Someone mentioned The Great Escape. In 1963, Steve McQueen's motorcycle scenes in that classic movie were a then 11 year-old boys primary inspiration to ride. That 11 year old was me. For those familiar with the movie, here's some interesting (to me, anyway) facts:
During the climatic motorcycle chase, Director John Sturges allowed Steve McQueen to ride (in disguise) as one of the pursuing German soldiers, so that in the final sequence (through the magic of editing), he's actually chasing himself.
Although Steve McQueen did his own motorcycle riding, there was one stunt he did not perform: the hair-raising 60-foot jump over a fence. This was done by McQueen's friend Bud Ekins, who was managing a Los Angeles-area motorcycle shop when recruited for the stunt. McQueen also personally attempted the jump across the border fence, but crashed.
Hilts (Steve McQueen) strings a wire across the road to obtain a motorcycle. McQueen himself played the German motorcyclist who hits the wire and crashes.
Steve McQueen accepted the role of Hilts on the condition that he got to show off his motorcycle skills.
The motorcycle that Hilts (Steve McQueen) rides is a cosmetically modified Triumph TR6 Trophy. As is well known, these British motorcycle models were not in existence during the Second World War.
