Never knew that .. Brough Superior ?

[Bluechip]

Brough Superior 3-Cyl. Supercharged Radial bike engine ..

Just found out about this tonight from a Biker mate ..

And about 4 miles away from me ...

Sounds quite nice ..

Dave BC

[andyf]

Nice engine!

I cringe when I see a crank handle gripped like that, though. My Dad taught me  to wrap my thumb round the same side of the handle as my fingers, in case the engine kicked back and broke it.

Andy

[Bernd]

So that's what a 3 cylinder Harley is supposed to sound like. 

Very nice sounding indeed.

Bernd

[Ned Ludd]

Hi Guys,
As they would say on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In "very interesting, but stupid".
Mr Brough may have been a "brilliant engineer", but that does not like a good engine configuration for a road bike. The weight is too high and 2 cylinders are vulnerable on bends and the third would over heat. Having said that, wouldn't it be great to have one.
Ned

[andreas]

I can imagine a project like a small one-man plane using this beauty!!!!!
Andreas

[cidrontmg]

Erm...    Why is it called "Brough Superior"?  Whatīs the connection to the bike made famous (among others) by Lawrence of Arabia? The pre-war Brough Superiors were powered by J.A.P. engines, now also extinct, 2 cylinders at 45deg., or the very similar Matchless 1000cc V-twins. Brough didnīt make engines themselves. The frames they did build, but I donīt see any frame there, just the motor.
In itself, thatīs a nice motor, just rather short on cylinders for a radial. Love those flames issuing off the exhausts, not very efficient,  power-wise... But mounted to a bike, scooting around on it during night-time, a sure-fire (hehe...) head-turner. Even for blind people - no silencers...   

[Bluechip]

Hi Troops

Maybe the radial configuration was intended for a sidecar bike, Brough made sidecars as well as bikes...  

Ah, Citrontmg ...

Never made their own engines ,,, ??  Oh, no, they didn't ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brough_Superior_Golden_Dream

Oh, yes they did  

Also put Austin7 engines in them ...

http://vintagebike.co.uk/Bike%20Directories/Brough%20Bikes/Brough%20Superior%20index.htm

Dave BC

[cidrontmg]

Heh, OK, I stand corrected!  (Sort of... 5 bikes worth...)   
"Five Golden Dreams were produced during 1939 and another model was planned for exhibition at Olympia; but World War II was declared in September 1939 and the Brough works were turned over to the war effort, making components for Rolls-Royce. They never returned to motorcycle production."

"Maybe the radial configuration was intended for a sidecar bike, Brough made sidecars as well as bikes..."
They certainly did, and they even made a few (some 85) cars. Using engines & chassis from Hudson. And one with a Lincoln-Zephyr V12.