One of Steve McQueen’s Most Beloved Motorcycles Has Been Reborn With New Limited-Edition Replicas
No one is ever going to be as cool as Steve McQueen, but thanks to Métisse you can at least ride the same motorcycle as him.
The little-known British bike maker has teamed up with the King of Cool’s family to release a limited-edition replica of his cherished Mk3, according to HiConsumption. The new Steve McQueen Desert Racer is based on the exact two-wheeler the actor customized and raced himself.
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Like a true connoisseur, McQueen knew that brand names only meant so much. Because of that, his desert sled of choice was built by Métisse, a British outfit that was only really known to enthusiasts at the time. As much as the actor liked the company’s Mk3, he also saw room for improvement and made a number of modifications to the machine to adapt it for desert racing. The resulting two-wheeler was “the best handling bike [he] ever owned.”
The limited-edition motorcycle features a hand-built frame made from nickel-plated 4130 chrome moly tubing, 35 mm Ceriani forks with BSA yokes, and a swing arm with Twin Girling dampers and springs (suspension give is reportedly seven-and-a-half inches up front and nearly four in the back). It’s powered by a fully reconditioned 650cc Triumph TR6 parallel-twin engine connected to a four-speed transmission. The bike’s five-piece body and eight-liter fuel tank are finished in battleship grey and adorned with the Union Jack, the gold Méttise logo, and a reproduction of the star’s signature. Rounding things out are a chrome handlebar and a set of chrome 21-inch wire-spoked rims wearing Mitas tires. The bike is designed for racing, but the Road Pack comes with everything you need to make it street-legal.
Métisse plans to build just 300 examples of the motorcycle, which you can order now through its Métisse website. You’ll have to inquire about pricing, but we’d wager it doesn’t come cheap, especially since another replica of McQueen’s Mk3 sold for S28,000 earlier this year. Each bike also comes with a “Collection Certificate” endorsed by the actor’s estate.
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