Richard Mille and Brough Superior, manufacturer of exceptional motorbikes, have combined their talents to create the RMB01, a unique track-focused bike. Much more than a motorbike, this true work of kinetic art is the fruit of a creative dialogue between two iconic brands that share a quest for perfection and innovation through their common vision of excellence.
Inspiration drawn from the origins of motor racing
Inspired by Boardtrackers, the first racing motorbikes to appear in the United States in the 1910s, the RMB01 pays tribute to the raw and radical spirit of these machines.
A completely uncluttered engine, a slimline fuel tank finished off by a minimalist seat, a typical ‘dropper’ racing post. These were the directions Richard Mille provided to steer Brough Superior in the design of this bike. Taut and muscular elliptical lines lend the machine a dynamic, feline silhouette, its lightness enhanced and accentuated by extensive skeletonisation and a design that suspends it from a backbone.
A creative collaboration
Richard Mille, founder of the eponymous brand, and Thierry Henriette, CEO of Brough Superior, worked in close collaboration for eighteen months, producing twelve shared iterations of the design to arrive at a common vision. Breaking with convention in every aspect – materials, technical solutions, shapes and design – this bold construction is the result of a constant creative one-upmanship that succeeds in preserving the aesthetic codes specific to each brand.
Many emblematic aspects of Richard Mille watchmaking have been integrated into the bike’s mechanicals. This can be seen in the innovative materials such as aluminium alloys, titanium or carbon. It is present in the complex architecture of certain elements – such as the divided rims inspired by the gear train of watch movements or the casings echoing the design of tourbillon calibres and our hand-finishing. Right down to the smallest details, the completed bike stands out for a total absence of compromise.
Exceptional mechanics
The RMB01 is powered by a sculptural 997cc twin-cylinder engine, machined from solid blocks of high-quality aluminium (5000 series alloy with a high magnesium content). Then, through precision machining each component is optimised and hollowed out, leaving only 23 kg of finished parts from the initial 160 kg of raw material.
Rather than peak power, Brough Superior’s engine-makers have opted for a broad usage range and a high level of flexibility, with 130 bhp that can be fully exploited on track, thanks to aerodynamic appendages that provide support and stability.
The carbon chassis, a veritable self-supporting exoskeleton, holds the mechanical sub-assemblies together like the bridges of our timepieces. Its taut, muscular architecture underlines the dynamic lines of the overall machine. The finished bike is revealed without artifices, just like our calibres.
Entirely hand crafted in France, the RMB01 is released an exclusive edition of 150, individually numbered motorbikes. It will be available from the end of 2025 in three versions: Noctural Sapphire (midnight blue with blue details), Selene (matt grey with orange details) and Pearl of Speed (pearlescent white with red details).
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more information: richardmille.com
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