the Film " the Great Escape" What bike.?

[Monkey boy 1]

Right, need to end a heated discussion, the question is what bike was Steve McQueen riding when he jumpedthe fences in the film the Great Escape" ?
I'm under the impression that it was a Truimph, but am unsure of the exact model. (I should know as being an ex Triumph owner), A friend says it was a BMW as it was a German riding the bike & the German Aremy wouldn't have a Triumph. Deffo a parallel twin, so that rules BMW out. but which model Triumph. T100 ? Speed Twin ?



Please put us out of our mysery

[untruth]

http://www.imcdb.org/movie_57115-The-Great-Escape....

[untruth]

Triumph T6, FYI

[Hooli]

oh goody we've not had this thread for at least a month

IIRC there were two bikes used of slightly different ages but i think the actual jump bike was a TR6 ridden by Bud Ekins (not sure on his name).

[Monkey boy 1]

sorry if it's a repost, but it was quicker to ask. Thanks all for the quick response.

[Graemsay]

There was an article on the Times website a couple of days ago about this, including a video of a recreation.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/videos/ar...

[Chipchap]

Whatever was used in the film T100 or Tiger or T6, none of these are period correct. The only Triumph Twin that would have been available in wartime/military guise would have been a TRW surely. Unless it was supposed to be a civilian model that was siezed for military use ?

This link suggests a 1961 Triumph TR6 Trophy was used in the film, clearly well out of period. http://www.motorcycle.com/events/bud-ekins-1938-tr...


CC

[Hooli]

Chipchap said:

Whatever was used in the film T100 or Tiger or T6, none of these are period correct. The only Triumph Twin that would have been available in wartime/military guise would have been a TRW surely. Unless it was supposed to be a civilian model that was siezed for military use ?

This link suggests a 1961 Triumph TR6 Trophy was used in the film, clearly well out of period. http://www.motorcycle.com/events/bud-ekins-1938-tr...


CC

err its ment to be a german bike too so its totally incorrect, but who cares its cool.

[aeropilot]

Hooli said:

oh goody we've not had this thread for at least a month

IIRC there were two bikes used of slightly different ages but i think the actual jump bike was a TR6 ridden by Bud Ekins (not sure on his name).

Got the name spot on.
Ekins had a Triumph dealers in Hollywood, Ca. at the time.

It was Bud that also yumped the Mustang down Taylor St in San Fran during the Bullitt chase a few years later.

[Hooli]

bloody i remembered right? thats a new one
never knew he did bullitt to, makes sense as ive heard he was good mates with McQueen.

[aeropilot]

Hooli said:

bloody i remembered right? thats a new one
never knew he did bullitt to, makes sense as ive heard he was good mates with McQueen.

If you watch the Bullitt chase, it was also Ekins laying down the bike on the road when McQueen spins out on the dirt in the Mustang infront of oncoming traffic.

For Triumph fans 'in the know' one of these tee shirts is a must

[catso]

Hooli said:

Chipchap said:

Whatever was used in the film T100 or Tiger or T6, none of these are period correct. The only Triumph Twin that would have been available in wartime/military guise would have been a TRW surely. Unless it was supposed to be a civilian model that was siezed for military use ?

This link suggests a 1961 Triumph TR6 Trophy was used in the film, clearly well out of period. http://www.motorcycle.com/events/bud-ekins-1938-tr...


CC

err its ment to be a german bike too so its totally incorrect, but who cares its cool.

Indeed but can you imagine trying that jump on one of these;



Almost as bad as jumping over buses on a Harley Davidson....

[srob]

Chipchap said:

Whatever was used in the film T100 or Tiger or T6, none of these are period correct. The only Triumph Twin that would have been available in wartime/military guise would have been a TRW surely. Unless it was supposed to be a civilian model that was siezed for military use ?

This link suggests a 1961 Triumph TR6 Trophy was used in the film, clearly well out of period. http://www.motorcycle.com/events/bud-ekins-1938-tr...


CC

The Speedtwin was introduced in 1938. The photo title says "bud-ekins-1938-triumph-speed-twin". The '38 Speedtwin had girder forks and rigid (i.e no!) rear suspension so I'm not sure the landing would've been so smooth! Triumph didn't bring swinging arm rear suspension in until the late 50's/early 60's (they went through 'sprung-hub'- rigid frame with the rear suspension in the hub - phase before swinging arm) so it's way out on age!

Still looks cool though!

Oh, and if anyone's got a '38 Speedtwin lurking in the shed, they're worth a small fortune now!

[aeropilot]

srob said:

The Speedtwin was introduced in 1938. The photo title says "bud-ekins-1938-triumph-speed-twin". The '38 Speedtwin had girder forks and rigid (i.e no!) rear suspension so I'm not sure the landing would've been so smooth!

What's that got to do with the Great Escape bike, other than that '38 Speed Twin in that link was once owned by Ekins who performed to jump over the wire for the film...??

[srob]

aeropilot said:

srob said:

The Speedtwin was introduced in 1938. The photo title says "bud-ekins-1938-triumph-speed-twin". The '38 Speedtwin had girder forks and rigid (i.e no!) rear suspension so I'm not sure the landing would've been so smooth!

What's that got to do with the Great Escape bike, other than that '38 Speed Twin in that link was once owned by Ekins who performed to jump over the wire for the film...??

The bike in the picture is NOT a 1938 Speed Twin, based on the reaons I gave above. The title of the picture (I presumed to be showing the Great Escape jump?) is called "bud-ekins-1938-triumph-speed-twin".

I was also answering someones question about what Triumph's were available in that era.

[aeropilot]

srob said:

aeropilot said:

srob said:

The Speedtwin was introduced in 1938. The photo title says "bud-ekins-1938-triumph-speed-twin". The '38 Speedtwin had girder forks and rigid (i.e no!) rear suspension so I'm not sure the landing would've been so smooth!

What's that got to do with the Great Escape bike, other than that '38 Speed Twin in that link was once owned by Ekins who performed to jump over the wire for the film...??

The bike in the picture is NOT a 1938 Speed Twin, based on the reaons I gave above. The title of the picture (I presumed to be showing the Great Escape jump?) is called "bud-ekins-1938-triumph-speed-twin".

I was also answering someones question about what Triumph's were available in that era.

Ah....crossed thoughts...

I thought you were referring to the photo of the ex-Ekins '38 Speed Twin as posted by Chipchap in this link....

http://www.motorcycle.com/events/bud-ekins-1938-tr...