'CHINESE RED' ORIGINAL VINCENT

Besides the super-rare Hildebrand and Wolfmüller coming up for sale at Bonhams' big Las Vegas auction on January 6, 2011, scouts have unearthed an original-paint, very rare 1952 'Touring' Vincent Rapide.  Discovered in a garage in Fresno, CA, the Vincent has only 8500 miles on the clock, and is virtually untouched.  The 'Chinese Red' paint scheme is very popular with collectors, as the Touring version of the Rapide model has 19" wheels and painted, fully valanced mudguards...more room for paint as opposed to the normal Vincent chrome steel blades.  Apparently this machine sat for nearly 50 years, untouched, and will need 'light recommissioning' to make roadworthy...ie, to find out what stopped it back then!

The bike is estimated to sell for $85-100,000, which means the reserve is probably $85k.  Not cheap, but then, not many Vincents are left in original paint, with less than 10k miles!

WSBK Imola: Max Biaggi is the 2010 World Superbike Champion

Thanks to the fifth place earned in race 2, Biaggi brought the point gap to 63 points between him and Leon Haslam (Suzuki), who was the last rider in contention for the title (413 to 350). A gap impossible to fill with only the French round at Magny Cours to go until the end of the season. Max Biaggi – with his fifth title after four consecutive world championships, from 1994 to 1997 in the 250 class – is the first Italian World Superbike champion.

In the manufacturer standings Aprilia (433 points) is 41 points ahead of Ducati (392). Nine points will be enough for the Veneto-based team to take the manufacturer championship.

But Imola was not the site of a simple race day: delayed at the start of race 1, Biaggi had to settle for a placement (11th). Race 2 was an entirely different story. Abandoning any use of tactics, Max forced his Aprilia RSV4 into the front positions, battling for the podium right from the first turn. The fifth place he ended up with handed Max the championship title a round early and evoked an explosion of rejoicing from the thousands of fans who had come out to the circuit to cheer on the most famous Corsair in world motorcycle racing.

“This is a grand day – commented an exhausted but happy Biaggi in the end – a day which I have greatly desired. I’ve often felt in past years like I hadn’t been placed in the proper conditions to be able to express my worth and to achieve the results that I know I deserve. This is one of the reasons that, at a certain point in my career, I chose this world, the SBK championship, and this is why I wanted to surround myself with the right people for this adventure – because racing isn’t just about speed, tyres and an engine. It is also about joy and having fun and with these guys, with this team, I feel at home. I want to thank everyone: my team, Aprilia, Piaggio Group, the chairman.

It has not been an easy season. Many riders have won races and if they had been just a bit more consistent, they would have been able to be more troublesome for us. The greatest moments were the double victories at Monza and Misano. It is something very special to win in front of my fans. But it isn’t over yet – there is still one goal left – to ride my RSV4 to the manufacturer title. We’ll talk again in a week and it would be truly fantastic to close out this wonderful season with another championship”.

Roberto Colaninno, chairman and CEO of the Piaggio Group (which Aprilia is part of) was in the pit to experience the triumph of his team and rider and had this to say: “Today we achieved an extraordinary result which takes place in the second year of Aprilia’s participation in World Superbike and, once again, confirms the technical excellence of the Noale Racing Division as well as the Piaggio Group in the two-wheel worldwide scene. It would be impossible to imagine anything better on a day like today. We won the World Superbike Championship on an Italian track, with an Italian bike, an Italian rider and a sponsor – Alitalia – which takes Italy all over the world. This has never before happened in Superbike history and this makes all of us that much more proud”.

aprilia RS 125

Production ran until 2005 and was subsequently dropped Tuono 1999 to 2005 The RS125 Tuono was introduced in 1999 as a semi naked version of the RS125. The most notable features are the angular fairings, two headlight units, digital gauge and multispoke rims. RS125 2006 onwards The RS125 was given completely new fairing styling similar to the RSVR. The lip on the headlight unit is increased in size.

RS125 1999 to 2005 The RS125 is revised again in 1999 with more rounder and bulbous fairings, five spoke rims and a single air duct on the right hand side. A digital gauge is added in place of the temperature gauge. The headlight unit is rounded and the lip is introduced to the top centre. The front air intakes are integrated into the front upper portion of the middle fairing. The RS retains a lot of the appearances of the previous RS but there are some notable differences.

RS125 1996 to 1998 The RS125 is revised and the R suffix is dropped. It has the distinctive features of having an angular tail section and swept front fairing, square cut headlight unit, three spoke rims, air scoops on the upper front middle fairing, Electric starter or kick start on the left hand side and analogue gauges. Aprilia introduced the first RS125 in 1992.

aprilia RS 250

Firstly because they look more stylish secondly they consume Now why replace stock headlights with Xenon Bulbs? According to facts these bulbs give off 30% more light, and consumes 55w and do not emit any more heat than a stock halogen bulb, and amazingly draw less current, saving you energy for the other systems on a bike. Aprilla Xenon headlights would probably be the best motorcycle upgrade you could have as these Xenon bulbs are specifically designed for use with motorcycle plastic lenses, which makes it a safe. Fixing the Aprilla Xenon bulbs require less time, they come with a one year warranty.

The Aprilia bulbs are easy to install and draws less power equivalent to 12v /55w which is much less then 135W by a Halogen headlights and produces 7500K of heat, the color of light it produces is ultra bright white and blue tint. But anyone who would want an effective lighting system for his motorcycle would recommend getting himself an Aprilla Xenon Headlights kit for his bike. These Xenon Headlight bulbs are available in a variety of designs and can produce different amount of lumens, making it easier for the buyer to choose any type of Aprilla Xenon Headlights. .

The Aprilia Xenon headlights are the brightest bulbs because of the usage of xenon gas instead of the old traditional halogen headlights which produces the conventional yellow light used by many bikers in the past years. The Aprilia Xenon headlights are designed for those motorcyclist who love to ride in the pitch dark and wants their headlights to be very bright and stylish and can make their ride easy and fun in any kind of darkness .the motorcycle are the best ever due to their capabilities when it comes to their beaming lights. It was establishment in 1960 and by 1975 they were producing a wide range of motorcycles. Aprilia as a motorcycle factory does not have a very old history, but in a very short time span they have made their mark on the motorcycle industry.

CATHERINE, PARIS, NORTON

Catherine, who prefers her privacy, started riding in the heady year of 1969.  She always liked motorcycles, and had a boyfriend who rode one of the first Honda CB 750s, but "he scared me, as a passenger, by going too fast.  I decided to get my own bike.  That way, I could control things." Her first choice, a Yamaha DT1 Enduro 250cc, was a bear to kickstart, even for two-stroke, but she kept it for a year...not bothering with a driver's license!

By 1971 she decided a Norton Commando 750 (above, wearing its usual chrome tank) was the bike for her, which led to a string of Commandos, ending with an 850cc Interstate electric-start, which lacked the svelte grace of the previous Roadster models and didn't stay long.  She kept that first Norton for 39 years; it endured a string of other bikes as garage-mates, including a Dresda-framed Suzuki racer (a twin-cylinder two-stroke, weighing all of 110kg), and a lot of Hondas.  The very first Gold Wing in France was hers (the importer was a friend), but Catherine found it horrible..."it was a big shit, and I sold it in 3 weeks. It always felt like it was falling over in corners, and simply wasn't fun...I preferred sporty bikes, and at the time I wanted the biggest bike of all...very American!" she laughs.  By contrast, she also had the very first Honda Dax in France, with a floral seat.

In the early 70s, many of her friends rode Harleys, but she chose a Norton. "Everybody had a Harley Davidson; it was popular to say 'I have a Harley', but my friends who owned them weren't really fond of motorcycles...they just wanted to say they had one.  They didn't ride very well, it was all for show.  
I was working for La Moto magazine in Paris, as a test rider for bikes.  I was also asked to model for a lot of ads which needed a woman on a bike.  Once, I was approached for a commercial for 'Genie' soft drinks, which was filming in that part of Spain they use for Western movies.  They needed a woman who could ride an Enduro bike, so I got the call.  It happened that Giacomo Agostini was also used for the film, so I was able to interview him at the same time.  The article was published in La Moto.  I rode with a gang who were friends with some famous people, so we were pretty visible around Paris."

Her distinctive leathers were made by Parisian Albert Hirsch, whose company 'Dada Cuirs' (Dada Leathers) made some of the finest racing and riding outfits in the world, kitting all the French GP stars from 1971-84; Bernard Fau, Jean-Claude Chemarin, Charles Krajka, and most notably, his friend Michel Rougerie, wearing Dada leathers in the fantastic film Le Cheval de Fer (check out this youtube teaser - if you haven't seen it, buy it!).  Hirsch earned his scissors at fashion houses Lanvin and Hermés, and the quality of Catherine's leathers is clear - they are still in excellent shape nearly 40 years later.

Hirsch made her two sets of one-piece leathers, one in black, the other red, with the black meant to be tucked into boots, and the red with bell-bottoms - the height of fashion.  He made the custom 'flaming Norton' logo for her chest, and Catherine's personal logo, the panther, for the back.

Catherine "considered having the panther tattooed on my arm, but walking into the parlor and seeing the tattoo artist and a very stoned customer turned me off completely, and I walked out.  Now I'm glad I didn't do it."  While she included her leathers with the Norton when sold earlier this year (they don't fit anymore!), she kept a fur-lined riding jacket; "I had Dada make the fur collar really tall so it would cover my nose while riding and keep my face warm."

Regarding the Norton...it was difficult for her to sell such a long-time friend, but she "finally found someone I felt would take good care of it" in Paris, along with her leathers... although she's keeping the beautiful hand-painted tank which adorns it for these photographs.  It's a spare, which she gave to a group of artist and musician friends in '71 to paint as they chose, and she loved the result.  A treasured possession, she declines to publicize who did the work, as the artist didn't sign it, and she doesn't want to be bothered by 'trophy hunters'.

What I can say about this tank, painted in an era of 'heightened consciousness' in Paris...it is simply sublime, one of the finest custom paint jobs on a motorcycle tank I've ever seen, very sweet in a depiction of youthful, virginal innocence, the Springtime of life.  Alas, that image was stark contrast to the reality of the time, when so many of Catherine's friends "used Everything", while she preferred the high of riding a powerful motorcycle.  Sadly, the painter died soon after the tank was finished, a victim of his own indulgence, but Catherine keeps the tank, and her memories, close at hand.

Husqvarna at Motorcycle Live

SMR511

Husqvarna are at this weeks Motorcycle Live at the Birmingham NEC for the first time under the stewardship of parent company BMW. Amongst the bikes for 2011 that they are displaying is the SMR511 weighing only 118kgs the SMR511 is  the most of its powerful single cylinder, twin cam power unit and is the latest flagship supermoto to be developed by the multiple World Championship winning brand.

TE630

In addition the Husqvarna Motorcycle Live stand R424 Hall 3, will show off  the dual purpose TE630 trail, an new addition to the 600cc single-cylinder four-stroke on/off-road sector. Designed to attract those less competition-minded riders who use their bikes every day and need more comfort and practicality.

Ride safe.

Jon Booth
Email: webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk
Blog: http://bestmotorstyle2011.blogspot.com//
Swicki: http://motorcycling-swicki.eurekster.com/

Polar Bear Grand Tour to Port Jervis, NY on Nov. 21, 2010

Check out pictures and videos of the fourth motorcycle run of the Polar Bear Grand Tour season to Port Jervis, NY on November 21, 2010.

Motorcycle Pictures of the Week - Tom

Here are my Pictures of the Week as displayed on the Motorcycle Views Website. This feature has been expanded to include Bikes Only and Trikes Only. These pictures are taken from the Moto Pic Gallery. See Tom's 2008 Suzuki Boulevard C50 Trike under Men on Motorcycles. There are no Trikes Only, Women on Motorcycles, or Bikes Only this week. We need more pictures of men and women with their motorcycles. Get your picture in. For details, see Motorcycle Pictures of the Week.

HOW YOU FIND THEM #18: AJS 'K7' RACER

There is little more exciting than finding an old racing motorcycle literally in a barn, slathered inside and out with heavy oil, a solid gold tale of racing history attached.  More problematic is the task of documenting such provenance, for while any 80 year old bike is interesting, a claim that it placed in the Junior Isle of Man TT of 1927, Jimmy Simpson aboard, is very much more interesting indeed. 

This lovely AJS K7 350cc overhead camshaft machine is certainly a rare beast whether roadster or racer, and one of very few from the category 'flat tank cammies', a super exclusive club.  Overhead-cam drive was typically adopted post-1927 by the motorcycle industry; the 'saddle tank' was the fashionable thing by that date, thus only early adopters such as Velocette (1925 - 'K' model) and AJS in 1927 with their model 'K', K7 (349cc) and K10 (498cc), but in this case, the letter referred to the year of production.  At first glance, the pannier tanks look to be the real deal, a factory racing item never sold to the public, and it bears a small plaque with '27 TT', plus the number '35'.  The early André steering and fork dampers look correct, as does the rare Binks twistgrip throttle assembly, and the Lucas horseshoe racing magneto. Curioser and curioser. (Above, Simpson making minor adjustments to his mount at the TT.)

The AJS was almost unique in using the simplest method of driving cams before the advent of rubber belts; a chain drive.  There had been plenty of chain-driven OHC motorcycles, cars and airplanes previous to this, but the recently-patented 'Weller' spring-steel blade chain tensioner (see above), used under license, meant the long travel from crankshaft sprocket to cylinder head was not accompanied by chain whip, nor the need to predict thermal expansion of the engine when setting up chain tension.  In short, it made such a drive elegant, and very easy to set up, as opposed to the Velocette/Norton/Ducati shaft-and-bevel drive, which took skills to get everthing shimmed up just right, and was therefore expensive to produce.

Specification of the 'K' engine was fairly advanced for the day, with a proper recirculating oil pump and aluminum rocker arms, although AJS had yet to discover that a camshaft acting directly on the rocker arms had different requirements from the whippy 'knitting needles' driving standard OHV engines.  The frame was a bit 'light' for a TT race, and the Druid sidespring forks primitive in their lack of movement...and in the case of this machine, the André friction fork damper would have simply slowed down the meager 1" of motion.  The brakes are nothing to celebrate either, for while the rear will lock the wheel, the front is good for one strong squeeze, then expect nothing further!  I speak from experience, having owned a 'Big Port' ohv from the same year... That said, while the chassis was strictly traditional, these 'flat tank' AJS' steer to a hair, even if they weave a bit at speed.

The oil coating under which this racer was found means somebody cared to protect it, even if the machine sat for decades.  The current owner first encountered the AJS 5 years ago, sitting in a cattle shed in Scotland, although the owner did not wish to sell.  Five weeks ago he was passing the same farm (370 miles from home), and stopped in to ask after the bike, on the off chance.  "The farmer had recently gone into an old persons home, to which his son directed me, and that was that!  He told me the bike had stood in the barn for the last 60 years; it was full of oil - the engine, tanks, every part that could hold oil did and then some...a sort of very heavy oil all over.  He said it was Jimmy Simpson's 1927 TT bike, but could not find the paper work. Still hope of this turning up."  Yes, hope will be necessary; if the story pans out, this is quite a discovery.

Benelli celebrate a Century with the Century Racer 1130

This year is Benelli's centenary and to celebrate they have launched a commemorative model the Benelli Century Racer 1130. There will also be a 899 version as well . Moto GB UK importers will be showing the Century Racer 1130 at Motorcycle Live.

Moto GB will also be showing for the first time in the UK the Benelli TNT R160 in its new white and red colour scheme. The  TNT R160 features radial monoblock Brembo calipers and grey and yellow Marzocchi forks. The TNT R160  has a  triple-cylinder motor kicking out 155bhp from its 1130cc capacity.

Ride safe.

Jon Booth
Email: webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk
Blog: http://bestmotorstyle2011.blogspot.com//
Swicki: http://motorcycling-swicki.eurekster.com/

See the MV Agusta F3 at Motorcycle Live

The stunning MV Agusta F3 will be shown  for the first time in the UK at Motorcycle Live at the Birmingham NEC on the Moto GB Stand 221 – Hall 3. This middle-weight supersport  has an inline 675cc three cylinder engine. With ride-by-wire and multi-maps to optimise the power output and a counter-rotating crankshaft, never before seen on a production supersport engine.

Ride safe.

Jon Booth
Email: webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk
Blog: http://bestmotorstyle2011.blogspot.com//
Swicki: http://motorcycling-swicki.eurekster.com/

Rolfo back in WSBK with Kawasaki Pedercini

Tuesday, 23 November 2010 17:27

Roberto Rolfo has returned to the Superbike World Championship for the Kawasaki Pedercini team, with whom he will ride the new ZX-10R machine in 2011. The 30 year-old Italian moves to the Pedercini team after one season in the Moto2 GP class where he took one win at Sepang in Malaysia and a third place at Sachsenring in Germany.

Rolfo already has three years' experience in World Superbike. In 2006, he raced with team Ducati SC Caracchi, while in 2007 he joined the Hannspree Honda Ten Kate team and the year after the Hannspree Honda Althea team. In 2009 he started the season with Stiggy Honda team but after only a few races he was replaced by John Hopkins due to the team's economic problems.

Roberto Rolfo :"I'm really very happy to return to the Superbike championship. My three years' experience in this fascinating and competitive championship was unforgettable and I will try my best to improve my preceding results. I immediately established a good feeling with the entire Pedercini family. They are reputable professionals and we are on the same wavelength concerning next year's targets. I decided to leave Moto2 because I'm eager to ride the new Kawasaki ZX10R and take advantage of all its great power. It feels grand to be back in Superbike and I'm determined to put a good season together next year. I'm looking forward to testing the new bike very soon and getting familiar with it while also getting to better know my new team. This will be my very first time on a Kawasaki bike".

2011 calendar confirmation promises a season of highlights

Wednesday, 24 November 2010 12:44

The FIM has handed down the updated 2011 WSBK calendar and as was the case in 2010 it features 13 rounds, which will take place at some of the world's most evocative and iconic racetracks.

The season opener takes place at the incomparable seaside circuit of Phillip Island, one of the fastest and most open circuits in the entire world of racing (photo). It, like many others, is an old friend of WSBK racing and it will of course feature as an official pre-season test venue, shortly before race weekend, on Monday 21 and Tuesday 22. Raceday itself will be Sunday, 27 February 2011 - make a note of it now. At Phillip Island World Supersport will also make its only non-European appearance of the year.

Early springtime at Donington Park will echo the very beginnings of WSBK in 1988, with this brilliant motorcycle racing venue all ready to welcome back WSBK racing after a year's absence. March 27 will be raceday, for the first of two races to be held in the UK next year.

April 17 is the day for yet another classic WSBK venue, Assen, while the first of three Italian-based WSBK rounds come along at super-fast Monza, on May 8. The normal European theatre of operations is left behind for a short period after Monza, and the Superbike class alone heads to America and the Miller Motorsports Park this year, for a race on Monday May 30 - on the Memorial Day holiday. Note that there will be no Supersport World Championship round at Miller in 2011, but the programme will see the reintegration of a round of the AMA Superbike Championship.

Two race weekends in a row will be enjoyed in June, the first being the San Marino Round at Misano on June 12 and then a new adventure beckons for the full WSBK travelling circus, the debut of the Motorland Aragon Circuit in Spain on June 19.

The wide corners and chicanes of Brno form round eight on July 10; the even faster layout of Silverstone has its latest taste of WSBK action on July 31. Double the thrills for British fans, and they will have several top riders to cheer on again, as they did in 2010.

August is a race-free month for all WSBK classes, with action reconvening at the historic Nürburgring circuit on September 4. An intense end to the season sees three European rounds, Imola, Magny Cours and Portimao, all coming along within a four-weekend period.

Imola has been reconfirmed on September 25, Magny-Cours in France is the penultimate round of the year on October 2, while instant classic Portimao is again the venue for the final round of the season, on October 16. Portimao will, in fact, bracket the WSBK season neatly, as it hosts the first official test of the year, between 26 and 28 January.

Ten rounds remain in the Superstock classes, as there will be no races for those classes in Donington, and their season gets underway at Assen, on April 17.

THE ART, AND AUCTION, OF THE MOTORCYCLE

Twelve years have elapsed since motorcycles filled the spiral of the Guggenheim museum in New York (1998), and two-wheelers have yet to see full acceptance within the Fine Arts/Fine Design establishment.  While the 'Art of the Motorcycle' show remains that museum's second-highest-attended exhibit, it was considered something of a populist sell-out at the time, especially as it pioneered an 'interested sponsor' relationship with BMW (although little discussion was published about 'named' sponsorship in general). Few critics defended the Guggenheim's Thomas Krens for hosting a major motorcycle exhibit on hallowed Art turf, unless of course they happened to be motorcyclists themselves.  Even then, the level of discourse around Motorcycles and Culture generally bordered on flippant, unless the mood was outrage.  The 'Art of the Motorcycle', imperfect as it may have been, was a vital first effort at establishing motorcycles as important within a broader dialogue on Design and Culture.

The upcoming sale of the prototype 1925 Brough Superior SS100 'Alpine Grand Sports' at Phillips de Pury, is the first instance post-AotM of a motorcycle's inclusion in a major Art or Design auction.  As such, it represents a shift in attitude within the Fine Arts auction establishment, which has been brewing for 12 years.  The closest we've come thus far was in June of 2009, when an ex-Steve McQueen 1929 Scott Flying Squirrel, painted by 'Von Dutch', was auctioned at Antiquorum in New York, within a sale of celebrity-owned watches and memorabilia.  The Scott fetched $276,000, double its estimate and SIX times what it had sold for less than two years prior, in 2007 at the Bonhams Petersen Museum sale that October ($44,460).  Interestingly, the Petersen sale included considerable McQueen and Von Dutch memorabilia as well, but failed to attract the results of the Antiquorum sale.  Begging the question...was the Antiquorum clientele so significantly different than Bonhams', or had the market for magical Steve McQueen talismans suddenly gone mad?  Considering that June 2009 was a troubling time in the global economy, and a moment generally of weakening collectible sales, I have to conclude that Antiquorum has an audience with far deeper pockets.  A specialist in fine watches, they hold the record for a wristwatch sale at auction; a unique white gold Patek Philippe which sold for just over $5M (They are also notorious for selling Gandhi's pocket watch, sandals, glasses, and bowl for over $2M).  If a wristwatch can sell for so much, can such an esteemed motorcycle be far behind? 

When asked why he chose to include his SS100 in the Phillips de Pury auction, the current owner stated, 'I've been wanting to do this for years; Broughs have far transcended their original purpose as a motorcycle, and should be included in a major Design sale.  I've known Marcus Tremonto for years, he is the absolute expert on 20th Century Decorative Art and Design... I wish I knew as much as he's forgotten!  Phillips has an fabulous new facility on 57th and 5th in Manhattan, and their last big Art sale totalled $137M, so this auction should be quite something.  If nothing else, it will give everyone something to think about.  Friends say 'if it fails to sell, the bike will be tarnished', but that's rubbish...if the Brough falls on its face, it will stay at my house.  Eventually it will ring the bell.'

Phillips de Pury is bolstering inclusion of the Brough in their 'Design Masters' sale with fully 10 pages of lavish photographs, more than double the visibility granted other Design greats in the catalog: Le Corbusier, Jean Prouvé, Robert Mallet-Stevens, etc.  The Alpine Grand Sports is the highlighted feature of the sale, and nearly double the nearest sale estimate, $350,000 for a Marc Newson futuristic aluminum 'Orgone stretch lounge' of 1993.  Clearly, Phillips is banking heavily that the time is ripe to place George Brough within the pantheon of all-time great Designers.

A serious re-appraisal of Motorcycles within our capitalist society will of course include a fight for ownership of the agreed 'finest' examples.  These are the rarest of the rare, and the pattern has already been established within the motorcycling community itself.  Just as with paintings or other Design items, the notion of an object's 'value' is intimately connected with its sale price, and as the eyes of well-heeled Art collectors turn towards two wheels, there will be a serious rise in prices for significant racing machines and legendary road bikes. It is inevitable. 

Dedicated motorcyclists who covet rare machines will decry the continuing trend of top-tier machines floating away from the reach of their checkbooks.  Yet, even with waves of speculation during the past two 'bubbles' of the 1980s and 2000s, the price of excellent but relatively high-production bikes has remained under $30,000; affordable, if not cheap... the price of a new all-options Harley Davidson.  The cost of a restored 1969 Triumph Bonneville will continue to reflect more on the labor and quality of the restoration, than on wild excesses of a speculator's market...at least while the economy is depressed. As time passes, the relative glut of old motorcycles, versus the number of willing owners, will also conspire to keep prices of 'common' bikes moderate. Thus, we may dream of owning a Brough Superior, Crocker, or racing BMW, but will have to content ourselves with a Matchless Model X, Indian Chief, or BMW R69S.  Fair?  Well, I'd dearly love a Rembrandt too...

Photos:
Top; Francis Dixon and George Brough prepare for the Alpine Trial of 1925.
Second; Brough, Dixon, and Eddie Meier, Austrian Brough Superior importer, Alpine Trial, 1925.
Third; former owner of 'HP2122' AGS prototype, Prince Chagla of India.
Fourth; from the Philips de Pury catalog.
Fifth; George Brough at speed during the 1925 Alpine Trial.
Last; from the Philips de Pury catalog.