Description
Brough Superior motorcycles have received an enormous amount of press recently not just from the announcement of the much anticipated launch of the new motorcycle due to be available later this year but due to their recent records achieved at the Bonneville salt flats in Utah USA.
Before the current owners acquired the company in 2008 it was part of Carmac Ltd. owned by engineer Alec Card, who also owned the rights, since the 1970’s to J A Prestwick Ltd, the famous engine company ‘JAP’. He and his son David had been building developing V twin engines based on the original designs making modifications along the way for some time but it was always their intention to reunite the two famous brands in one motorcycle.
In the early 1990’s they turned there attention to producing replica frames based on the 1928 SS100 ( frame no. 963 ) that they then owned. This experimental model here was dubbed the SS120 and was constructed in about 1992. Not built for road use it loosely resembled a ‘Pendine sand racer’ and features a 1200cc, 90 bore / 99 stroke narrow case engine fed by twin concentric carburetors, with magneto ignition. The frame had been copper plated similar to the famous racing SS100 Brough ‘Moby Dick’. The front suspension is made from a set of replica Castle forks with a Triumph hub and brake, the rear hub was hand made. The gear box was also a specially built ‘super heavy weight’ 3 speed Sturmey Archer type that was modified just for this bike.
Only two of these projects were started and this is the only one that was completed to this stage as further development would be required. Although the bike is in running working order it does not currently comply with any European road regulations. It is however constructed to a very high standard, with many one off parts made by hand.
Offered here by auction for the first time it comes directly from the Card family who are still the current owners of JAP Ltd., a totally unique British built motorcycle, it is the only (Carmac / JAP Ltd) Brough SS120 prototype.
