Brough’s First JAP Twin-Cylinder 1,000cc Model
It’s one of only two known to exist. This Brough Superior Mark 1 90-Bore had 1,000cc V-twin engine in 1922. That’s pure insanity, and it makes the bike one of the rarest two-wheeled vehicles in the world. The model you see here is in excellent, showroom condition. It’s up for sale, and you can buy it for what will undoubtedly be a lot of money by contacting a Mecum representative. Check the bike out at Mecum for more details.
George Brough started making motorcycles in 1919 with seed money from his father. His mission was simple: get the best components and build the fastest, best-handling, and most attractive motorcycles the world has ever seen. He used engines and gearboxes from JAP and Sturmey-Archer.
The Brough Superior Mark 1’s V-twin 1,000cc engine could be ordered with the overhead-valve JAP 90-Bore engine or the Swiss M.A.G. inlet-over-exhaust (F-head) motor. The model you see here has the JAP 90-Bore. That engine was a racing design and an early example of an overhead-valve V-twin.
In its day, the bike was both reliable and extremely fast, according to Mecum, though performance numbers aren’t cited. If you want to own an amazing piece of motorcycle history, this bike is it.
Be very careful with this motorcycles. It should be being described as a fake and not given oxygen. The bike has a stolen identity using vin #’s copied from the original machine’s works card (that had been published many years ago).
Hey Ben, could you provide a resource for that info? Surprising to hear that Mecum doesn’t know, or at least doesn’t appear to.
The auctioneer’s point of reference for a bike of this caliber should’ve been the owners club. They’ve got an encyclopaedic and forensic knowledge – as well as any existing factory records and knowledge of whether the vin and engine # stamps are original Brough or JAP ones. Without going into too much detail the correspondence on this bike has been damning. My advice – always speak to the relevant owners clubs before committing to a purchase….especially when it’s a bike as expensive as this.