1927 Brough Superior SS100 Pendine – Featured in the film ‘Lawrence of Arabia’

History

SOLD!

This outstanding motorcycle is an original ‘SS100’ Pendine model and is one of the rarest and most desirable Brough Superior models ever made. The ‘Pendine’ was near identical to the Works Racing SS100 models and constructed by special order for just a handful of selected privateer Brough clients who wished to compete with them, the name Pendine originating from the famous Pendine Sands in Wales where Brough enjoyed much success with sand racing in period

This particular Pendine was sold new from the factory to C.F.Edwards in 1927 and used by him for racing until 1930.  Mr Edwards was a motorcycle dealer from Cirencester and a close friend of George Brough and had purchased this bike to replace his existing 1925 SS100 ‘Sandracer’. On this machine he enjoyed considerable success, some of his results are listed below: 

Pendine 1927- 1^st – 1 mile sidecar race

Southport 1927- 1^st 86.03mph

Southport 1928- 1^st Straight mile

Southport 1929- 1^st straight mile

Southport 1929 – 1^st 10 mile sidecar race

Pendine 1929 – 1^st 20 mile sidecar race

Southport 1930 – 1^st – straight mile sidecar race

The extensive history file that accompanies this bike contains a letter from the registrar of the Brough Superior Club, Mike Leatherdale, where he notes ‘It is exceptionally early JTOR engine in an SS100’. The letter further comments that he could find only two bikes listed with this racing engine that were constructed before this bike, the machines of ‘Meyer’ (works rider) and the works own ‘Storey Sprinter’. This latest and most powerful engine no doubt had a positive influence on Edwards success in competition

In August 1930 the bike appears to have been returned to the factory for conversion to road use.  It was sold ex factory to ‘Dorrian’ in August 1930 and little is known about his ownership, minor changes to the bike were made by the works to conform to road use requirements, most notably a headlamp, horn and kickstart

The next known owner of the machine was Mr Gordon Hills in the 1950’s whose ownership is recorded in the buff log book retained on file.  Hills subsequently part exchanged the bike with a Matchless from motorcycle dealer Comerford’s who recognised the significance of this machine and retained it as part of their private collection for the following half-century

The bike was later loaned by Comerfords to the production company for the filming of the 1962 epic ‘Lawrence Of Arabia’ film starring Peter O’Toole. This actual bike features extensively throughout the opening scenes of the film with O’Toole at the helm, depicting T.E.Lawrence’s final ride, albeit fitted with ‘UL 656’ number plates, the registration of the machine that ‘TEL’ rode on his fateful and final day  

The Pendine remained under the custodianship of Comerford’s for the next forty years until their closure, at which point Teddy Comerford sold to the bike to the late Brian Verrall in 2000. Brian Verrall was the founder and owner of ‘Verralls’, one of the most well-respected vintage motorcycle dealerships on the planet and the business continues to be a dominant force within the vintage bike market to this very day

When Mr Verrall acquired the bike he immediately commissioned leading Brough Superior restorer Simon Miles to complete a comprehensive restoration to its correct 1927 specification, eagle eyed viewers will note from the film that it looked rather different in 1962 to its original factory specification. Following the completion of the restoration in 2002, Mr Verrall sold the bike to a noted UK based Brough Superior collector where it remained until we were entrusted with its sale in the summer of 2023

During the aforementioned ownership the Pendine was generously lent as a static display to the Pendine Museum, who proudly displayed the bike in a glass case next to ‘BABS’ the ex Parry Thomas aero engined land speed record car

We are extremely proud to have been selected to handle the sale of one of the most important motorcycles on the planet which has been recently recommissioned by Simon Miles. Without question one of the finest Brough Superior models extant and with exceptional provenance, this unrepeatable SS100 features heavily in our forthcoming Brough Superior film