1963 'SUPER NERO' 1000cc SUPERCHARGED SPRINT MACHINE
The Supercharged Super Nero, was the natural successor to Nero, George Brown's legendary Vincent twin sprint record breaker Nerd had broken virtually every National course record and set a World Record for a standing kilometre at 108 mph, but after ten years was at the end of its development Nerd, built originally from a written off wrecked Vincent road machine, had always been recognisable as a modified road machine though fitted with telescopic front forks and twin shock rear suspension to suit George's preference, but the new Super Nero was much more radical, apart from the fitting of a huge supercharger capable of supplying a 1500 cc engine
This time George and his brother Cliff built a lightweight tubular frame to make the machine longer and lower This was to reduce the tendency for the power to lift the front wheel, a tendency from which Nero suffered. To save weight, front forks from a 70cc Honda ‘Step Thru’ were fitted and the spare space in the gear box used as an oil tank Super Nero was soon breaking the solo and side car records set by Nero George, now completely committed to sprinting his road racing career ended by serious crashes which had scarred him for life, went faster and faster. A big bore 1300cc engine was built and had a spare machine so that he could contest more classes at the same event an at Greenham Common airfield the Super Nero took seven World & National standing start mile dying kilometre records In the flying start kilometre runs, the 1000 cc machine was faster than the 1300 cc 158 mph against 149 mph George had a secret ambition to be the first British rider to top 200mph on British soil, over a measured distance, He had already been clocked on Super Nero over a finish line at Elvington Speed Meeting at 236 mph. The problem was there was nowhere in the country where "Super Nero” could be safely extended to its limit and various attempts on aerodromes were often ruined by bad weather.
There was another, almost ridiculous problem. The FIM, the international body governing record attempts, had an arbitrary age limit for riders of 55. At 55 years of age George complained bitterly to the FIM that he was perfectly fit, probably fitter than many riders who were younger He was allowed to go for National records and might soon be going faster than World records. He had made his point and in 1968 the ban was lifted George celebrated by setting a new National & Word record for the flying kilometre with a two way mean average of 182 mph Super Nero's rear tyre was worn down to the canvas after those runs. His last chance of going for that elusive 200 mph was ruined by gusts of wind which blew him 10 ft off course, but with sidecar attached, Super Nero set a new Word & National record for the flying half mile of 128mph. That same year, 1970, he had his first heart attack, and his sprint days were over, but he had seen his son, Tony, show he could handle Super Nero by setting a National flying quarter record at 146 7mph George refused many tempting offers for Super Nero, but did once say "I expect it will end up in a museum George died five days after his 67th birthday.
The remarkable thing is that the engine and transmission parts came from production Vincent bikes and the heavy-duty internals from the Picador engine built for the Government to power a pilotless target plane before guided missiles made it obsolete.