The
Brough Superior, a classic British motorcycle designed by George Brough in 1919 and manufactured in Nottingham, was of such high quality it was dubbed the Rolls-Royce of motorcycles. One famous customer, TE Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), owned eight and died in 1935 from injuries sustained when he crashed number seven.
The design was both beautiful and practical and often a sidecar was added. Although the factory closed after the Second World War, enthusiasts have ensured that the name survives. In 2004, around 1,000 original Brough Superior motorcycles still existed. The brand is regularly seen in period movies and television series, classic bike shows, hill climbs and motor races, and with 60,000 Instagram followers and 37,000 Facebook subscribers, the community of enthusiasts continues to expand.
Fast-forward to 2014 when the Brough Superior brand was purchased by a Jersey-registered corporation, which engaged Thierry Henriette to create a Brough Superior factory in St Jean in Southern France, near the aerospace capital of Toulouse. The factory now produces luxury motorcycles at the pinnacle of exclusivity and distinction, and despite production taking place in France, the British spirit of design has been maintained through a joint venture with Aston Martin to create the AMB 001 Pro, a limited-edition, high-performance motorcycle.
To support the R&D process, it was necessary to bring in-house the manufacture of some complex prismatic components. A Hurco VMX42SRTi five-axis vertical machining centre (VMC), supplied by
Hurco Europe Ltd, was chosen to carry out the task due to its ability to achieve the accuracy and surface finish required. It is also able to accept 3-D models directly into the proprietary WinMax control, which is renowned for its suitability for high-mix, low-volume production.
Furthermore, it enabled the manufacturer to enhance the customisation of motorcycles for its discerning clientele, offering different machining finishes and engraving possibilities, and assuring the impeccable quality of parts.
The VMC also supports CNC machining of a new, dual-cylinder, 997cc engine for the AMB 001 Pro, a high-performance, turbo-charged, track-only motorcycle born from a collaboration between Aston Martin and Brough Superior. It draws inspiration from Aston Martin’s Valkyrie AMR Pro hypercar and has a power-to-weight ratio comparable to that of a Formula One car.
Manufactured from solid aluminium billet, the engine is lighter, stiffer and more powerful than in previous Brough Superior bikes. In addition to powering the AMB 001 Pro, it has been engineered to fit perfectly into contemporary versions of the Lawrence and Dagger models. The majority of metal removal and finishing is completed in a single set-up on the Hurco VMX42SRTi.