Speed Read The Luxe Brough Superior X Richard Mille Rmb01 And More

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We open this week’s proceedings with a collaboration between two luxury brands—Brough Superior and Richard Mille. We also take a look at the new Triumph Scrambler 400 XC, and a custom Indian Chieftain PowerPlus, built by an ex-freestyle motocrosser for a pro skateboarder.

Brough Superior x Richard Mille RMB01 In what might seem like an unlikely alliance, boutique motorcycle brand Brough Superior, and prestigious watchmaking company Richard Mille, have teamed up to create a very special machine—the Brough Superior RMB01.
Dive a little deeper into the history of both brands, though, and you’ll see that, just like high-end luxury timepieces, limited-production, hand-built motorcycles are constructed with meticulous craftsmanship and care. Both disciplines require the use of cutting-edge technology and are a labor of love, rather than a way to make a quick buck.

Brough Superior was revived in 2013 (after a brief 73-year break), and their base of operations was moved from England to the Toulouse region in France. There, principal owner Thierry Henriette continues the Brough spirit of innovation and hand-built quality, with every part of their bikes manufactured and assembled by a team of expert craftspeople.
The Brough Superior SS100 line has been carried into the present age—but where the new SS100 is a re-interpretation of the bikes favored by Laurence of Arabia in the 1930s, the RMB01 is a thoroughly modern beast. It’s more reminiscent of the AMB 001—Brough Superior’s turbocharged sportbike collaboration with Aston Martin (but without the AMB’s turbocharger).

This special collaboration draws on a broad range of racing influences, from vintage board track racers to contemporary GP machines. We’d expect nothing less, as the Richard Mille name is plastered over Formula 1 cars and worn by all kinds of racers and sportspeople.
Up front is a Hossack/Fior-style fork, milled from a single piece of aluminum. The headlight is encapsulated by a clear screen and flanked by a pair of aerodynamic carbon fiber wings. The one-piece handlebars are bejeweled with a stunning custom dashboard, made to resemble the inner workings of a Richard Mille watch.

Sticking with horology, the wheels have been constructed to mimic the intricately stacked gears you’d find on a luxury timepiece, with slotted brake discs adding to this tourbillon-like effect. The aluminum swingarm, footpegs, and rear suspension linkages match the front in both complexity and beauty, while the twin, side-exit exhaust cuts a softer line.
The 997 cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine musters 130 healthy steeds through a slipper clutch and a six-speed transmission. The engine serves as the main structural element of the bike, with the front suspension, rear subframe, and swingarm all bolted to it to reduce weight. Further weight reduction comes courtesy of the extensive use of forged carbon fiber, and the endless aluminum components that are milled to perfection.

At first glance, the RMB01 is a lot to take in. Just like the design of the AMB 001, the Ariel Ace, or any bike from Vyrus, it’s bold and unapologetic—which means that, even if you hate it, it might just grow on you.
Just 150 units of the Brough Superior x Richard Mille RMB01 are being produced, with each one being assembled by hand in France. You can choose from three colors; Pearl of Speed (white), Selene (anthracite), and Noctural Sapphire (dark blue). The price is not listed—which usually means that we can’t afford it. [Brough Superior | Richard Mille]

Triumph Scrambler 400 XC Triumph has injected more off-road flair into its small-displacement single-cylinder lineup. Joining the Speed 400 and Scrambler 400 X (and using a similar nomenclature to its 1200 cc brother), is the new Triumph Scrambler 400 XC.
Triumph’s 400 cc line of single-cylinder bikes was first launched two years ago. They’re produced in partnership with Bajaj Auto in India, with smaller engines and a lower price tag than Triumph’s twin-cylinder modern classics. Despite this, they’re still unmistakably Triumph, with the level of fit and finish we expect from the British marque.

In a traditionally confusing Triumph way, the new Scrambler 400 XC shares almost everything with the Scrambler 400 X, making the XC variant only a mild upgrade. They use the same frame, 43 mm USD forks, and rear monoshock with preload adjustability, with identical suspension travel number (150 mm at each end).
Both bikes also roll on 19F/17R wheels—but where the X uses alloy hoops, the XC sports tougher spoked tubeless wheels that are more geared to off-road riding. The XC also gets a set of adjustable levers.

The XC is also equipped with a lower engine guard as standard and features a raised front fender that is mounted to the bottom of the lower fork clamp. A blacked-out fender covers the rear portion of the front wheel to protect the small radiator in front of the 398 cc single. The XC also gets a small windshield up front, which looks right at home with the matte black headlight grille.
The seat height remains at 835 mm [32.8 inches], which is quite tall, especially for learner riders.

The extra stuff bolted onto the 400 XC means it weighs in at about 419 pounds—about 11 pounds heavier than the 400 X. (That’s also 15 pounds heavier than the Triumph Street Triple RS, which has almost 90 more horsepower than the 400.)
Granite, Racing Yellow, and Vanilla White are the three livery options for the 400 XC. The Racing Yellow caught our eye first, and although the changes from the X to the XC are mild, we feel like Triumph’s baby-faced Scrambler is slowly coming into its own. [Triumph Motorcycles]

Indian Chieftain PowerPlus by Jeremy ‘Twitch’ Stenberg Twitch is a six-time X-Games gold medallist and freestyle motocross legend. He’s recently turned his attention to road bikes, and is now hosting Indian’s latest ‘Forged’ custom build series on YouTube.
As part of the series, Indian asked Twitch if he knew anyone who would like a custom 2025-spec Indian Chieftan PowerPlus. Twitch knew exactly who to call—none other than skateboarding legend Ryan Sheckler.

“Sheckler said if he ever had a bike, he wanted it to look like Knight Rider—basically all black everything,” says Twitch. “So that’s exactly what we did. We went gloss black, matte black, and satin black and had some fun with it.”
Twitch transformed the Chieftain PowerPlus with a spread of snazzy parts. The OEM fairing now wears a Klock Werks windscreen and a Baja Designs headlight, with yellow-lensed Baja Designs fog lights lower down for night riding. Sleek LED turn signals from Rizoma replace the stock items, while the taillight comes from Ride Culture.

The front fender was swapped out for a lightweight RWD item, but the tail got most of the attention in terms of bodywork. TNA supplied a custom carbon fiber rear fender and matching bags, which are mounted on custom spacers to reduce the rear end’s sizeable girth. A Saddlemen seat was installed, along with hinge covers from Forever Rad.
Twitch knew that Sheckler grew up riding dirt bikes, so the Chieftain’s suspension was tweaked to suit his riding style. Now running a full suspension package from Big Bear Choppers, the rear has been lifted 1.75 inches, which gives the big bagger some much-needed ground clearance. Hart Luck risers and handlebars were fitted to bring Sheckler into a less laid-back riding position, along with MX grips from ODI to add dirt bike flair, and Kraus floorboards for extra grip.

The wheels are from Arlen Ness, measuring 21 inches at the front and 18 inches at the rear, and are wrapped in Dunlop rubber. Brembo calipers were used front and back (with the rear fitted using a Forever Rad mounting block), squeezing Galfer performance rotors. Beringer supplied the new clutch and brake master cylinders.
The Indian PowerPlus engine was left mostly stock, but the air filter cover was replaced with a carbon fiber unit. The short two-into-one exhaust and the carbon fiber radiator guard are more Hart Luck items.

The incredibly detailed paintwork was laid down by Stephen at Finish FX. It may look all black, but closer inspection yields a lace rose pattern on the fairing and bags and countless pinstriped easter eggs—including the names of Sheckler’s children on the dashboard.
Best of all, it turns out that Sheckler has always wanted a road bike, but never got around to getting one because of his busy schedule as a pro skateboarder. This custom Indian Chieftain PowerPlus is one heck of a way to get started. [Indian Motorcycle]



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