105 years ago, the man who is synonymous with the Brough Superior name took part in a daring operation to capture Aqaba near the read sea. The exercise involved crossing the Nefud desert.
The operation was a success, and more than a century later the two names are once again reunited in the Brough Superior Lawrence Nefud scrambler.
Based on the already drool-worthy Lawrence edition of the ultra-rare retro machine, the Nefud is a jacked up, and off-road-ready take on the iconic SS100. And there is a bit more going on here than simply dreaming up a back story and sending it out the door!
For starters, the wheels are replaced for more ruggedly styled mag items, that are shod with Michelin Anakee Wild hoops that retain the standard bike’s 19” and 17” dimensions.
The 88 degree, 997cc, 102bhp engine also gains a smattering of protection, in the form of a handy looking sump guard. It’s a key feature, as, if you’ve ever seen the engine on a Brough; it does protrude quite a bit below the bike!
Another welcome change is a tweak to the ergonomics that are aimed at making riding off-road and on the pegs easier and more comfortable. The bars are much higher than the stock bike, while the pegs are shifted slightly lower, presumably to make lifting yourself upon them easier when riding on dirt.
While Brough seems to have gone to some sensible lengths to make its Lawrence fit for the dirt tracks of the world, it does all seem a bit futile. If the team in France actually think people will take a hand-built, limited-run £65,000 retro anywhere near any mud, they are very much mistaken!
