The Scrambler Class Gets Its Own Flagship model

Brough Superior Lawrence Nefud

We’re all familiar by now with the legions of adventure bikes that will never go further off-road than up the sidewalk to get to the parking lot. People buy into style and it just so happens that the adventure style is all the rage at the moment, whether owners choose to use the ability or not.

That is the whole point, however: no matter what the owner’s intentions, an adventure bike does possess incredible amounts of ability. Yes, they are so large that they need incredible amounts of tech to make them controllable off-road, but still they can do it.

And then we get into the thorny issue of modern ’scramblers’. Generally based on modern classic or retro chassis, they are ’scramblers’ in name only, with one or two notable exceptions - Triumphs new generation Scrambler 1200, for example. Often much smaller and lighter than the large litre-plus adventure bikes, they off the same attractive and chunky aesthetics and varying degrees of off-road prowess.

Generally, however, they are style over substance and, now, a new contender has arrived that is the most appalling example of style over substance that has ever existed in motorcycling. Not only that, but it will have a price tag that will make your eyes water!

So, all bow and curtsy to the new royalty of pointlessness that is the Brough Superior Lawrence Nefud. The what? I hear you asking!

Well, the Lawrence part of the name refers to Lawrence of Arabia, whose love for the products of George Brough is part of both his and the motorcycle manufacturer’s legends. 105 years ago, Lawrence took part in an operation to capture Aqaba near the Red Sea. This involved crossing the Nefud desert. They were successful.

The new model commemorating this event pays lip service to the notion of off-road ability. The wheels are still mags of 19" and 17" front and rear but are now shod with suitably chunky Michelin Anakee Wild tyres. There’s also a very necessary bash plate protecting the sump of the 88°, 997cc, 102bhp engine.

The riding position has been changed, with higher ’bars and lower footpegs and that’s about your lot. Maybe ’lip service’ is being too generous...!

Look, it’s all fairly ridiculous and pretentious, really. I always thought of Brough Superior in its latest incarnation as having a healthy dose of dignity and class about it but the Lawrence Nefud just smacks of cynical marketing to me. Will anyone really spend 65,000 pounds sterling on a bike and then throw it at the scenery off-road?

Obviously, I would love to see one leaning agains a wall outside a remote diner in the middle of nowhere, all dusty and scratched and panting quietly to itself after being thrashed through the desert but, let’s face it, that’s just not going to happen is it!