1937 Brough Superior 1,096cc 11-50hp Special

Registration no. ELY 241 Frame no. M8/1928 (see text) Engine no. LTZ/O 57639/S

• Single ownership for circa 60 years
• Matching frame and engine
• Offered for restoration

Legendary superbike of motorcycling's between-the-wars 'Golden Age', the Brough Superior was synonymous with high performance, engineering excellence and quality of finish. That such a formidable reputation was forged by a motorcycle constructed almost entirely from bought-in components says much for the publicity skills of George Brough. But if ever a machine was more than the sum of its parts, it was the Brough Superior. Always the perfectionist, Brough bought only the best available components for his motorcycles, reasoning that if the product was right, a lofty price tag would be no handicap. And in the 'Roaring Twenties' there were sufficient wealthy connoisseurs around to prove him right, T E Lawrence ('Lawrence of Arabia') being the most famous example.

The speed with which the name 'Brough Superior' established itself as synonymous with excellence may be gauged from the fact that the famous 'Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles' sobriquet was first coined in 1921 when the marque was barely two years old. The story goes that Rolls-Royce objected to their name being associated with a mere motorcycle - until they examined one of George's creations.

Launched in 1933, the 1,096cc 11-50 was the largest Brough Superior to enter series production. Powered by a sidevalve v-twin (of unusual 60-degree configuration) supplied exclusively to the Nottingham factory by J A Prestwich, the 11-50 fitted into the Brough price range between the SS80 touring and SS100 super-sports models. The 11-50 was conceived as a long-legged, effortless tourer and could exceed 90mph in solo form or pull a heavy sidecar at up to 75mph; indeed, in the latter role it was one of the finest sidecar mounts of its day. Production lasted until 1939, by which time the 11-50 was the only JAP-powered machine in the Brough Superior range.

This 11-50 is highly unusual in so far as it incorporates a frame used twice by the factory; indeed it is the only example of this practice known to the Brough Superior Club. The frame is stamped '1928', which has been applied over '1227'; both are correct factory stampings. '1227' originally formed part of an early rigid-framed 11-50 built in 1933; it seems that this machine was returned to the factory to be rebuilt around a new frame, which was stamped with the original number (this motorcycle exists and has been authenticated). Some four years later the original frame of '1227' was reused in a plunger-framed 11-50 and re-stamped '1928'; that motorcycle being the one offered here, which was built on 17th December 1937 and supplied to Godfreys on 6th January 1938. The Brough left the factory fitted with a cruiser sidecar (since detached but still in existence elsewhere) and originally had chrome-plated mudguards with a black centre and gold lining.

There is then a gap in this machine's history until 1962 when it resurfaces in the ownership of a Mr Suckling of Edmonton, London N18. Albert Wallace then owned it briefly, followed by a gentleman in Norwich, also briefly, before the machine was bought by the current owner's grandfather in the late 1960s. Dry-stored, unused, for some considerable time, this delightfully original and well-preserved Brough is offered for restoration and sold strictly as viewed. The machine comes with a V5C Registration Certificate and a copy of its Works Record Card details.