Post Listing Update: 23 bids on eBay got the action up to $60,300, but that wasn’t enough to meet reserve.
When Paul D’Orleans, the man behind The Vintagent, says that a Brough Superior is the most beautiful production motorcycle ever made, then I listen. And while he’s a fan of the ’28 SS100 model, this SS80 should still check all the right boxes.
Called the Rolls Royce of bikes because of its impeccable finish, the SS80 (Super Sports) was named based on the founder’s assurances that the bike could hit 80mph, thanks to a nearly 1000cc engine. The first models used a J.A.P. engine, though by 1935 the SS80 started using Matchless V-Twins powerplants. Production ended in 1939, when World War II started. Just over 1,000 of the model were ever built, 460 of which have Matchless engines. For more information on the SS80, check out this writeup from RealClassic.
This specific Brough Superior SS80 was recovered from an abandoned storage locker in 2009 – too bad for whomever left the locker! It took nearly 3 years to finish the restoration – including the acquisition and restoration of a 1930’s Watsonian sidecar, as the build sheet said this bike was delivered from the factory with a chair. This bike won Best in Show at the 2012 Del Mar Concours d’Elegance, and it doesn’t just look good, it runs great, too. It should be noted that it doesn’t have the original motor, if that bothers you.
Find this Brough Superior SS80 for sale in Dallas, Texas with bidding up to $60,100 with the reserve not yet met