Pure italian power
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Brough Superior Black Alpine 680 1932
Quite what George Brough's father - Nottingham-based motorcycle manufacturer William Edward Brough - thought when his younger son cheekily added the word 'Superior' to the family name when founding his rival marque can only be imagined, but it's thanks to this act of youthful bravado that we have one of the greatest and most-evocative names in motorcycling. W E Brough's machines had been innovative and well-engineered, and his son's continued the family tradition but with an added ingredient - style. J A Prestwich of London and Motosacoche of Geneva supplied v-twin engines for the MkI and MkII Brough Superiors respectively, though within a few years all models would be JAP-powered. Gearboxes were sourced from Sturmey-Archer and (initially) forks from Montgomery, while frame and accessory manufacture was contracted out to specialists in the British motorcycle industry's Midlands heartland.
With the SS80 and SS100 well established by the mid-1920s, it was decided to add a smaller and cheaper alternative to these two 1-litre models to the range. JAP was already producing a 674cc sidevalve v-twin engine and this unit, redesigned to accommodate overhead valves, went into Brough's new 'Overhead 680'. First shown to the public at the Olympia Motorcycle Show in 1926, the 'Miniature SS100', as George Brough called it, entered production for 1927. The new middleweight Brough was an instant success and for the 1930 season was joined by a version to higher specification. First seen at the 1929 Motorcycle Show, the newcomer was dubbed 'Black Alpine 680', a reference to the lavishly equipped SS100 Alpine Grand Sports and the fact that the newcomer boasted a distinctive all-black eggshell finish. Principal mechanical difference from the standard Overhead 680 was the adoption of the patented Draper sprung frame.
The Brough Club has confirmed that this matching-numbers Black Alpine, which retains its original fuel tank, was dispatched from the factory on 1st October 1932, while the accompanying original logbook reveals that it was first owned by Mr Philip Ireson, a resident of Haydn Road, Nottingham where the Brough factory was located. In March 1934 'TV 7124' was bought back by the factory and registered in George Brough's name before being sold to its second private owner, one H Whitehead of South Woodford, Essex in April of that same year. Continuation logbooks on file (issued 1942, 1950, 1957 and 1977) list owners as far afield as Kent and Wales while revealing that at times the Brough has been attached to a sidecar. The current owner's family acquired the machine in the late 1970s/early 1980s, since when it has remained in storage, untouched. Sold strictly as viewed, 'TV 7124' represents an exciting opportunity to acquire an exceptionally well-documented and original Black Alpine, ripe for sympathetic restoration.
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S2 RACE Tokyo Fixed
S2 RACE Tokyo Fixed completes are built exclusively with components we know and trust. We have worked hard to offer quality completes which stand out from the competition as bikes you would be genuinely proud to ride away on and do not need constant upgrades.
With the S2 Race we wanted to offer a real taste into riding a track bike on the street. This is a joy many disregard but many more swear by. Take the S2 out for a ride and you’ll know why. The S2 Race also show cases the Nitto RB0010, our own bar design, perfectly suited for street riding.
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Phil Read al Curvone Yamaha 250, 1964
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The Catalina Grand Prix, America's version of The Isle of Man
The Catalina Grand Prix was one of the biggest races In the country at the time. It was a 100-mile event held on Santa Catalina Island of the coast of Los Angeles. The 10-mile course was a mixture of road, dirt fire trails, singletrack, and even went through a golf course. Cycle Magazine noted that many of the big AMA national riders skipped Catalina so as not to suffer embarrassment at the hands of Southern California scrambles riders who dominated the event.
It was a time and energy completely unrivaled in all of motorcycle racing history. Many of the AMA’s best motorcycle racers, local SoCal riders, shop owners, and colorful MC’s (The Checkers, Shamrocks, Rough Riders, Dirt Diggers, and more) mixing with Hollywood actors, stunt riders, and thrill-seekers– all converging on the tiny vacation island from 1951 – 1958 for an event like no other. Actors Keenan Wynn avidly raced, Steve McQueen famously attended, and Lee Marvin infamously raised holy hell. In fact, Dave Ekins went so far as crediting Lee Marvin for being partially responible for the Catalina GP’s demise in 1958.
In 1956, Ed Kretz, Jr. (son of the legendary “Iron Man” Ed Kretz, Sr.) was victorious in the 200cc class at the Catalina Grand Prix riding a Triumph Cub. Here’s an amazing shot of the 250cc and under class start, he’s in the vicinity there somewhere… Kretz, Jr. missed a few seasons in the early ’50s while he served his country in the the war, and came back strong having his best pro years in 1956 and ’57. In 1956, he scored a pair of top-five national finishes and finished tied for sixth in the final AMA Grand National Championship standings. He was again a top-10 rider in 1957 and scored his fourth career podium finish at Peoria.
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Jarno Saarineen 1972
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Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
The P-40 was the United States' best fighter available in large numbers when World War II began. P-40s engaged Japanese aircraft at Pearl Harbor and in the Philippines in December 1941. They also served with the famed Flying Tigers in China in 1942, and in North Africa in 1943 with the 99th Fighter Squadron, the first African American U.S. fighter unit.
The solid, reliable Warhawk was used in many combat areas -- the Aleutian Islands, Italy, the Middle East, the Far East, the Southwest Pacific and some were sent to Russia. Though often slower and less maneuverable than its adversaries, the P-40 earned a reputation in battle for extreme ruggedness. It served throughout the war but was eclipsed by more capable aircraft. More than 14,000 P-40s were built, and they served in the air forces of 28 nations.
The aircraft on display is a Kittyhawk (the export version of the P-40E built for the RAF). It is painted to represent the aircraft flown by then-Col. Bruce Holloway, a pilot in both the Flying Tigers and its successor Army Air Forces unit, the 23rd Fighter Group. This P-40 was obtained from Charles Doyle, Rosemount, Minn.
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