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FILM / 1963 / TRIUMPH TR6 TROPHY
The Great Escape.
A British TR6 in German disguise.
The motorcycle crosses grass and heads for the border looking like a German military machine. Under the weathered film costume, however, it is a Triumph TR6 Trophy. Here is why it was chosen, who made the jump and what became of the bike.
- Film bike
- Triumph TR6 Trophy
- Capacity
- 650 cc class
- Jump rider
- Bud Ekins
- Today
- Restored and displayed
The answer: a modified Triumph TR6 Trophy
Triumph's brand history identifies the machine in the 1963 film as a 1962 TR6 650 Trophy. The British motorcycle was dressed to resemble a German military bike appropriate to the story's setting.
The engine and light chassis give the game away. An air-cooled parallel twin sits beneath a slim tank, with wire wheels and twin rear shocks forming the familiar early-1960s British outline. Muted finishes and utilitarian fittings change the role without changing that underlying structure.
Why the TR6 Trophy suited the sequence
The TR6 Trophy was not a heavy road tourer. It was a lively 650 cc twin with real off-road competition history. Triumph describes the 1962 machine as producing about 42 bhp at its peak, with a 6,000 rpm redline, responsive power and substantial twin-cylinder torque.
Accelerating on grass and changing direction after landing demand more than top speed. A slim body and relatively light, controllable chassis also make the motorcycle's agility visible to the audience.
Bud Ekins performed the fence jump
Steve McQueen was an accomplished rider, but the production's insurers would not permit its leading star to perform the most dangerous jump. American off-road racer and stuntman Bud Ekins rode the motorcycle over the fence.
Triumph says McQueen and Ekins used smaller practice jumps to understand the motorcycle and calculate the run-up and landing. The result depended on the machine, grass surface, speed and landing area working together.
Where it was filmed, and where the bike is now
The motorcycle chase was filmed in meadows around Füssen in Bavaria, southern Germany. Triumph says the machine later went to a local farmer, spent decades in a barn and was eventually rediscovered and restored by collector Dick Shepherd.
The restored motorcycle is said to retain 95 per cent of its original parts and is displayed at the Triumph Factory Visitor Experience in Hinckley, England.
Triumph's own pages describe the display motorcycle as both a 1961 and a 1962 TR6 in different places. This guide therefore identifies it as an early-1960s TR6 650 Trophy without asserting a single model year.
Find a current motorcycle from the TR6's visible qualities
These are not direct successors. They are Japanese-market motorcycles selected for qualities you can see: a round lamp, slim tank, wire wheels, a level seat or scrambler-like utility.
Frequently asked questions
Is it a German BMW?
It looks like a German military motorcycle on screen, but the base machine is a British Triumph TR6 Trophy.
Who made the jump?
Bud Ekins performed the major fence jump. McQueen rode in other parts of the film.
Can the bike be seen today?
The restored film machine is displayed at Triumph's Factory Visitor Experience.
Sources
- Triumph Motorcycles: Brand — the TR6 Trophy and the film.
- Triumph Motorcycles: Bud Ekins — motorcycle performance and the jump.
- Triumph Motorcycles: The Great Escape TR6 Trophy — filming location, disguise and restoration.
Ride at First Sight is an independent motorcycle guide and is not affiliated with the film or motorcycle manufacturers.