The Brough Superior SS80 was a

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...

designed and built by

George Brough George Brough ( ) (21 April 1890 – 12 January 1970), was a motorcycle racer, world record holding motorcycle and automobile manufacturer, and showman. He was known for his powerful and expensive Brough Superior motorcycles which were the fi ...

Brough Superior Brough Superior ( ) motorcycles, sidecars, and automobile, motor cars were made by George Brough in his Brough Superior works on Haydn Road in Nottingham, England, from 1919 to 1940. The motorcycles were dubbed the "Rolls-Royce car, Rolls-Roy ...

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...

, UK from 1922 to 1939. Described by ''The Motor Cycle'' as "The Rolls-Royce of Motor Cycles", production ended with the outbreak of World War II in 1939.

Development

The SS80 (Super Sports) model was developed in 1920, soon after George Brough set up Brough Superior. The SS80's model designation was based on Brough's guarantee that it could reach . Finished to a standard that put it well beyond the reach of most motorcyclists, the SS80 set out the key features of all Brough Superior models to follow. Thirty-two SS80s were built in 1935. Early models used the

J.A.P. JA Prestwich Industries, was a British engineering equipment manufacturing company named after founder John Alfred Prestwich, which was formed in 1951 by the amalgamation of J.A.Prestwich and Company Limited and Pencils Ltd. History John Pres ...

sidevalve engine which was expected to be superseded by the overhead valve

Brough Superior SS100 The Brough Superior SS 100 is a motorcycle which was designed and built by George Brough in Nottingham, England in 1924. Although every bike was designed to meet specific customer requirements—even the handlebars were individually shaped—s ...

when it was introduced at the end of 1924, but SS80 sales continued well and in 1935 the SS80 was fitted with the

Matchless Matchless is one of the oldest marques of British motorcycles, manufactured in Plumstead, London, between 1899 and 1966. A wide range of models were produced under the Matchless name, ranging from small two-strokes to 750 cc Four-stroke cy ...

V-twin A V-twin engine, also called a V2 engine, is a two-cylinder piston engine where the cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. Although widely associated with motorcycles (installed either transversely or longit ...

engine, similar to the one fitted to the Matchless Model X but with Brough's modified

big end Big or BIG may refer to: * Big, of great size or degree Film and television * ''Big'' (film), a 1988 fantasy-comedy film starring Tom Hanks * '' Big!'', a Discovery Channel television show * ''Richard Hammond's Big'', a television show present ...

arrangement. Before production ended with the outbreak of World War II in 1939, 1,086 SS80's were manufactured in total, of which 460 were Matchless-engined.

SS80 De Luxe

The SS80 "De Luxe" specification included a fully sprung rear wheel, bottom link front forks, a patented rolling stand, pillion footrests and a specially tuned engine.

Racing success

George Brough used a specially-tuned SS80 he nicknamed 'Spit and Polish' (so called because of the immaculate finish he always maintained) to become the first sidevalver to lap the

Brooklands Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfields, ...

track at over . The same motorcycle went on to win 51 out of 52 races. The only time it failed to win was due to a puncture. Brough became famous as a competition rider and only retired from racing following a serious crash which left him recovering for eight months in hospital receiving skin grafts, as he never wore protective clothing.

References

External links

Compare new to a Classic SS80 - Video
{{commonscat, Brough Superior SS80 SS80 Vehicles introduced in 1924 Motorcycles introduced in the 1920s