The 1967 Triumph Daytona derived its name from Buddy Elmore’s win at the 1966 Daytona 200 at Daytona Beach Fl. It was the first win by Triumph at Daytona. The bike that won then became a production model in 1967 with the designation Triumph Daytona 500 T100R.

This bike has a 490cc air cooled ohv parallel-twin engine and 4-speed gearbox. Estimated at 39hp @7400 RPM.

 

Steve McQueen’s love affair with bikes and racing Started with Triumph.

 

First, his first off-road motorcycle was a Triumph 500cc that he purchased from friend and stuntman Bud Ekins.

Second, in McQueen’s 1963 film The Great Escape, he rode a Triumph TR6 650 during the chase scenes and, in one of the most famous action scenes in a movie, his character tried to escape the Nazis by jumping over a fence – which Bud Ekins did the stunt for.

Third, McQueen and Ekins raced in many top off-road races on the West Coast, including the Baja 1000, the Mint 400 and the Elsinore Grand Prix on Triumphs.

Fourth, and Steve's proudest moment on a bike was representing the USA on a Triumph TR6 Trophy at the 'Olympics' of trail riding at the 1964 International Six Day Trial (ISDT) in East Germany.  Steve was one the 4-man USA team that included Bud Ekins, his younger brother Dave Ekins and Cliff Coleman. 

(The race is commemorated in the book '40 Summers Ago... Hollywood behind the Iron Curtain' by Rin Tanaka and Sean Kelly, 2004.)

 

As a results of all these exploits on a Triumph and his subsequent adventures on Husqvarnas including the now-classic motorcycle documentary “On Any Sunday”, Steve was inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1978.

 

But it all started with Triumph.

 

This Triumph is incredibly special because it is likely the most original Steve McQueen bike in existence.

Steve McQueen purchased 53176 brand new as a late 1967 model on January 4th, 1968.

 

The bike comes with its California DMV Ownership transfer/registration paperwork showing the transfer from an LA Triumph dealer to Steve McQueen.

One of the very unique things about the 53176 is that he bought the bike in his own name and personal address and not Solar Productions like many of his bikes and cars:

 

Steven T. McQueen

1411 S. Beverly Drive

Los Angeles, CA

 

This is a well-known address for McQueen at the time as his 1964 FIM Motocross License demonstrates.