T.E. Lawrence question (the movie)

[John Lee]

Not a bushcraft question, but it was outdoors. I just watched the DVD of "Lawrence of Arabia" and was trying to figure out what make of motorcycle he crashed in the opening scene. I also noticed for the first time the initials JAP on the heads of both cylinders. I always assumed he would have been riding a Triumph but it looked different. Of course it was 1935

:thankyou

 

[JonathanD]

It was a Brough Superior SS100. He used to call it Boa.

 

[TeeDee]

One of these apparently;-

http://www.brough-superior.com/ws/frontend/seite/SeiteCms.php?coId=263&coType=navigation1

according to this;-

http://lostmotorcycles.blogspot.com/2010/01/what-kind-of-bike-would-te-lawrence.html

The petrol station/garage just up the road from me were the last people to speak to him when he stopped to put some giddy-up juice in his tank before setting off one final time.


EDIT;- JD Got there before me.

 

[Ogri the trog]

SS100 I believe.
It supposedly still has the two shilling piece that he used to keep in the petrol cap just in case he ran out!

Could equally be an urban myth, but its a nice one!

Ogri the trog

Edit to add - I once saw an old feller start one of these bikes at thte Hendon Aircraft museum (one of Raymond Baxters (who was visiting the place) friends) and screech off up the road -howling past a much younger rider on one of the new (at the time) Yamaha RD250LC's.
OTT

 

[John Lee]

Thanks, I knew someone on here would immediately know. John Lee

 

[TeeDee]

Found a Photo and additonal info;-

http://www.motoringmemories.com/history.html

 

[beach bum]

and was trying to figure out what make of motorcycle he crashed in the opening scene.
:thankyou

Wonder no more he was addicted to a make known as The Brough Superior. See here :-

http://www.google.com/images?q=brough+superior+motorcycles&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=kO3-S7D-FoiM0gTRxZDuDQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnu

regards

beach bum

 

[JonathanD]

Thanks, I knew someone on here would immediately know. John Lee

It's only cos it was in an episode of Lovejoy that I knew that.

 

[laro13]

It's only cos it was in an episode of Lovejoy that I knew that.

Was that the episode, in which Eric wanted to make a "replica" TA bike.
I just loved that show!

Lovejoy: "Do we have to bring mistrust and suspicion into this."

I have some episodes on my computer.

Cheers

 

[Laurentius]

It was definately a Brough superior, as others have got there to answer before me. It was considered the Rolls Royce of motorcycles in it's day.

 

[JonathanD]

Was that the episode, in which Eric wanted to make a "replica" TA bike.
I just loved that show!

Lovejoy: "Do we have to bring mistrust and suspicion into this."

I have some episodes on my computer.

Cheers

Yeah, that's the one. Cracking series.

 

[rik_uk3]

What does the film and the bushmoot have in common?

 

[Acorn62]

As an aside: we used to have to run up to Lawrence's cottage and back in time for tea when I was a stickie (junior leader's regiment RAC) at Bovingdon. His legend was bi down there and he's still a bit of a hero of mine - anyone read the Seven Pillars of Wisdom?

 

[torc]

I saw T.E. Lawrence's Brough motorcycle in a museum somewhere, I think it was the Imperial War Museum, London. After the crash the makers rebuilt the bike.
Happy trails...torc.

 

[JonathanD]

What does the film and the bushmoot have in common?

The film = The bike = Lovejoy, much love and joy spread around at the moot.

 

[wedgie]

it was belived that he swerved to avoid 2 boys who swerved in to his path on a country road

 

[wattsy]

as an aside he used to go to brown's pie shop in lincoln when he was in the RAF? there's a plaque on the wall outside. lovely pies there

 

[rik_uk3]

What does the film and the bushmoot have in common?

Part of the film was shot at Merthyr Mawr

 

[lavrentyuk]

> It was a Brough Superior SS100. He used to call it Boa.

Boanerges was, I believe, the full name. No doubt Boa would be the short version. I am told it means "sons of thunder" but was also the name of a horse owned by Alexander the Great. Lawrence owned several Broughs, the last being built in 1932. He wrote some excellent stuff on riding his bikes.

The tale of swerving to avoid two boys is not universally accepted, there are also stories of a mysterious black car in the dip and a conspiracy theory or two.


For some of Lawrence own writing on the subject of 'Boa' try this, just a little down the page........

http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2007/09/te-lawrence-road-taken-from-mint.html

Great stuff.

Richard

 

[TeeDee]

> I am told it means "sons of thunder" but was also the name of a horse owned by Alexander the Great.


http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2007/09/te-lawrence-road-taken-from-mint.html

I though Alexander the Great Horse was Bucephalus. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucephalus
Maybe he had more then the one.