1919-1922: After the War

In 1919, with his war duty completed, George Brough began designing and manufacturing his new V-twin motorcycle. He was given the use of a garage opposite the family home to build these machines. But the question remained—what should he name the bike, given that "Brough" was already associated with his father's machines? During one of many discussions between George and his friends, a bystander named Bob Blay grew tired of the debate and remarked, "If it's so superior, why not name it the Brough Superior?"

In 1920, Brough Superior introduced its first machine, the Brough Superior Mark I OHV JAP, which was featured in The Motor Cycle on September 30th, 1920. The standout feature was its V-twin engine, 90x77mm, 90 Bore, overhead-valve JAP 980cc that was modified to meet George's requirements. Within forty-eight hours of the announcement—and before the price was even revealed—George received checks from nearly twenty enthusiasts eager to purchase a Brough Superior motorcycle.

In 1921, after noticing that the current manufacturing premises were too cramped to handle the required levels of production, George moved to a new site on Haydn Road in January. By April 1921, the Haydn Road works were in full production.

1922 was a hectic time as the factory faced challenges in keeping up with the demand sparked by the Motorcycle Show. George and his team refined the design, and soon after, the public learned of the development in August 1922 with the announcement of a new super-sports machine to be known as the S.S.80.

Overall, in its early years, Brough Superior quickly gained a reputation as a premium motorcycle manufacturer, recognized for crafting high-performance and luxurious motorcycles.

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