This is a 1969 Triumph TR6C that has been carefully restored back to period-correct “Desert Sled” specification, making it ideal for desert racing in California in the 1960s, or in the present day if the mood takes you.
This numbers-matching TR6C is now being offered for sale out of England. We’re hoping it gets bought by someone who’ll do right by it, and take it off-road or maybe go take part in the Malle Mile.
Fast Facts: The Triumph TR6C
- The Triumph TR6C was introduced in 1961 as a purpose-built off-road version of the TR6 Trophy, aimed at the American desert racing market. It had high-mounted exhaust pipes, folding footpegs, minimal trim, and the headlight could be easily removed, making it well-suited to varied terrain and popular choice among West Coast riders.
- Racers quickly modified TR6Cs for events like the Baja 1000 and Barstow-to-Vegas, creating the “desert sled” versions. With a 649cc engine producing 42 bhp and a dry weight around 365 lbs, it offered a good mix of power and maneuverability for amateur and professional racers alike.
- The model gained lasting fame through its use by Steve McQueen and Bud Ekins, including in “The Great Escape.” It also saw success in competition, winning the Catalina Grand Prix, Greenhorn Enduro, and ISDT events with riders like Bob Sandgren, Buck Smith, and Dusty Coppage.
- This 1969 TR6C has been restored to period-correct desert sled specification with NOS and reconditioned parts. It features a race-inspired paint job, straight pipes, LED lights, and Continental TKC 80 tires, and is currently offered for sale by Car & Classic in Nottinghamshire, UK.
History Speedrun: The Triumph TR6C
The Triumph TR6 Trophy was introduced in 1956 as a development of the earlier TR5, built to capitalize on the booming American market’s demand for powerful, large displacement (for the era) off-road-oriented motorcycles.
Perhaps the most famous example of the TR6 was the 1963 TR6 Trophy Special used in “The Great Escape.” Although the movie’s setting was World War II-era Europe, the motorcycle used in the now-iconic barbed-wire jump scene was a disguised TR6C dressed up to look like a German military bike. Image courtesy of United Artists.
Powered by a 649cc parallel-twin derived from the Thunderbird, the TR6 was developed more as a roadster with off-road capabilities, a hybrid machine designed to meet the needs of American desert racers and scramblers – a huge market for Triumph at the time.
The TR6 evolved continuously through the late 1950s and 1960s, eventually splitting into two primary branches: the TR6R road-going Trophy and the TR6C, a more off-road-competition-focused variant sometimes referred to as the “Trophy Special.”
The TR6C first appeared as a distinct model in 1961, developed specifically for the United States – particularly for the West Coast, where dealers like Johnson Motors in California played a critical role in shaping Triumph’s off-road image.
American riders wanted lightweight, powerful bikes that could compete in the harsh conditions of desert races like the Baja 1000, hare and hound events, or enduros held in the Mojave and Sierra. British factory scramblers were typically too heavy and not purpose-built for desert racing use, so the TR6C was developed to meet this demand.
It had high-mounted twin exhausts for improved ground clearance, folding footpegs, a larger front wheel for off-road use, a quickly removable headlight, and stripped-down trim to reduce weight. These models were often sold in limited numbers and rapidly modified by new owners to suit their individual preferences, with owners often finding ways to make them both a little lighter and a little more powerful.
Although not built exclusively for competition, the TR6C earned a reputation for toughness and solid off-road chops. With its 42 bhp engine and relatively low weight (roughly ~365 lbs dry), the bike became a formidable force in amateur and professional off-road events. Riders swapped steel fenders for alloy, removed unnecessary accessories, and bolted on bash plates and fitted knobby tires.
McQueen wanted to do the border fence jump stunt in “The Great Escape” himself but was denied by the film’s insurers, leaving the actual jump to Ekins – who nailed it on the first try. Image courtesy of United Artists.
TR6Cs so modified were nicknamed “desert sleds,” a term that came to define a whole genre of stripped-down desert racers – machines that were fast, simple, and easy to repair in the field.
One of the most important cultural touchpoints for the TR6C, and the desert sled movement overall, was its association with actor and racer Steve McQueen. A passionate motorcyclist, successful racer on two wheels and four, and a frequent competitor in off-road events, McQueen favored Triumphs throughout the 1960s. His personal machines were often modified TR6s built by his friend and stunt double Bud Ekins, a legendary motorcycle racer in his own right.
The TR6 claimed a number of victories in the International Six Days Trial (ISDT), with riders like John Giles and Bud Ekins in the saddle. In the US, it dominated iconic desert and enduro events – Bud Ekins won multiple Big Bear Runs and AMA nationals, Bob Sandgren triumphed at the Catalina Grand Prix, and Buck Smith and Mike Konle secured victories in the Greenhorn and Hi-Mountain Enduros. The TR6C also claimed top spots in the Barstow-to-Vegas desert race, with riders like Dusty Coppage and Mike Burke.
Perhaps the most famous example of the model was the TR6 Trophy Special used in The Great Escape. Although the movie’s setting was World War II-era Europe, the motorcycle used in the now-iconic barbed-wire jump scene was a disguised TR6C dressed up to look like a German military bike.
McQueen wanted to do the stunt himself but was denied by the film’s insurers, leaving the actual jump to Ekins – who nailed it on the first try.
This film appearance forever established the TR6C’s reputation as not just a performance motorcycle, but a 1960s cultural icon. It was fast, reliable, and versatile, and – thanks to McQueen – it had a cool factor that no other off-road bike of the era could quite touch.
The TR6C was powered by a 649cc parallel-twin derived from the Triumph Thunderbird, the TR6 was developed more as a roadster with off-road capabilities for Southern California desert racing.
The TR6C became a symbol of the California desert racing scene and helped set the stage for purpose-built two-stroke dirt bikes from Japan and Europe that would come to dominate the scene in the late 1960s, 1970s, and beyond.
Production of the TR6C ran until 1973, with various updates to the frame, engine, and braking systems along the way. After that, the model was effectively replaced by the Triumph T140 series, which continued into the 1980s.
The Triumph TR6C “Desert Sled” Shown Here
The motorcycle you see here is a matching-numbers 1969 Triumph TR6C that now benefits from a restoration using new-old-stock and reconditioned parts back to near as-new condition as it’s possible to get.
It was modified after this into a period-correct Southern California-style desert sled. The frame was powder-coated black, it was given a custom black leather seat, the racing number eight, and a white and red race-inspired paint theme.
The motorcycle you see here is a matching-numbers 1969 Triumph TR6C that now benefits from a restoration using new-old-stock and reconditioned parts back to near as-new condition as it’s possible to get.
It has straight pipes installed with no mufflers, Continental TKC 80 knobby tires front and back, Hagon shock absorbers, a new Amal carburetor, race-style front and rear fenders, rebuilt British Chrome wheels with stainless single butted spokes, a small front High/Low beam headlight, and a full LED lighting system.
The bike is now being offered for sale on Car & Classic out of Nottinghamshire in the United Kingdom, and you can visit the listing here if you’d like to read more about it or place a bid.
Images courtesy of Car & Classic
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
