Motorcycle from The Great Escape - Steve McQueen’s Ride

There are many motorcycle TV shows and biker movies that have received a lot of attention and applause from their viewers, especially the biker community. On top of the list, there are not only the movies released in modern times related to the biker lifestyle and culture. Many classic movies from the past have made it to the best motorcycle movies of all time, and one of them is “The Great Escape”, starring Steve McQueen.

Nonetheless, motorcycle movies are not all about the leading faces. It is mostly about motorcycles and the action scenes. In some movies, motorcycles have received a good airtime or center stage, which has left people usually looking for the bike more on the internet. The same thing happened with the Great Escape.

Everybody who has watched the movie wants to know about the motorcycle from The Great Escape, which Steve McQueen rode in the movie. Everyone who is a motorcycle movie fan has the same question: “What motorcycle did steve mcqueen ride in The Great Escape?”

Let’s get deeper into the Great Escape movie, the great escape motorcycle, and the very famous The Great Escape motorcycle jump scene.

The Great Escape is a war adventure movie that was released in 1963. The movie is based on a true story. It revolves around the story of prisoners who were kept under tight security in a German camp during World War II.

The movie ‘The Great Escape’ is set in a prisoners-of-war camp, known as Stalag Luft III. This is the place where Germans used to keep those captured soldiers that have a history of escaping the prison.

The twist comes when the prisoners, in a group, devise a plan on a large scale to escape the prison. The escape involves tunnels, disguises, and forged documents. The ultimate plan of those escaping the prison was to gather a large number and get them out. Also, to create chaos while the soldiers are engaged with the enemy.

A World War II-based movie cannot go without heroism, action, and clever plots and plans. What makes the movie unforgettable is the rebellious and cool character played by Steve McQueen, the Great Escape motorcycle chase scene towards the end, and the Great Escape motorcycle jump.

Steve McQueen was a very famous and successful American actor of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s era. He was famously known as “The King of Cool”. He played the main role of Captain Virgil Hilts in the Great Escape movie. He had many escape attempt scenes in the movie.

Steve McQueen was also well-known for his love of motorcycles. It made perfect sense to filmmakers to cast him in the movie to add authenticity and value.

According to the sources, the movie ‘The Great Escape’ didn’t originally have a motorcycling scene in it. It was added to the movie at the request of Steve McQueen. His riding skills and bike riding passion did work out for the movie, as the chasing and the jump scene in the movie turned out to be memorable and became a legacy.

Though it wasn’t initially planned, the motorcycle became more than just a prop. It became a key part of the movie.

The iconic motorcycle that was used by Steve McQueen in The Great Escape movie was the Triumph TR6 Tiger. It was a British-made bike, featuring a 649 cc air-cooled, Parallel-Twin engine that could generate approximately 42 hp of horsepower and could go about 100 mph top speed.

The Triumph TR6 Trophy, ridden by Steve McQueen in the movie, had a robust and tough chassis build with good off-road ability considering its era. There was a makeover done to the Great Escape motorcycle to ensure a wartime look.

There is a twist about the motorcycle in the Great Escape. Though it was a British-made Triumph TR6 Trophy, it was made to look like a German bike to keep things real. The movie, ‘The Great Escape’, is mostly set in the German-occupied region and should, therefore, feature a German bike. However, considering the demand for the movie and action scenes, the filmmaker went with the Triumph TR6 Trophy.

Several changes were made to the bike to make it look like a German-made BMW R75. All the vintage-looking parts were replaced, handlebars and seats were swapped, and a matte paint job was done to ensure a proper German bike look for wartime. The Triumph TR6 Trophy was disguised in German attire.

Triumph bikes were considered more advanced and better suited for the job. The British-made Triumph motorbikes were considered more reliable at that time. It was expected to do better in fast riding, jumps, and chasing. These bikes were considered to be better-handling and tough motorcycles of that time. Triumph bikes were also the preferred choice of many stunt and off-road bikers.

The Triumph TR6 Trophy had a solid frame and reliable suspension to make off-roading scenes easier. Steve McQueen’s soft corners for Triumph were another major reason behind choosing Triumph for the movie.

Triumph introduced the Bonneville T100 Steve McQueen Edition in 2012 to pay homage and tribute to the legendary ‘The Great Escape’ bike. Despite being a limited special edition bike with only 1,100 units made, it was a modern version of the original Triumph TR6 Trophy used by McQueen.

• To recreate the Great Escape legacy, the 2013 Triumph Bonneville T100 Steve McQueen Edition came in a Matte Khaki Green paint job, inspired by the movie.

• The special edition bike also featured blacked-out trim and military-style cues, such as the seat.

• The special McQueen edition bike had the laser-etched McQueen’s signature on the side panel.

• The vintage charm, along with the modern performance and a display of cinematic history, was made evident in the 2012 Bonneville T100 McQueen Edition.

The very popular, dramatic, and thrilling The Great Escape motorcycle chase scene was done on the request of Steve McQueen. It wasn’t initially a part of the script. The chasing scene in the movie is what made the movie more iconic.

The Great Escape motorcycle chase scene is also the turning point in the movie. It turned a war movie into an action thriller. This movie was a prime example of its time, showing how motorcycles can change the track of the story and the dynamics.

The popular chase scene was filmed in the forest, village, and open fields, featuring trail riding and action-packed chasing to leave behind the German chasers.

The Great Escape motorcycle jump scene is one of the greatest motorcycling stunt scenes in the history of the movie industry. It has emotions, adventure, thrill, and a deep connection attached to it. Not just the jump scene, every moment in The Great Escape motorcycle chase scenes makes viewers excited and at the same time, worried for Hilts. He had very close encounters with the Nazis chasing him throughout.

Steve McQueen had to jump over the barbed wire in this jump scene featured in The Great Escape movie to cross over the fence. Considering that era of the cinema, there was no such computer-aided imagery and graphics. Therefore, everything needed to be done in reality.

In The Great Escape motorcycle jump scene, Hilts, played by Steve McQueen, was seen escaping the Nazis and trying to dogde them as much as he can. The whole chase scene in the movie shows an exceptional display of motorcycle riding skills by Steve McQueen.

The Great Escape motorcycle jump was actually performed by a stunt double. It was decided in the end that Bud Ekins, who also happened to be a close friend of McQueen, would perform this stunt, as it was too risky for McQueen to perform this jump scene.

In the end, Ekins performed this stunt with mere skills, speed, and guts. To keep it real and to connect with the audience, the Great Escape motorcycle jump scene was performed without any help, rope, wires, or ramps.

The Great Escape motorcycle jump scene made history and is still considered to be one of the best displays of motorcycling skills.

The Great Escape motorcycle jump scene made history. It left a long-lasting impact on the hearts of many riders and viewers as well. It wasn’t only about speed, skills, and courage; it was more about the freedom. It was more about the value of freedom. It was a heart-touching attempt by Hilts (Steve McQueen), while putting his life at risk, to achieve freedom. As the man on the bike runs, jumps, and sails his bike through the air, it takes the heart out of your chest as you watch this movie scene every time.

The Great Escape motorcycle movie romanticized motorcycling. The movie serves as a basis for why motorcycles aren’t only considered a means of commuting from one place to another. Motorcycling is what makes you feel free and alive.

The Great Escape movie had a great impact on the popularity of Triumph motorcycles. Many riders got to know how good these bikes were. Triumph took a great limelight in the movie, which translated into better sales.

The Great Escape movie also had an impact on the motorcycling industry. It created a new style and class of motorbikes that we now know as ‘Scramblers’. 

Shortly after the release of the movie The Great Escape, the iconic Triumph TR6 Trophy used in the movie was believed to be lost. It disappeared completely. There was no news or information regarding the legendary Great Escape motorcycle. There were rumours that the bike had been neglected and it had gone to dust forever in a barn or under a private shed.

However, we only got to know recently that Triumph has decided to restore the motorcycle from the Great Escape and put it on display as an iconic and priceless piece of the motorcycle and movie industry.

The Steve McQueen Great Escape motorcycle was displayed at the Triumph Factory Visitpr Experience at the company’s headquarters in Hinckley, Leicestershire.

The same Great Escape motorcycle ridden by Steve McQueen in the movie, which was the 1961 Triumph TR6 Trophy, was used for the jump scene in the movie. The bike was made to look like a German bike to keep things real. The Triumph bike used was fast, agile, easy to handle, and good for off-roading, which is why it was perfect for the job in the movie The Great Escape.

For those who don’t know, Steve McQueen loved motorcycling. He was a passionate rider. Most of the motorcycle riding scenes in the Great Escape movie were performed by McQueen himself. According to many sources, the idea of using motorcycles in the movie was put forward by McQueen, and he knew it would work. However, the very famous The Great Escape motorcycle jump scene was performed by one of his good friends, and stunt double, Bud Ekins. 

The iconic 1963 movie The Great Escape is based on true events and is inspired by the true stories of escapees who mass escaped from a German prisoner-of-war (POW) camp in 1944. Though based on true events and stories, there were many scenes in the movie, including the motorcycle chasing, stunts, and jumps, that were included to add a dramatic effect and to make it more exciting to watch.

On top of being one of the most brilliant, gifted, and popular actors, Steve McQueen loved motorcycle riding as a hobby. Though he was not a full-time racer, he seriously competed in some of the top off-road bike racing competitions. These include the Elsinore Grand Prix, Mint 400, and the Baja 1000.

McQueen was also into car racing. He was also considered a professional race car driver. He performed many motorcycle and car-chasing scenes in his movies.