The motorcycle, a Cyclone Board … But many didn’t realize that, while McQueen had the skills to pull it off, that stunt was actually done by Bud Ekins, as the movie’s producers absolutely would not let McQueen take such a big risk on set.At the time, Indian had gone bankrupt, Harley-Davidsons were high-performance but weren’t seeing much innovation, and Japanese brands were still in their infancy. McQueen was recognized for his bravery, and the event turned his Marine Corps career around; incredibly, he ultimately ended up in the Honor Guard, once even guarding President Truman’s yacht!He caused trouble there too, though he got beat up by his peers enough to start changing his attitude (he actually recalled his experience there as a positive one, and maintained a relationship with the Boys Republic well after becoming a superstar.)
Friends of Steve McQueen Car and Motorcycle Show is an automotive gathering and commemorative dinner held in early June to raise funds for Boys Republic, a private, non-profit, nonsectarian community for at-risk boys and girls ages 13-17. It was no beauty queen – his ride was a beat up 1946 Indian Chief with a sidecar that he rode all over New York, his home at the time.But around the same time, he was also getting into dirt riding, something he had never done before. Terence Steven McQueen was a troubled youth, born into the worst possible circumstances; his father, a daredevil pilot for a traveling circus, left his young alcoholic mother while McQueen was still an infant; she left him in the care of his grandparents, who raised him on a farm in Indiana until he was a teen.McQueen died at the young age of 50 from cardiac arrest in Mexico in 1980, and left behind a collection of over 100 vintage and collectors motorcycles valued in the millions of dollars – bikes that still command massive sums when they are sold today.McQueen was rambunctious from the start, and developed a problem with authority early on. He displayed great courage during the rescue of five fellow Marines just before their tank broke through the ice and sunk into the ocean. His career as a criminal was cut short, however, when he was caught stealing a set of hubcaps, which landed him at the infamous Boys Republic in Chino, CA. Steve McQueen famously penned this review article for Popular Science magazine after flogging 6 motorcycles in the desert. As he built up his acting career throughout the 1950s, he continued to ride recreationally, but the real encounter that would change him from casual rider to motorcycle legend took place in 1959, when he met Los Angeles Triumph dealer and racer, Bud Ekins. With a cycle, you’re dealing with natural terrain, you learn to read the earth…I like being out there in a desert on a set of wheels. 1 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE SE STEVE MCQUEEN motorcycle in Asheville, NC; 1 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE SE STEVE MCQUEEN motorcycle in Baltimore, MD. Directed by Bruce Brown. In addition, he had become so valuable a star in Hollywood that his contracts forbade him from racing.McQueen didn’t just love his bike, he loved riding, and he became very passionate about it. 2013 Triumph Bonneville SE STEVE MCQUEEN, Great condition, one owner. Bill, gradually working his way up from small parts in local plays to supporting roles in TV and films. She told me, “either the cycle goes or I go!” Well, there was no contest there. If you wanted a high-performance motorcycle in those days, you went with a British bike. It just so happened that in 1959, Triumph had just beaten the world speed record, and introduced a hot new bike in honor of the where the record was set – the Bonneville. He was a vocal critic of the image movies like “The Wild One” portrayed, showing motorcycle riders as being outlaws and thugs; McQueen’s passion for the sport, incredible skill as a rider, and general coolness helped transform riding into something for “cool guys” instead “bad boys.” His reputation as a passionate rider far outlived him; he was inducted posthumously into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999.But McQueen always seemed to have a miraculous way of redeeming himself, which he did during a training exercise with his armored unit in the Arctic Sea.