Iconic Movie Motorcycles

There are few more iconic images in the history of motorcycling than that of Steve McQueen jumping his Triumph 650 over the fence in this movie. The Great Escape, directed by John Sturges, is simply one of the all-time great escape flicks. The story is based on the book by Paul Brickhill, a Spitfire pilot shot down over Tunisia in 1943. He was imprisoned in Stalag Luft III in Sagan, and helped in the actual escape.
 

Steve McQueen's portrays Virgil Hilts, known as the "Cooler King". The character is quintessential McQueen - the epitome of cool. He himself did all his own riding in the movie, except for that famous jump, which was performed by his friend Bud Ekins. He even convinced the director to make him part of the German pursuit of his own character, thus once again confirming that the only man qualified to chase Steve McQueen is Steve McQueen himself (although I suspect Yul Brunner would have been willing to take a shot at it). The enduring influence of Steve McQueen as male icon was highlighted in 2000 in the movie The Tao of Steve, and his legend shows no sign of fading.

The film features some other big names. James Garner plays Flt Lt Hendley, and was himself twice wounded as a soldier in Korea. Richard Attenborough features as Sq Ldr Roger Bartlett, based on Roger Bushell, the real mastermind behind the actual Great Escape, and Donald Pleasence plays Flt Lt Colin Blythe, based on Tim Walenn. Pleasence had served in the RAF, and was actually a prisoner of Stalag Luft I for a year. The story becomes even more mesmerizing when you realize that many of the characters were based on real people who got killed in planning and executing the escape, and that many of the actors themselves were soldiers in their time.

But what of the bike? Well, unfortunately, the Triumph model was not around during the War to help Allied prisoners jump fences. Triumph released its first 650cc motorcycle, the Thunderbird, in 1950. They achieved great success with this and the 500cc TR5 Trophy, which lead to the creation of the TR6, delivering 42bhp, in 1956. The one used in the movie was a 1961 model, converted to look like a BMW R75, a staple of the German war effort. The TR6 was replaced in 1973 by the 750cc TR7.

Steve McQueen died on 7 November 1980, only 50 years old, but lived more intensely than most ever do. As a strange parting fact, he was slated to play John Rambo in the adaptation of the book First Blood, but the role passed to Sylvester Stallone after his death.


Part 2