Steve Mcqueen Rode This 1926 Excelsior Super X Motorcycle Around His Ranch. Now It's Up For Auction

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Julien's Auctions is presenting a marquee arena (literally!) astatine nan Petersen Automotive Museum successful Los Angeles connected November 6, and nan business pinch Turner Classic Movies lives up to its "Movies and Motorcars" moniker. A standout batch is simply a 1926 Excelsior Super X motorcycle that was erstwhile owned by Steve McQueen. The estimate is for a waste of betwixt $125,000-150,000.

From nan auction site:

[T]he Excelsior Super X was nan first mass-produced American 740cc (45ci) V-twin, launching successful 1925 and kickstarting a large V-twin inclination among nan likes of Indian and Harley-Davidson. Interestingly, nan Super X was really developed by Harley-Davidson's Assistant Chief Engineer, Arthur Constantine, who took nan creation to Excelsior aft Walter Davidson turned it down.

The motorcycle coiled up successful McQueen's extended postulation successful nan 1970s, a gift from his stunt double and racing compatriot, Bud Ekins. According to Julien's, McQueen kept nan Excelsior astatine his California ranch, wherever he rode it during nan last twelvemonth aliases truthful earlier his decease successful 1980.

Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

Julien's says nan motorcycle still runs, truthful if you tin screen nan eventual hammer price, you could transmission immoderate of your soul King of Cool. The aforementioned V-twin centrifugal is paired pinch a three-speed chain-driven transmission, each packed into a azygous crankcase, a departure from nan designs that had preceded it. The one-time flat-tracker runs connected alcohol, is unchanged from erstwhile McQueen owned it, and is alternatively barebones. "[T]his exemplary features a racing frame, an oversized rear fender, nary beforehand fender, short exhaust headers, and...[a] title tuned engine," Julien's notes. "There's nary lighting aliases electrics, nor a beforehand brake, pinch conscionable a azygous drum connected nan rear."

The Excelsior was primitively auctioned successful 1984, erstwhile McQueen's property was sold disconnected (Julien's has nan documentation). The tires are "vintage," and nan leather spot is "original," requiring periodic conditioning to support it. So you really are getting a due portion of antique, two-wheeled racing history here, pinch other Tinseltown cred owed to its relation pinch an character who astir apt loved cars, planes, and motorbikes much than he did nan large screen.

The Santa Paula property wherever McQueen lived retired his days pinch his 3rd wife, Barbara, was an absorbing last destination for some nan Hollywood fable and his galore forms of transportation. He and Barbara moved location successful 1979 and initially dwelled successful an existent airplane hanger earlier relocating to a humble ranch house, wherever they tied nan knot. I person a book astir McQueen's past years, complete pinch Barbara's photos, and nan ranch does so look for illustration it was Steve's happy place. It besides provided ample retention for everything from nan Excelsior to his yellowish prop-driven biplane, arsenic good arsenic plentifulness of unfastened abstraction and section roads for McQueen to explore. 

Julien's has plentifulness of different pieces of McQueen-connected worldly successful nan auction. You could drawback movie posters, racing awards, different motorcycle (a 1971 Husqvarna 250), jackets, and moreover a brace of very Steve McQueen Persol sunglasses that are expected to hammer astatine $20,000-30,000.