Carrying road grime gathered across the width of the North American Continent, and ridden by the charismatic Paul d’Orléans of The Vintagent for 4000 miles during this year’s Cannonball Run, this 1933 Brough Superior performed flawlessly, setting a record for the longest Brough ride.  Prepared by Revival Cycles for the event, it is back at Revival. Built to the very highest standards when new, it more than continues to hold its own. See link at right.

The Brough Superior in these 50 year old photos is the motorcycle currently being prepared by Revival Cycles in East Austin for probably the longest ride ever on a Brough — across the North American Continent.   Bryan Bossier, owner of Sinless Cycles in Baton Rouge, LA,  has loaned this 1933 Brough Superior 11-50hp, to well-known motorcycle journalist Paul d’Orleans and Alan Stulberg of Revival Cycles for this year’s Motorcycle Cannonball Run.

In March, I posted a few pics of this extraordinary motorcycle.  This particular Brough Superior was sold at auction not too long ago for more than $50k.  Historic pictures reveal that it was used with a sidecar at some point — which was common for this model, and that the gas tank has been changed.  It has a 1,096 c.c.  JAP (J.A. Prestwich) V-twin with side valves, an engine also used by other manufacturers. (This motorcycle might have a later 1935 engine.)

I mis-identified this as a SS80 in the earlier post, but this is a model slotted between the SS80 and the SS100, intended for long-distances.  It’s capable of 90+ mph, or 75 mph with a sidecar.   Good luck, boys.

This remarkable 1933 Brough Superior is being prepared for a cross-country trek.  Built from 1924 into the 1930s, it was guaranteed to reach 80 mph (the SS100 was guaranteed to reach 100). Called  “the Rolls Royce of motorcycles”, fabulously expensive and meticulously built to the highest standard, customized for each customer making them the ultimate motorcycle of its time.  Famously, T.E. Lawrence, Lawrence of Arabia, died riding his eighth Brough.  Another was jointly owned by Steve McQueen and his buddy, Von Dutch.  Learn more here.  And here.  Here are better pics from Revival Cycles.