From Inside Line (edmunds.com):

Poll: Steve McQueen Voted "Most Iconic Biker"

LONDON — Steve McQueen, the Hollywood superstar who famously said, "I'm not sure whether I¿m an actor who races or a racer who acts," has been named the "most iconic biker of all time" in a new poll commissioned by the MCN London Motorcycle Show.

Coming in 2nd was Barry Sheene, 1977-'78 World 500 GP champion, followed by Valentino Rossi, seven-time MotoGP champion. American stunt rider Evel Knievel took 4th place, while actor Marlon Brando, the star of the classic biker-gang movie The Wild Ones, came in 7th. Actor Tom Cruise only took 2 percent of the vote and snagged the 9th spot, and actor Ewan McGregor came in 10th.

Show organizers noted that an image of McQueen sitting on a Triumph is "instantly recognizable by many generations, rivaling that of the Beatles on the Abbey Road."

McQueen's most notable motorcycle moment came from a sequence in the film The Great Escape, in which, as a prisoner of war, his character's escape was foiled by one last jump over a barbed-wire fence.

 

From:  menandmotors.co.uk

Steve McQueen is still the man

When Steve McQueen road his motorbike across the fields in The Great Escape he won the hearts and minds of millions of people. Now, 40 years on, the actor has been given possibly the greatest honour that any bike rider could wish for - he has been crowned the most iconic biker of all time.

McQueen, who died in 1980, received a massive 25 per cent of the vote, which was carried out by the MCN London Motorcycle Show in conjunction with Yahoo Cars. The actor beat off competition from other legends such as double grand prix world champion Barry Sheene (21 per cent) and seven-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi (also 21 per cent).

Fourth place in the list went to Evel Knievel, who was followed by the Isle of Man's greatest rider Joey Dunlop. Marlon Brando ranked seventh, while Tom Cruise and Ewan McGregor, both well-known bike fans, were voted ninth and tenth respectively

 

From Easier Motoring (easier.com):

McQueen – King of The Icons
18 January 2007

Hollywood legend Steve McQueen has been voted the most iconic biker of all time, according to a MCN London Motorcycle Show survey in conjunction with Yahoo! Cars.

The 1960s all-action film star took one in every four of the 2254 votes registered on yahoo.co.uk. McQueen, who died of lung cancer in 1980, saw off a list of motorcycle racing legends, actors and stunt riders in the New Year poll.

In second place was double grand prix world champion and 70s sex symbol, Barry Sheene, closely followed by seven-time MotoGP champion, Valentino Rossi. Daredevil, Evel Knieval, famous for his spectacular bone-breaking crashes was ranked fourth while Marlon Brando, star of one of the quintessential biking films, The Wild Ones, managed seventh.

Languishing at the back of the table, scoring only 2 per cent of the votes each, were Mission Impossible actor Tom Cruise and Long Way Round star Ewan McGregor. Both are well known for their love of riding motorcycles, on and off screen.

As well as being a successful racer, McQueen preferred to do many of his own film stunts. His most notorious motorcycle moment came from a sequence in the film The Great Escape where, as a prisoner of war, his character’s escape was foiled by one last jump over a barbed wire fence. The BBC recently mimicked this stunt as part of its Christmas schedule.

The survey is a revealing insight to the biker’s mind. Despite numerous celebrities currently riding motorcycles, a 44-year-old image of McQueen sat on a Triumph is instantly recognisable by many generations, rivalling that of The Beatles on the Abbey Road zebra crossing.

Bike fans should head to the MCN London Motorcycle Show at ExCeL on February 1-4 2007 to see breath-taking stunt action, the very latest new motorcycles, new product launches, hundreds of bike accessories along with a chance to meet celebrity riders and, of course, the MCN babes.

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