price for the combo was higher than that of the car by itself. Which one would be worth more money today?

[@artemisXsidecross]

Well done

[@teakey]

Thanks for making this. I liked it

[@alexpiper9475]

good show enjoyed it all.

[@leomonster1973]

My favorite of my 3 motorcycles that Ive owned in my life was an 82 Yamaha XJ650

[@Jack-bs6zb]

… what is the relevance to the topic of this video?

[@leomonster1973]

@@Jack-bs6zb he asked us what our favorite motorcycles were…

[@LoosiuFlying]

This channel goes far beyond my expectations ! I can't wait for a video about one of the oldest still running companies, and some innovations bringer - Moto Guzzi

[@mohammedzaidi9081]

Great video 👍

[@williamwintemberg]

Thanks! I learned a lot watching this video. On the greatest motorcycle of all time. That would be the motorcycle that made its owner happy.

[@joefarmer4465]

Great show/production!

[@terrycavender]

Beautiful motorcycles. If I remember right, The Barber Motorcycle Museum has at least one of these on display.

[@champrozefort6269]

I know I'm out of place, but I just want to say I will miss your old rocket league videos! You definitely were one of the big creators that were carrying RL content at one point; I'm glad to see you're doing well with your new channel! 🙏🏾

[@rekleif]

Wow. I absolutely love this video. Great work and you have earned yourself a new subscriber because of this great video. God bless and lots of love from Norway.

[@pauldonnelly7949]

Great vid, most informative, thanks for making+sharing it. My opinion of the greatest motorcycle of all time? Has to be the Britten. The way it was dreamed up and made by a motorcyle obsessed artist in his back shed, its technology which was, and still is, truly innovative, and lastly, because it came from NZ, a global backwater. But it's because of this isolation, it couldn't have come from anywhere else, Burt Munro is a case in point...

[@adamchurvis1]

5:15 Peter Miller was the name of Jon Voight's main character in _The Odessa File._

[@somerandomnification]

15:27 "Maybe the greatest speed record for Brough Superior came about in '29 when George's son (also named George) rode a highly tuned and specified SS-100 to an incredible 130.6mph, absolutely shattering the previous record." While at the same time getting close to the actual land speed record, which was 136mph, attained by Glen Curtiss on his V8 motorcycle 22 years earlier in 1907 on a BEACH in Florida.

[@philhawley1219]

If you believe the story about Curtiss you will believe anything!

[@somerandomnification]

@@philhawley1219 I'm interested in hearing about how that story was debunked. The motorcycle is in the national air and space museum. How do you know that story to be untrue?

[@philhawley1219]

@@somerandomnification Firstly there were no independent witnesses or any officials from a verification point of view. Secondly who measured the mile? Thirdly how was the time measured? Fourthly look at the frame of the motorcycle, the tubes are very thin and would not withstand speeds of the claimed 136mph. Fifthly the big heavy engine was believed to produce only 40bhp Sixthly Curtiss had the unfortunate reputation of being a bullshitter. Seventhly the riding position was very upright and unaerodynamic. Eighthly the tyres were little better than bicycle tyres and would have failed at very high speed. I hope these few points clear up the hagiography and myth surrounding this fanciful tale.

[@somerandomnification]

@@philhawley1219 So the evidence that it was a hoax is that you don't believe it? Okay.

[@philhawley1219]

@@somerandomnification These are the findings of an article published in "Classic Bike" magazine a few years ago. As one of the world's top old bike publications I don't doubt the veracity of their logically postulated and articulately written statement of facts. The Americans often have a feeble grasp on what really happened. Why did the Wright Brothers donate their own aeroplane to the London Science Museum instead of the Smithsonian?

[@sharonortedschempp8759]

You did a tremendous job narrating this video!! Bravo!! Yeah..... however I noticed that in comparing it to other bikes, you failed to mention the excellent classic BMWs from the same or slightly newer era...... Any particular reason for this omission? When I was in College, in the early 1970s, I owned an R-27 250 cc "One Lunger Vertical Engine Design." Anyway, I loved it and rode it safely for several years, restored it and sold it for a decent profit.....:). Cheers, Ted Schempp, Nashville

[@mindspinn311]

Interesting that I was looking for a good video on Brough Superior last week and wondered why Bart had not made one.

[@neilmactavish4423]

Great video I thought knew most of the story of the Brough Superior. IMHO Brough Superior SS100 is one of the most beautiful motorcycles of all time. I find it more resembles the American motorcycles of that era. I'm a fan of the Brough, the Crocker, Henderson 4, and Super X, Indian, and of course the big V twin Harley Davidson from the 1930's through the 1950's.

[@kyleg112]

great video it would have also been good to touch on the newer Brough bikes that have been produced.

[@DesuVR]

22:30 These right here look so cool!

[@9014jayvictor]

Great Naration

[@customkey]

Real motorcycles are kick started. Rollie Free approves this video.

[@albionjames1]

Bart have you ever been to England and seen any of the motorcycle museums? Great video btw. Cheers

[@mickduggan9666]

@ 15:18 you say that G.B. built the Alpendine SS 100 to celebrate the success in the Alpine trials. I think that you are slightly mistaken. The Alpine SS 100 model would be correct, but you've conflated it with the Pendine SS 100 which was built to celebrate the successes at Pendine sands in Wales.

[@thompardoe8303]

Excellent story telling as usual. However I believe you may have misspelt Exeter.

[@jasonlemuel5078]

@bart i recommended you make a vid about the honda wave series its essentially a successor of the super cub very popular in asia So popular in fact that its probably everyone's first taste of motoring

[@ashleysmith3106]

For Americans who claim V-twin motors as theirs; the first model of V twin motor can be seen in the Deutches Musem in Munich, built by Gottlieb Daimler in 1889 !

[@davidbrayshaw3529]

My Grandfather owned one of these in the late '20's. We don't know whether it was an SS100 or an SS80. He traded up from that to Amilcar before selling that and moving to Australia in 1933.

[@Axeyard]

"Could have went..." RIP the past participle.

[@ibnewton8951]

Does anyone know if Jay Leno’s garage is open to the public? I’d love to view his Brough collection.

[@ramsapien]

Top notch videos full of great info but the page/graphic transition sound effects every few seconds are so distracting.

[@sicks6six]

I was talking to a guy on an SS 100 one day and he let me start the bike, I thought it would be difficult, wrong, one gentle compression stroke to get the pistons to TDC and one gentle slow swooping kick (as he told me how to do it) and the engine started up and was surprisingly quiet and had virtually zero vibrations, while talking to him I did ask its value and I've forgotten what he said now but I do know I replied "you could buy a house for that" where I lived in a less affluent part of Britain you could anyways,

[@stevegreen8262]

All very interesting, but I want to hear more about these dishwashers.

[@broughxtreme]

Great video! Proud to share his name. Ken Brough, New zealand. (I think there is a blood link if you go back far enough).

[@ernesttravers7517]

Great youtube man

[@jamesbarbato2192]

Bart is the only KZbinr, who never talks to, or replies to his subscribers. I think he thinks he’s too good for us

[@bartmotorcycle]

Agreed

[@JeffKopis]

45 hp is an ENORMOUS leap forward, compared to 8!

[@robertmyers5269]

It wasn't 8bhp, It was 8 taxable horsepower. This was a formula based on displacement, favoring long stroke engines with lower ratings (hence lower tax). Likely about 25 to 30bhp. Small British cars of the time were 7hp, Rolls Royce Phantom Is (contemporary) were 40/50 hp class.

[@thomaslemay8817]

5 different companies made V twin in 1903 one of them was Glen Curtis. The first v twin made in 1902 Prinecis autocar company inspite of the company name it was a motorcycle.

[@matthewdubay6409]

even though i haven't had it long. i think my Suzuki Drz400 is one of the greatest motorcycles of all time

[@myselfproduction2880]

i need one of these with brass air filter cos steampunk

[@exeterinterception]

its exeter😄

[@hisdadjames4876]

Maybe he was thinking of the tor on Exmoor?😂

[@jlrutube1312]

Believe it or not the greatest motorcycle of all time was possibly the Honda CL 350 from the early to mid 1970s. Why do I say that? Because it was pretty good at almost everything. Want a bike for beginners? Check. Want a bike for teenagers? Check. Want a bike small enough for a woman? Check. Want a bike big enough for a man? Check. Want a bike inexpensive enough for the everyday masses to afford? Check. Want a bike able to go on gravel roads and dirt roads? Check. Want a bike that will go around 100 mph for the highways when the speed limit was usually 55 or 60? Check. Want a bike that is handsome? Check. Want a bike that is as reliable as a Honda? Check. Want a bike that people still value today? Check. The value of the Honda CL 350 was that it wasn't specialized. It wasn't too big, it wasn't too small. It wasn't too slow, it wasn't too fact. It was the affordable universal motorcycle. There are way faster sport bikes but they are terrible on dirt roads. There are way nicer cruisers but they are expensive. There are way more comfortable touring machines but they are often heavy and are machines primarily for men. The greatness of the Honda CL 350 was that it was the machine for everyone and it would do everything and everyone could afford it. It was the everyman bike. Thus, the greatest bike of all time. ; )

[@tjm3900]

What happened to TE Lawrence's bike ? Was it just scrapped ?

[@lint2023]

The best motorcycle ever is the one I get to ride.

[@hermannhallerbusiness891]

maybe do a video on German ore war bikes, there are some great bikes there! like the DKW RT which basically is the most important bike ever for 2 strokes

[@Turnipstalk]

It would be good, but the most important two stroke ever is surely the Scott, which established the technology as being workable. The DKW RT was groundbreaking because of its loop scavenge design, but the concept of crankcase compression long antedated it.

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

The Scott was not as influenshul as the DKW RT was because lots of companies around the world copied it. The BSA Bantam introduced multiple generations of people to the pleasure of 2 wheels.​@@Turnipstalk

[@hermannhallerbusiness891]

@@Turnipstalkthe DKW RT was the bike that brought small ccm bikes to the masses, since it got copied by every major manufactorer more or less, the 2 stroke was one of the things the germans just got right, basically starting with the DKW 2 cylinder bikes, up to the race MZs...

[@JohnPittaway]

There's no problem with using other peoples' parts. It's all about Finding & Using the Right part for Your machine.

[@tonyaxeman4381]

My 2002 Harley Davidson xl 1200 c is the best I have ever owned . I have been riding since I was 16 on the road. So that would be 54 years . One favorite was My Suzuki gs 550 e . One thing I have seen lately is more riders are wearing helmets .

[@JeffLillycrop]

it would be Interesting to see a comparison with a Conventry Eagle

[@bobtaylor6210]

I just found your channel very well done. I have an interesting story about the last Shovel Head FLH assembled at Bomb factory. Tag me if your interested in the story. I operated a Heavy Repair Facility in Huntington Beach Ca. Now retired after 40 in business.

[@AdrianBryan-ps5lw]

I ride a Benelli 752s Italian designed at Pesaro Italy and Built in China and it's a great bike can't fault it it handles and performs Brilliantly I can highly recommend this Bike!

[@peterwilliams2152]

It's sad that you left out all of his Fours.

[@TimErickson-oc6sd]

A great uncle had a brough superior ss100 when he was young . Btw he was the black sheep

[@bepponabuco7389]

I am a proud owner of a Brough Superior SS 100........ Tee Shirt! 😁

[@dancooper3806]

I had a chance to buy an SS80 for $24k around 2008. The fear of spare parts scared me, yes I know, I've had some cool motorcycles.

[@user-ho4nw5sf3w]

Someone I think in France is trying to build these new or at least they were a couple of years ago. If you would like to see a modern day motorcycle that can stand up to this one, check out the Aston Martin. Wow.

[@tomon8327]

I love this channel. Great videos this is no different. But the increase in effects in this video felt alittle forced. I prefer the older style. But either way keep up the good work

[@LiveDonkeyDeadLion]

80mph, but where was the tarmac they did it on? I can’t imagine what it would be like in those days, on those roads doing those speeds. Saying that, the roads in Tory Britain aren’t much better

[@alanstrong55]

I am a different guy. I would delight in a top of the line Indian motorcycle in a bugundy and cream combination. I would pay quite a fortune. Excellence bike by far.

[@RulgertGhostalker]

the problem with vintage bikes, on modern roads, is always The Brakes.

[@charlesangell_bulmtl]

Imagine having to air cool your exhaust rather than coat them to preserve the chrome...

[@ChristianConrad]

@13:06 : _"The single exhaust, running down the left side of the bike and splitting behind the back cylinder into two..."_ Duh, the second exhaust starts there. There is no "splitting".

[@gregwillis7767]

Great video, but my take away isn't a reminder of what was- but rather that I'll "Ride anything that I'm allowed". I've met collectors. Vincent black shadow, Ariel square four, I wasn't allowed to touch them. But Mr.Clark let me ride his '48 Indian!

[@GertjanZwiggelaar-mo4tz]

Too bad you did not record the sound. I would like to hear the motor start up and listen to it running. However, this is still a very interesting documentary. Thank you for making it and sharing your work with us.

[@chirag4]

of all the current models : SS100 Salt-Racer takes the crown for best looking Brough Superior ? i THiNK So

[@user-fo5gk9ir7n]

It would seem to be a truism that "there are old bikers, and there are fast bikers; but there are no old, fast bikers." ...Ahh, how I'd love to have an SS80 or SS100! (Either one, I'm not picky.)

[@howardbecton6274]

Vincent Black Shadow for me, second would be an Ariel Sqare four.

[@tiki_trash]

I was expecting Vincent.

[@ShahAznable]

This bike is known by anime fans from the anime kino's journey

[@colindelamare3180]

And all without even making a bolt of their own just a hybrid who had a famous patron

[@Marc_Remillard]

Rolls Royce of motorcycles 100 YEARS AGO ! They would be if they were still building motorcycles ! Not just the AM1 Brough...... That no-one can afford......

[@mikeskidmore6754]

Brough Superior

[@scottmitchell8273]

Lawrence of Arabias Brough is in the Imperial war mueseum in London

[@dundun8640]

how do you spell "bonexon guage?", and "isochonometric". You said "Have fun trying to figure out how to read ___________ (the things i cant figure out for to spell) instruments like this. I am bored, and i do find it fun to figure out mechanical things, but my brother in Christ, i cannot for the life of me figure out what the damn i am looking for, English is not my first language and i have never heard about a Brough motorcycle. But the thing sticking out of the tank at 13:25 peaked my interest.

[@charlieross-BRM]

I can't find it either. I'm trying "Bonnickson, Bonneikson", etc. and even Google is not doing very good, close-enough, suggestions for me. Somebody on here will know.

[@tommcl8548]

👊👍

[@bushmanPMRR]

I remember many years ago visiting Clouds Hill, T E Lawrence's home in Bovington, unfortunately it was closed when I got there (its owned by the National Trust) and the main thing that struck me about the place was how small it was, even by our English standards! 😉 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clouds_Hill Its not too hard to imagine how much he loved his bikes and the Brough Superior has got to be one of the finest looking of all time.

[@Michael-yd5ry]

Vincent Black Shadow.👍