The Brough Superior is a name not many of us would have heard. In fact, its existence was somewhat of an urban myth. It came into the limelight thanks to an accidental barn find. Unveiled for the first time in more than 50 years, 'The Broughs of Bodmin Moor' were offered at Bonhams Sale of Important Collectors' Motorcycles at Stafford earlier this week.
Bonhams claims a world auction record price for a British-built motorcycle with the 1938 Brough Superior 750cc BS4 selling for $481,520 (Rs 3.2 crore) at its Stafford Sale. The sale was held simultaneously with the annual Stafford International Motorcycle show in England.
A group of eight two-wheelers, known to be the Broughs of Bodmin Moor, were discovered last year in a remote Cornish village, part of the estate of the late Frank Vague of the Brough Superior Club. The bikes were discovered whole or in parts beneath ‘dust, old machinery parts and household clutter’ according to Bonhams.
Only 10 BS4 (Brough Superior four-cylinder) bikes were built - only five survive. The bike features an engine and gearbox from an Austin 7 car. The record breaking 1938 Brough Superior 750 features a four-cylinder engine which was incredibly advanced. Most motorcycles of that era had only single-cylinder engines.
Brough Superior motorcycles are incredibly rare, powerful machines of the pre-war era. Dubbed the Rolls-Royce of motorcycles, they're famed as the bike of choice for aficionados such as the playwright George Bernard Shaw, and T.E. Lawrence, aka Lawrence of Arabia, owner of eight models.
Frank Vague, was an avid member of the Brough Superior Club. He acquired the majority of the collection in the early 1960s; they've since remained unused for some 50 years.
The bike was the highlight of “The Broughs of Bodmin Moor” collection, Together, the Bodmin Moor bikes sold for $1.1 million (Rs 7.3 crore) at the Stafford Sale (prices listed include buyer’s premium fees.) Overall, the auction sold 230 motorcycles for $5.05 million (Rs 33.5 crore).
Other top sales at the auction included:
1939 Vincent-HRD 998cc Rapide Series-A “project” for $392,150 (Rs 2.6 crore),
The ex-Henry Laird demonstrator 1938 Brough Superior 992cc SS100 for $319,030 (Rs 2.1 crore),
A 1938 Brough Superior 982 SS100 “project” for $254,034 (Rs 1.6 crore),
A 1929 Coventry-Eagle 980cc Flying-8 OHV for $237,785 (Rs 1.5 crore).
