Steve McQueen’s 1926 Excelsior Super X — the King of Cool’s rare motorbike heads to auction

If you’ve ever wanted to own a piece of pure, unfiltered Hollywood history, now’s your chance. A 1926 Excelsior Super X Flat Tracker once owned (and ridden) by Steve McQueen is going under the hammer this November.

Part of Movies & Motorcars, a new collaboration between Julien’s Auctions and Turner Classic Movies, the sale takes place at Los Angeles’ Petersen Automotive Museum on 6 November 2025, and features some of the most coveted cars and bikes ever linked to Hollywood’s golden age.

The headliner, naturally, is McQueen’s Excelsior Super X, a factory-built flat tracker gifted to him by his stunt double and racing partner Bud Ekins in the 1970s. The pair’s friendship was legendary both on and off the screen, and this machine stands as one of its greatest relics.

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Built in 1926, the Super X was the first mass-produced American 740cc V-twin, designed by former Harley-Davidson engineer Arthur “Connie” Constantine. It’s stripped back and purposeful: no lights, no front brake, no electrics, just a single rear drum and a race-tuned, alcohol-fed engine. McQueen kept it at his Santa Paula ranch, where he rode it through the surrounding hills until he died in 1980.

The bike has never been restored and still runs. It’s accompanied by a treasure trove of original documentation, from McQueen’s estate sale paperwork to a certificate of authenticity signed by Terry and Chad McQueen. Expected sale price: $125,000 to $150,000 (£100,000–£120,000).

The bike’s also been featured in McQueen’s Machines and McQueen’s Motorcycles by Matt Stone, confirming its status as a bona fide collector’s dream. On top of the bike, there's plenty of other McQueen memorabilia, including props, posters, clothes and more.

More motor magic under the hammer

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The auction lineup is a who’s who of Hollywood horsepower. There’s Paul Newman’s 1967 CZ 250, Ben Affleck’s 2003 BMW R1150 Rockstar from Paycheck, and the Suzuki GSXS 750 that crashed into Keanu Reeves’s Chevy Chevelle in John Wick and even the Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) 2002 Indian Chief "Police Special" Motorcycle from Terminator 3.

For four-wheel aficionados, highlights include Jack Nicholson’s 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Convertible from The Two Jakes, Jack Lemmon’s 1969 Jaguar E-Type, and NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain’s one-of-a-kind “Searcher 1” supercar, a 1970s fever dream on wheels.

Even Tommy Lee’s custom-built chopper (from his Carnival of Sins tour) is up for grabs, alongside memorabilia from Elvis Presley, Madame Sylvia Wu’s Rolls-Royce, and a 1953 Chevrolet Cotton Candy Truck for those with a sweet tooth for nostalgia.

A portion of the proceeds from select lots will go towards educational programmes at the Petersen Automotive Museum. So if you win big, you’re doing it for the kids.

For those keen to get in on the action, Movies & Motorcars takes place on Thursday, 6 November at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, with bidding available online, by phone, or in person.

Whether you’re after McQueen’s two-wheeled legend or just curious to see Hollywood’s finest machines go under the gavel, it promises to be one of the year’s best collector events.

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