Why do some people shell out mega bucks at auction for current and vintage race motorcycles they’ll never actually ride? Owning a piece of history is a powerful motivator, and of course, nothing opens a chequebook like nostalgia. But there are some classic machines with incredible pedigree that you can not only admire, but also ride like a hoon and have a hell of a time. Few bikes capture all of these qualities like the 1966 Metisse Steve McQueen Desert Racer. It’s got the movie star magnetism, it hails from the peak era of the best of British, and, this example being number 005 of just 300 official replicas ever built means you won’t run into another when you’re flogging it like crazy in the backwoods.
Regular readers of Pipeburn will remember that around this time last year, we featured a near-identical bike, machine number 121 to roll off the small Metisse production line. When it was featured, words like “perfect” and “magnificent” were common themes, and there were very few of us who didn’t want to see that bike in our own back shed. But such a storied motorcycle deserves more than just a single dose, and with 005 now up for sale, we thought it was the perfect time to revisit what made the Metisse Desert Racer so damn good.
You have to constantly remind yourself that the key parts of this motorcycle are sixty years old, and the technology and designs are even older. Yet, despite that fact, and the understanding that you could build your own for much less, people are still willing to spend large sums of money to get their hands on the real thing, as approved by the McQueen estate. And it’s not just for the history; these bikes still ride incredibly well. What underpins the success of every motorcycle that wears the Metisse Mklll badge, and many others that don’t, is a single part created by the Rickman Brothers.
We told their story last time, so rather than rehash an old tale, let’s talk about the chassis they built for this incredible project. Like almost everything they did, the frames are made from 4130 chrome-moly tubing of the highest quality available at the time. But before shaping steel, they spent years testing their designs, and only when they were perfect, did they manufacture a jig to build all future frames. That very jig, created 62 years ago, is now in the possession of the current Metisse owners and was used to build this very bike. The brothers’ design drawings also help immensely in the fabrication of the frame.
The choice of 4130 not only gave the Metisse strength but also a lightness that other British bikes didn’t have. It’s a malleable metal, allowing it to move and distort without cracking. The ability to control this movement allowed the Rickmans to give the rider exceptional feedback. McQueen himself stated, “This rig is the best handling bike I’ve ever owned.” Using the jig and the drawings, the welders brazing the frames today know exactly how thick or thin to make the chassis tubes during the butting process, the length of the butts, and the overall transition from thick to thin.
The swingarm is built the same way, with the twin shock mounts made rigid, so that only the chassis and the arm flex in the right places, letting the rider feel the rubble beneath their rubber. For this example, rubber is modern Michelin, and arguably, tyre technology has made the biggest strides since the ’60s. The Triumph hubs with Metisse branding are period correct, as are the Italian 35mm Ceriani forks with BSA yokes. While modern suspension has come a long way, simply slapping on new premium USD forks would throw the handling completely out of whack.
The iconic styling comes from the five-piece GRP bodywork, always left in its gel-coated battleship grey. These parts combine to save a huge amount of weight, the bike tipping the scales at 135kg, the same as a modern Honda CB125E, the little bike learners are given to ride. This was revolutionary at the time and was a 25% weight saving over even the factory Triumph racers. But it was, of course, one of their 650cc engines that powered McQueen and all the other Metisse Desert Racers to follow. This example features a 1968 ‘TR6C’ engine, with a competition cam and crank package, as well as revised pistons, valves, and those stunning ‘swept’ exhaust pipes.
Even sixty years ago, it was good for 55hp at the flywheel, that is equivalent to a modern Yamaha YZ450F, and the McQueen has the edge in terms of torque too. It’s just a stat, and while the Yamaha would clearly be the faster bike, these facts help you realise how ahead of its time the McQueen Desert Racer truly was. It’s possibly an unpopular opinion these days, but this really was a man’s bike. Rigid pegs, loud pipes, and geometry which forced the rider to shift their weight all over that tiny seat and sometimes well off it. We take all of that for granted now, but 005 is Sean Connery levels of cool. Sure, there are a few numbers missing compared to the real thing, but as replicas go, I’d give my right hand! She’s beautiful.
[ Collecting Cars ]