By Patrick Koune
With theAMB 002 Roadster, Aston Martin et Upper Brough take a new step in a collaboration where design, cutting-edge engineering, and craftsmanship come together. The first road-legal motorcycle resulting from this partnership, this machine is produced at only 300 products transposes to two wheels a certain vision of performance according to Aston Martin: lightness, precision, advanced materials and absolute mastery of forms.
After the spectacular AMB 001 and AMB 001 Pro, designed exclusively for the track, one piece of the puzzle was still missing: an Aston Martin on two wheels capable of actually taking to the road. It is now called the AMB 002 Roadster.
Rather than simply adapting one of their existing machines to meet homologation requirements, Aston Martin and Brough Superior started from scratch. The newcomer was developed specifically for the road, without systematically reusing existing components. This approach allows both brands to explore their vision of the sportbike without the compromises imposed by a pre-existing architecture. But behind its spectacular silhouette lies a concentration of technologies rarely found together on a production motorcycle.
From the Aston Martin to the motorcycle
What immediately strikes you about the AMB 002 is that it doesn't look like a car from the brand, artificially transformed into a motorcycle, and yet, it speaks the same language.
Indeed, the work of theAston Martin Design Studio This is reflected in virtually every detail of the machine. The carbon fiber tank and side fairings feature particularly fluid, almost sculpted surfaces, while their shapes also serve an aerodynamic function by providing more protection for the rider when they are in the airflow.
Crescent-shaped vents pierce the sides to improve both engine cooling and airflow; thus, aesthetics do not mask the technology but become its expression. This is a philosophy familiar to Aston Martin's most radical creations: making aerodynamic and mechanical constraints a component of the design.
Several signature elements directly inspired by Gaydon's automotive world then create a connection. Aston Martin's famous "side strake" is reinterpreted on the motorcycle's flanks before framing its headlight. The two oval exhaust outlets use ribbed elements reminiscent of the finishes on the Vanquish, DB12 S, and DBX S. At the rear, the slim light strips evoke the graphic signatures of the Aston Martin Vulcan, Valkyrie, and Valhalla.
Even the access technology adopts the brand's automotive design cues, with a keyless system and a backlit start button. The hand-crafted leather seat elements add that artisanal touch that remains inseparable from the manufacturer's world.
The AMB 002 therefore does not simply seek to put the famous British wings on its tank, because it truly translates their technological and aesthetic vocabulary into a two-wheeled object.
An architecture designed around lightness.
The most interesting part, however, begins beneath the bodywork. The structural heart of the AMB 002 is particularly spectacular: a titanium frame machined from a solid block to form the backbone of the motorcycle, and it weighs only 5 kg.
An extremely low mass compared to a conventional design, which plays a major role in the machine's balance. The architecture allows for a 50:50 weight distribution. The quest for minimum weight continues with the extensive use of carbon fiber, particularly for the bodywork and fuel tank. The result: only 190 kg!
But the appeal of this design isn't solely reflected in the weight. By lowering the center of gravity and concentrating the mass around the heart of the machine, the engineers are primarily seeking a more immediate response to rider input. The motorcycle must be able to change direction quickly while maintaining a feeling of stability and control. In other words, lightness becomes a true dynamic technology here.
1083 cc and 130 horsepower: power without brutality
Such a sophisticated motorcycle required a specific engine. Brough Superior therefore developed an all-new 1,083cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke V-twin producing 130 hp and 110 Nm of torque. The figures are impressive for a 190 kg machine, but the goal was clearly not to pursue a race for pure horsepower.
The engine has been calibrated to deliver strong torque at low and mid-range RPMs, while maintaining a smooth power delivery at high RPMs. This philosophy is much more consistent with a motorcycle designed to provide enjoyment on the road than with a machine solely intended for setting lap times.
Its manufacturing process also deserves attention, as the engine is designed, machined, and assembled at Brough Superior's facilities in Toulouse. Its crankcases are CNC-machined from solid metal blocks to simultaneously optimize structural rigidity and weight. Brough Superior employs processes and materials directly inspired by the standards of the aerospace industry, which has a strong presence in the Toulouse region.
This mechanism thus contributes to a philosophy very close to that applied to Aston Martin's most exclusive automobiles: reducing mass rather than simply increasing power.
The Fior suspension, one of the most fascinating technologies of the AMB 002
The most unique mechanical innovation is probably found at the front of the motorcycle. Instead of a conventional telescopic fork, the AMB 002 uses a double wishbone front suspension of the " Fior fork ", a specific architecture developed by Brough Superior and already tested on the AMB 001 Pro.
Its key advantage is that it separates the forces associated with steering from those generated by braking. On a traditional motorcycle, braking compresses the front fork significantly and simultaneously alters the machine's geometry; with the Fior system, these phenomena can be much better controlled. As a result, the AMB 002 maintains a more consistent front geometry under heavy braking.
The system also features an anti-dive effect. This helps maintain greater stability when the rider brakes, even when the motorcycle is already leaned into a corner. For a road-going machine, the benefits are considerable: precise steering, agility at low and medium speeds, stability in fast corners, and improved control of weight transfer under braking. This technology perfectly illustrates the work done on the AMB 002. It's not just about achieving higher performance, but about making that performance more readily accessible.
Aston Martin, a laboratory of technologies beyond four wheels
The AMB 002 ultimately possesses an importance that goes far beyond the simple launch of a new motorcycle. It demonstrates how far Aston Martin can extend its universe when its expertise in design, materials, and performance meets the expertise of a specialist.
It's important to clearly distinguish between the roles: the most specific mechanical innovations of the AMB 002—engine, titanium frame, and Fior suspension in particular—stem directly from Brough Superior's expertise. Aston Martin, for its part, contributes its stylistic language, its approach to functional design, certain technologies and signatures from its cars, as well as its experience in the world of ultra-performance.
It is precisely this complementarity that gives meaning to the project. For several years, Aston Martin has been working on increasingly sophisticated technologies, from carbon fiber to advanced aerodynamic architectures. Valkyrie and Valhallawhile now developing a range incorporating different forms of electrification. The brand itself defines its approach as a combination of contemporary technologies, historical craftsmanship and design.
A machine designed as much for pilots as for collectors.
Such a design is hardly compatible with mass production, so Aston Martin and Brough Superior will limit the AMB 002 to just 300 examples, each individually assembled. The first deliveries are scheduled for the third quarter of 2027.
The target clientele naturally lies at the crossroads of several worlds: motorcycle enthusiasts, Aston Martin owners, industrial design aficionados, and collectors. With its 5 kg titanium frame, 130 hp V-Twin engine, 190 kg weight, Fior front suspension, and sculpted carbon fiber bodywork, the AMB 002 is not just a spectacular motorcycle. It becomes a demonstration of what can be achieved by combining two British philosophies of performance: Brough Superior brings over a century of motorcycling culture and extraordinarily specialized engineering, while Aston Martin infuses it with the world of its sports cars and hypercars, its obsession with proportions, and its particular ability to transform a technical solution into an object of desire.
Having pushed the boundaries of the automobile with machines like Valkyrie and Valhalla, Aston Martin demonstrates that the same principle can exist on two wheels: Technology only truly makes sense when it disappears behind sensations.. And with the AMB 002 Roadster, these sensations can now leave the track and take to the road.
