A 1972 Husqvarna 250cc motocrosser with a documented link to Steve McQueen’s production company is heading to the Bonhams’ Autumn Stafford Sale on October 11, as part of the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show.
The lot, part of “The Connoisseurs’ Collection, Part IV,” carries an estimate of £30,000-£50,000 and will be sold without reserve.
Built for the US market, this particular machine still has its original warranty disclaimer and vehicle type approval stickers in place, and is described as apparently unrestored.
It carries “G.P. Winning Replica” decals bearing the signature of Heikki Mikkola, the Finnish rider closely associated with Husqvarna who won four World Motocross Championships.
Despite the promising link to McQueen , who routinely acquired and titled his vehicles through his company, Solar Productions, it hasn’t yet been possible to establish what McQueen actually did with this particular bike.
The surviving documentation is held in a private collection and isn’t offered alongside the machine itself, meaning, the auction house has advised prospective bidders to make their own assessment of its significance before bidding.
Don Ince, custodian of the surviving Edison Dye archive and a recognised authority on early Husqvarna motorcycles has also suggested the motorcycle may have passed to director Sam Peckinpah following the filming of The Getaway in 1972, though no documentary evidence has been found to support that theory either.
MCN has previously covered a string of McQueen’s 400 Cross models sold at auction over the years, several with far more robust paper trails: a 1971 example that sold for $186,500 in 2022 came with a certificate of authenticity and the original 1984 bill of sale from the Steve McQueen Estate Auction.
Another 1971 400 Cross, described at the time as “the best known of all McQueen’s Huskys,” sold for $144,500 in 2011 backed by a bill of sale showing it was bought directly by Solar Productions.
The Autumn Stafford Sale takes place on October 11, 2026 at Staffordshire County Showground.
Old Husqvarnas are cool whether or not you can find a link to McQueen, so this would be a great bike to own either way. Sure, you could get a run-of-the-mill one in decent nick for a fraction of the price, but this one can be picked up far below half the price of the more iconic and proven McQueen Husky examples. And let’s be honest, once you get it home, you can believe whatever you like…
Ben Clarke began riding (legally) at 21-years-old when he passed his direct access one month before shipping his Yamaha XT660 R to Miami and embarking on a 13,500-mile tour of the USA and Central America. He's worked at MCN for the last six years, riding everything from super nakeds and superbikes to small-capacity electrics and scooters across several continents. In more recent years, he's worked closely with the bike kit team to bring you all the latest news and reviews about the bike-related products we all use every day.
Lover of V-twins and big singles, partial to a tour