McQueen’s Motorcycles
Racing and Riding with the King of Cool
–By Matt Stone
Motorbooks – Quarto Publishing
Matt Stone does a great job of telling Steve McQueen’s story though the bikes he rode and loved. The relationships he had with the machines he loved and the places he rode give you some true insight into the man. He was more comfortable in his t-shirt riding his Triumph Desert Sled or Husqvarna 400 Cross though the desert than anywhere else in the world.
McQueen brought his love of motorcycles into his movies like The Great Escape, where is did his own riding and all but one of his stunts. The German stunt drivers had a hard time keeping up with him so he put on the German uniform and was filmed chasing himself. After I finished the book I had to go back and watch the movie again to pick up on his riding. Well worth the time. I have a few more of his movies on my must see list.
McQueen grew to become a collector of motorcycles and cars even though he is described as not thinking of himself as one. After his death most of his collection was sold at auction and the value of the items continues to escalate. McQueen’s name and association with these bikes make them highly sought after. Matt Stone provides a run down of some of the collection, how McQueen acquired them and where they are now.
I hope I have given you a glimpse into the book and stirred some curiosity. Pick up a copy and see for yourself.
— David Campbell
Earl’s Garage – Motorcycle, Hotrod, and Event Photography
www.earlsgarage.co www.facebook.com/garage_photos
We’ve got a few books for you.–Bandit
