Steve McQueen and the International Six Day Trials: A Wild Ride
Take a dive into the world of dirt-bikes , mud and madness with a tale that wouldn’t be out of place in a Hollywood flick. You might know him as the "King of Cool," but Steve McQueen, could ride like a champ. He was bloody good, so good that he represented the USA at the 1964 International Six Day Trials (ISDT)
What was the International Six Day Trials (ISDT) all about? It's like Olympics for dirt bikes. (Now know as the international six days enduro), You've got riders from all over the globe, tackling rough tracks, tough weather, and mud, loads of mud. The objective? Prove who's the ultimate off-road king.
The ISDT in 1964 took place at the heart of the Communist Eastern bloc during the height of the Cold War. On September 5, 1964 in Erfurt, East Germany McQueen, in what was reported to have been one of the proudest moments of his life, carried the ‘Stars and Stripes’ for the US team at the opening ceremony.
Yes, the same McQueen who jumped that fence and drove cars like a man possessed was now taking on one of the gnarliest off-road enduro challenges on the planet. And he didn't just show up; he kicked some serious off-road ass.
Mud, Grit, and McQueen’s Class
McQueen and his teammates rode old school Triumphs for the event that were temperamental to say the least. But they could and did handle anything, and so could McQueen.
Bring on the rain and mud. Crazy routes, sickeningly steep hills, and lots of broken up bikes. It was all part of the fun. McQueen and his USA team buddies weren't there for the sauerkraut; they were there to take on the kind of terrain that an average rider wouldn’t dream about taking on.
So, how'd it go? McQueen wasn't a winner regarding a medal, but he left a big impression. All members of the US Team were top shelf riders, but more used to desert terrain and not so much the muddy woods and hills of Central Europe in cold wet weather. The team were riding like crazy men and went flat out, ‘too ‘crazy’ for a six day event and ended up in loads of inevitable crashes. Steve McQueen and Bud Ekins had to retire on the third and fourth days after several heavy crashes. But other USA team members got gold and silver medals.
Why does It Matter?
You might wonder, "Why does this even matter?" Well, it matters because it shows a side of McQueen that wasn't just about Hollywood stunts and leading roles. He was a motorcycle junkie at heart, an adventure seeker who wasn't afraid to get down in the dirt.
The ISDT wasn't just a race; it was an epic ride that tested riders' limits. It was about camaraderie and team spirit.
So, the next time you watch a McQueen movie, remember that he wasn't just the King of Cool; he was the King of Guts who tackled life head-on, whether it was on the silver screen or in the mud-splattered madness of the ISDT.