“The Rolls Royce of Motorcycles”. This was the moniker that was rightfully earned by Brough Superior (1919-1940) thanks to the impeccable craftsmanship and constructive quality in each of their motorcycles, each assembled twice by hand and thoroughly tested before delivery. Each Brough Superior was a tailored affair, suited to the brand’s wealthy clientele —including multiple Brough owner T.E. Lawrence, famous for his exploits in the Arabian Peninsula, which earned him the legendary nickname of ‘Lawrence of Arabia’.

The SS100 was originally built in 1924, and continued all the way to the company’s demise in 1940. Conceived as a custom motorcycle, it used components from multiple contemporary manufacturers (JA Prestwich, Matchless, or Sturmey-Archer, for example), and eventually developed some of their own. In addition to the bike’s uncompromising construction, the SS100 set multiple speed records at the hands of Bert le Vack, Freddie Dixon, Rolan Storey, Noel Pope, and George Brough himself.

In 2013 the brand was resurrected by entrepreneurs Mark Upham and Thierry Henriette, who moved production to Toulouse, France. The SS100 nameplate was also revived to honour its superbike predecessor, and construction quality was maintained in the use of exotic materials such as titanium, world-class suspension by Ohlins, aircraft-derives brakes by Beringer, and a retro hand-hammered aluminum tank in tribute to the original. Each motorcycle was built to each owner’s specifications, making each of the 300 pieces a unique masterpiece of the brand.

This particular SS100, number 96/300, was acquired from a collector near Marseille, France, and is the first Brough Superior to be offered for sale in the Arabian Peninsula since the days of Lawrence. Showing just over 1,000 kilometres, it is finished in the brand’s classic black colour scheme and it is a delight to ride or admire as a kinetic sculpture in one’s garage or living room.