Metisse 'Steve McQueen' Desert Racer

Metisse 'Steve McQueen' Desert Racer

This bike is one of 300 replicas of the Metisse Mk3 Desert Racer, as spec'ed by Steve. Metisse gives us a little background on McQueen:

Born in 1930, Steve experienced a rough childhood until the California Boys Republic and the US Marines helped turned his life around. These experiences would be crucial in helping Steve relate to many of his future movie roles.

In 1952 he embarked on his acting career in theatre, progressing to Broadway in 1955 and finally making his break in movies in 1956 with ‘Somebody Up There Likes Me’. He then went on to star in iconic movies such as ‘The Magnificent Seven’, ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’, ‘Bullitt’, ‘Papillion’ and of course, ‘The Great Escape’, which also showcased his great passion of motorcycles.

I remember The Great Escape:

Steve McQueen in The Great Escape

Steve McQueen - The Great Escape (motorcycle scene)
Bib48_MovieClips

I remember the jump, didn't remember the crash into barbed wire. I also remember the story was a disaster.

Never heard of the California Boys Republic. 

Mason & Sons has a page about Steve McQueen and Boys Republic. 

McQueen died at the age of 50 or cancer in Mexico in 1980.