BROUGH SUPERIOR SET TO BREAK AUCTION RECORD

Originally known as 'Spit & Polish' (due to its immaculate appearance), the bike was manufactured in 1922, when the Brough Superior company was still in its infancy. Built for the personal use of George Brough, Spit & Polish was powered by a 1000cc side-valve V-twin engine, and made its debut at the UK's famous Brooklands circuit. In addition to giving Brough his first race win, the bike also became the first side-valve machine to lap the historic Surrey track at over 100mph.

Brough rebuilt the motorcycle with special forks and a prototype JAP engine soon after, renaming it 'Old Bill' in memory of Bruce Bairnsfather's WWI cartoon character. With George in the saddle, it went on to win no less than 51 sprints in the 1922/1923 seasons.

The bike was then converted to road trim and sold to fund the factory's wages. It remained in storage for many years before being acquired by English Brough enthusiast, Titch Allen in the 1950s. With the assistance of George Brough and his one-time Works Manager Ike Webb, the bike was restored to its 1923 racing specification. Photos from the period show Brough clearly enjoying the chance to throw a leg over his old mount again.

Titch Allen passed the bike down to his son Roger in 1988, but following Roger's death at the Isle of Man in 1992, Old Bill was loaned to the Nottingham Industrial Museum, where it was displayed alongside other motorcycles, automobiles, steam engines and bicycles that reflected the region's manufacturing history.

Old Bill will be auctioned by H&H Classic Auction's motorcycle department in the UK on October 23 (replacing the original October 4 date for this auction). Given its history and provenance, H&H expect Brough's motorcycle to sell in the $400,000-$435,000 range, close to the existing $445,000 record paid for a later Brough Superior SS100 in 2010.

Old Bill also has the potential to become the best-ever selling motorcycle at auction, if it eclipses the US$551,000 paid for a veteran Cyclone board track racer in 2008.

According to George Beale, Principal of H&H's motorcycle department: "If I could bring any motorcycle in the world to auction, it would probably be this one - the combination of significance and provenance is simply unrivalled in my view."