Aston Martin is known for sports cars, but the automaker’s latest project has two wheels, not four. Aston is launching its first motorcycle with help from another storied British firm — Brough Superior (pronounced “bruff”). The bike will be revealed at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan on November 5, and both companies are keeping details under wraps until then.
Aston released only a basic line drawing of the motorcycle, promising that it will be a “strictly limited edition.” Given the amount of crossover between car and motorcycle enthusiasts, it’s easy to imagine an Aston owner buying the motorcycle to park next to their DBS Superleggera in the garage. An Aston press release said the partnership with Brough Superior came about because chief creative officer Marek Reichman is a motorcycle enthusiast.
“This is a fascinating and very popular project for myself and my team,” Reichman said in a statement. “The opportunity to collaborate with Brough Superior has given us the chance to bring our unique views on how beauty and engineering can combine to create a highly emotive piece of vehicle design.”
Founded in 1919 by George Brough, Brough Superior built some of the earliest performance motorcycles. Despite winning over the likes of T.E. Lawrence, the company gradually faded from existence. The bikes remained popular with collectors, including Jay Leno, and the company was resurrected by British motorcycle enthusiast Mark Upham in 2012.
A company building vehicles with both two wheels and four isn’t unprecedented. Triumph once made both cars and motorcycles, while Ducati is currently part of the sprawling Volkswagen Group. But an automaker and a motorcycle maker teaming up for a specific project is a bit unusual. Mercedes-AMG previously partnered with Ducati and MV Agusta on some special-edition bikes, but these were AMG-themed versions of existing models, not clean-sheet designs.
Aston Martin is ticking off several firsts. In addition to the motorcycle, Aston is preparing to launch its first SUV and its first electric car. Brough Superior isn’t Aston’s only vehicle development partner, either. The automaker is working with Red Bull Racing — the energy drink giant’s Formula One team — on a hybrid hypercar called the Valkyrie.
- The best electric motorcycles put zero-emission thrills on two wheels
- What to look for when you shop for the best motorcycle sunglasses
- Electric motorcycle takes charge at Pikes Peak race, shames even gas-powered rivals
read more at https://www.digitaltrends.com by Stephen Edelstein
Tech
