BUD EKINS STUNT DOUBLE FOR STEVE MCQUEEN IN THE GREAT ESCAPE

Although Steve McQueen did his own motorcycle riding, there was one stunt he did not perform: the hair-raising jump over a fence to escape the Nazis in the famous scene in the cult classic The Great Escape. This was done by McQueen's friend Bud Ekins. Bud is one of the many stars mentioned in the new Veloce book Off-Road Giants! – Heroes of 1960s Motorcycle Sport by Andrew Westlake.

In stock! Off-Road Giants! – Heroes of 1960s Motorcycle Sport by Andrew Westlake.

If you can recall watching motorcycle scrambles and trials on your black and white TV during the 1960s, then this is the book for you. It’s a trip down memory lane as the author recalls boyhood journeys in his big brothers ex-GPO van to watch the stars in action, some of the world’s best, including scramblers like the Sharp brothers, Badger Goss and Ivor England, trials riders Gordon Jackson, Max King and the Kendalls, and great all-rounders like Ken Heanes, Johnny Giles and the American Bud Ekins. Not only does it include the star riders, but also the main British manufacturers of the time like BSA, Triumph, James, Greeves, Metisse, Cheney and Wasp, the latter two of which are still in existence to this day. However, the book isn’t just about bikes – it’s about the people and their stories from illustrious and successful careers on two and three wheels, which makes for a thoroughly interesting and captivating read.

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