From the archive

We look at where touring came from and the majestic Brough Superior Alpine Grand Sports

This month, Ross Mowbray, editor of Morebikes, and I toured around the East of England for a couple of days, which you can read about on page 66. We used one of the first mainstream tourers, a BMW R100RT brought out in 1978, and its modern-day sibling, the R1250RT, to see the difference. With more than 40 years between the designs, it was very interesting.

Ninety-one years ago, back in

1929, the very idea of touring was grand. While the working man was trying to keep food on the table, those that could were finding the still-new motorcycle could give them a newfound freedom. And the few that could afford it, chose to do it on a Brough Superior SS100 Alpine Grand Sports.

The 986cc V-twin was made by JAP and each bike was tested to 100mph, at a time when most people didn’t have a car, let alone a vehicle that could top a ton. You really were someone special.

The Alpine Grand Sports was tuned slightly for touring, and took its name from an Austrian reliability trial in

1925 in which George Brough himself competed, but still focused very much on performance – to the degree that it would probably be as quick as our 1989 BMW.

The two toolboxes fitted would have held bits and bobs, with a large rack on top for luggage, although it was obviously just a single-seater. And, originally there would have been an accompanying chair.

The bike pictured had an older style frame and was sold in 1929 to a Mr Preston, who specified Castle forks, a Cruiser sidecar and twin headlamps. It last sold at auction with Bonhams in 2014 for £315,100. I paid less than 1% of that price for my BMW – I bet I get more than 1% enjoyment. However, it is truly one magnificent machine.