Feb 3, 2011 9:00 AM

Gallery: The King of Cool's Motorcycle Is for Sale

Heinz Kluetmeier
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Steve McQueen's favorite dirtbike is for sale. Not that it matters, because you can't afford it. The 1971 Husqvarna Cross 400 that the King of Cool flogged, sans shirt, on the cover of *Sports Illustrated* hits the block at the high-falutin' Quail Motorcycle Gathering in May. Auction house Bonhams & Butterfields insists it's the real deal and includes "authentic documentation," not to mention a trunkful of trophies, to back it up. According to Bonhams, Chad McQueen says the Husky was his father's favorite off-road ride. Bonhams, which auctioned [McQueen's awesome Porsche 908/2](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2008/05/steve-mcqueens/) a few years ago, hasn't said what it thinks the bike will go for. A 400 Cross in good shape is worth a few grand, but you can bet this one will bring several times that. As our [friends at *Hell for Leather*](http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2011/01/steve-mcqueen%E2%80%99s-1971-husqvarna-400-cross/) note, a Triumph once owned by [Steve McQueen](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/tag/steve-mcqueen/) brought $84,000 in 2009. __Above__: McQueen, as he and the bike appeared on the cover of *Sports Illustrated* in August, 1971. *Photo: Heinz Kluetmeier / Sports Illustrated - Getty Images via Bonhams.*
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McQueen's machine. *Husqvarna Vapenfabriks Aktiebolag*, which started producing armaments for the Swedish army in 1689, built its first motorcycle in 1903. *Photo: Bonhams & Butterfields*

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McQueen's machine, from the other side. Husqvarnna once built road bikes but earned its reputation on lightweight two-stroke dirt bikes. The machines thoroughly dominated motocross racing through the 1960s and 1970s and became something of a pop-cultural icon when they appeared alongside McQueen, Malcolm Smith and Mert Lawwill in the 1971 film *On Any Sunday*. *Photo: Bonhams & Butterfields*
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The auction includes a trunk of trophies and other McQueen memorabilia. *Photo: Bonhams & Butterfields*

Heinz Kluetmeier
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You will never, ever be as cool as Steve McQueen. *Photo: Heinz Kluetmeier / Sports Illustrated - Getty Images via Bonhams.* __See Also:__ - [Put Steve McQueen's 'Le Mans' Porsche In Your Driveway](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2008/05/steve-mcqueens/) - [A Two-Wheeled Homage to Steve McQueen](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2009/11/triumph-tag-bonneville/) - [Bullitt Bike is Cool, Cargo-Carrying Cruiser](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/08/bullitt-bike-is-cool-cargo-carrying-cruiser/) - [Gallery: Mustang, the Ultimate Pony Car, Turns 45](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/cars/coolwheels/multimedia/2009/04/gallery_mustang) - [Bullitt Doesn't Look So Slick On Google Maps](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2009/08/bullitt-google-map/)

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