Triumph Métisse Desert Racer: Steve McQueen’s legendary motorcycle leap over the fence of a prisoner-of-war camp in the film The Great Escape is an image not easily forgotten. Now, Métisse Motorcycles has created a limited production run of the film star’s own bike, the Métisse Desert Racer, originally developed for serious competition use.The handbuilt motorcycle, produced in England, is an exact replica of McQueen’s original – fully endorsed by Steve McQueen’s estate and featuring a depiction of his signature on the tank badge.
Only 300 Desert Racers will be made, each complete with an official certificate of authenticity, and 66 of these have already left the factory. The bikes include styled footrests made to the original design and 35mm Ceriani forks with seven inches of travel, which McQueen found to be optimal. The yokes are from BSA – his preference, due to the handlebar position, set behind the steering stem for better control. Complete bikes are ready to order now, utilising a fully reconditioned period Triumph engine, complete with a single Amal carburettor.
The price is *£ 12,999, excluding VAT. *(for a replica)
(Text: Classic Driver Photos: Métisse)
King of Cool Triumph
(Steve McQueen) up for sale.
(27 april 2009)
I just got the Bonhams & Butterfields auction catalogue - the McQueen bike is pretty cool, with some interesting provenance attached to it. I was at the LA auction last year where they had some cool McQueen stuff, with most of the desirable pieces selling way over the estimates.
I will be curious to see what this bike pulls -
and this McQueen international drivers licence gets.
The ex-Steve Mcqueen, Bud Edkins modified, Von Dutch painted
1963 Triumph Bonneville Desert Sled Frame no. DU1683
It was natural that Bud Edkins and Steve McQueen would become close friends, because they had so much in common. Some thought that McQueen wanted to be Edkins. Both came from humble backgrounds, both did time in institutions serving wayward youth, both had a love of motorcycles that led to each being inducted into the American Motorcyclist Association Hall of Fame and both reached the top of their professions. It all began when a young star from a TV cowboy show appeared at Edkins Triumph dealership in the San Fernando Valley at the end of the 1950s. When Steve McQueen bought a Triumph 500 scrambler, Edkins, then the absolute master of Southern California off-road motorcycle racing, coached McQueen in bike control on the desert washes and fire trails of the area. McQueen, in turn, got Edkins stuntman jobs in the film industry. When the two worked together on The Great Escape, Edkins doubled for McQueen on the famous fence-jumping scene. Edkins also competed that year in the International Six Days Trial, then known as the Olympics of motorcycling, because national teams competed against each other. The next year, partially financed by McQueen, Edkins, his brother Dave, McQueen and Cliff Coleman were the first full American Vase team to contest the ISDT. Dave and Coleman both won gold medals, the highest individual honor. As McQueen and Edkins matured, their attention turned to vintage motorcycles and each had a collection of over 100 bikes. Edkins maintained McQueen’s bikes until the actor’s death in 1980.The offered motorcycle is a tangible artifact of the long-standing friendship between Edkins and McQueen. Bud Edkins built this bike for cow trailing and desert racing. Serial numbers indicate it was built up from a 1963 Triumph Bonneville. Steve and Bud’s friend, Kenny Howard, better known as Von Dutch, painted the bike. Because of the motorcycle’s intended use, it was given a plain paint job, devoid of Dutch’s trademark pin stripes. No sense having beautiful striping sandblasted by full throttle desert runs, or scraped off in a fall. The bike comes with a 1971 title to Solar Productions, McQueen’s production company that made among other movies, the racing classic, Le Mans. The title bears Steve McQueen’s signature.This is a rare opportunity to own a motorcycle ridden by the King of Cool and built by a man who knew Triumphs as well as anyone and who used them to win the ultra-competitive AMA District 37 championships for seven years. The fact that Von Dutch’s name is also attached to the bike adds even more to its provenance.
Estimate: *$ 50,000 - 65,000
*Sold for $ 84,240 inclusive of Buyer's Premium
*(for the real one)
Steve McQueen
De TAG Heuer "one-off" Triumph Bonneville
Nu het TAG Heuer Monaco horloge 40 jaar bestaat en Triumph Motorcycles met zijn Bonneville 50 jaar, leek een samenwerking voor de hand te liggen. Vooral als men bedenkt dat het Monaco horloge vooral door Steve McQueen’s optreden in de film Le Mans wereldfaam verworf, en dat het diezelfde Steve McQueen was die Triumph als “zijn” merk zag. De speciale editie van de Bonneville die Triumph hiervoor uitbrengt is dan ook gespoten in de speciale oranje/lichtblauwe “Gulf” kleuren van de Porsche raceauto waar McQueen in 1970 bij de opnames van Le Mans mee reed.
Porsche 917 Le Mans 1970
01 november 2009
STEEDS VERASSEND, ALTIJD DICHTBIJ!
Motoring George Spauwen
Sponsored by
Victrace Sitebuilding
