Brough in Vegas.....

[Barry Brown]

I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF RIDING THIS FIRE BREATHING MONSTER AT THE RALLY IN ENGLAND. THIS BIKE WON A LOT OF RACES IN IT'S DAY, VERY FAST

[Barry Brown]

THE VIEW MOST COMPETITORS SAW AT BROOKLANDS

[Barry Brown]

MY 1929 SS100 ALPINE GRAND SPORTS

[Barry Brown]

I'M NOT NARROW MINDED, I LIKE LOTS OF AMERICAN BIKES TOO BUT PREFER THE LOOKS OF INDIANS OVER HARLEYS THIS IS MY 36 FOUR. SADDLE SPRINGS WERE AT THE TIME OF THE PICTURE ON LOAN TO MR. FICKAU!

[c.o.]

That is one sweet injun! Got any spare pics of the Koslow?

[jurassic]

barry,i've always been a fan, the vintage years at brooklands is priceless.

[Barry Brown]

Lonnie, You are probably aware that picture of Freddie Dixon depicts the very same bike that I pictured at the rally. It was nicknamed the "Works Scrapper" and held not only Brooklands records but the world speed record as well. A new book has just been published about Freddie Dixon, he was quite a character. Of course he also had an incredible 8 valve Harley which he campaigned at brooklands etc. in a loop frame with an Indian transmission and many other of his one off mods including his own "clip on " handlebars, maybe the very first ever? Unfortunately this bike was "sanitized" and all this history lost. The Scrapper also has these clip ons. Of course Dixon's Douglas outfit that won the first Isle of man sidecar race in 23 had disc brakes. The man was clearly ahead of the curve. He also was an engineer who contributed to the Brough Gloden Dream design , a flat four shaft drive.

[c.o.]

Thanks Barry that bike deserves a thread of it's own!!

[Smarty]

Barry,

Some great pictures of Broughs, including your own SS 100, thanks for posting. The most beautiful Brough I ever saw was the 1925 SS100 AGS that Tony Cripps restored a few years back and which I believe now resides in the US.

Million dollar question though Barry, when your current time on this planet is up which bike would you choose to be buried with and so take to ride in the next world ? would it be the Koslow or the Brough ?

Regards,

Martin

[Barry Brown]

I agree that Tony Cripp's bike "TO..." set a new standard for excellence of restoration. Even better in my mind is this early patinated 100 that was discovered in Scotland and IS BELIEVED TO BE Lawrence's first ss100 although there is no definitive proof yet. Here it is as I photographed it in front of Lawrence's cottage "Clouds Hill" very near to the place of his fatal accident. The Latin inscription above the doorway translates as "nothing matters"
As far as bikes to be buried with I prefer none but would like to think someone will cherish and ride them when I am gone. In the afterlife I am hoping for an early Munch Mammut and since I am one of the few who finds beauty in them feel I have a good chance!

[Barry Brown]

Since I knew I could never own TO I commissioned a painting to be done.

[Barry Brown]

Here is the beginning of my circa 1925 ss100 "bitza" Still need lots of parts especially engine internals. Can anyone help?

[Smarty]

Barry,

It's strange that I live about 20 miles from Cloud's Hill and have ridden bikes past it many times including on the VMCC's Lawrence of Arabia Run where we (about 20-30 of us on vintage bikes) visit Lawrence's grave at Morton cemetary to pay our respects to him, yet have never actually been to the cottage itself, I'll make the effort this year on a bike old enough to have been around when Lawrence himself was riding.

XX 7646 looks beautiful too with its aged patina, having seen the pictures of TO' before it was restored, it had to be restored rather than preserved as XX has been.

There is a guy in yorkshire UK making parts for the early JAP's and who sells via ebay (UK), or I guess you have spoken to Ken Middleditch who built a "new" Brough from scratch (it was featured in The Classic Motorcycle a few years back),to find out where he had engine components manufactured ?

Kind regards,

Martin

[Barry Brown]

Martin, Wow, that is too bad you hadn't known about that day we rode over to Cloud's Hill.We all got in for free and a tour because of the Brough connection! I forget how many bikes but it was around 30 Broughs and a few Brough autos as well. During the rally there were several non Broughs keeping us company, it seems all were accepted and all told a super bunch of people in the club not at all what you sometmes hear from outsiders. Barry

[Eric MATHIEU]

Hot damn Barry you got me fired up again. I've always felt the BS was a bitza with the JAP engine really being the "nice" part of the bike but the shots you posted make me feel a little different. That Indian four of yours is an absolute beauty thanks for sharing.
Eric