Ex-Bud and Dave Ekins
1965 Rickman Ducati 250cc Metisse

Description

The ex-Bud and Dave Ekins
1965 Rickman Ducati 250cc Metisse

Rickman

British brothers Don and Derek Rickman were motocross champions and innovators. Both began their scrambles careers in the 1950s riding BSA Gold Stars, while the Rickman brothers’ first ‘special’ consisted of a BSA duplex frame, Triumph T100 engine, BSA gearbox and Norton forks. It was given the French name Metisse, translatable as ‘mongrel.’ In 1959 came a purpose-built Metisse frame and within a decade their company would grow to become possibly the biggest independent frame-maker. An enormous success, the Mk III frame was produced in substantial quantities, proving popular for all kinds of dirt bike riding around the world.

Bud Ekins

A 1960s motorcycle icon, Bud was a professional Hollywood stuntman, top motocross and desert racer, and the rider who made arguably the most famous motorcycle film jump in history in the WWII film The Great Escape on behalf of his movie star friend and ISDT partner Steve McQueen.

Born in Los Angeles in 1930, Bud Ekins learned to ride in the nearby Hollywood Hills, honing his off-road skills long before he could legally ride on the road. Luckily, California was host to a thriving off-road racing fraternity and even by his late teenage years he earned a mighty reputation as one of SoCal’s top motocross and desert racers.

With brother, Dave, Bud Ekins paved the way for the golden era of Southern California desert racing.

The motorbike offered

The 1965 Rickman Metisse on offer here was part of the Zimmerman Brothers Collection of Thousand Oaks, California for many years. It was originally built by Bud and Dave Ekins for Dave to race the Mojave desert events. It remained in as-raced condition until passing to a new owner in 2017. He then repainted the metal tank and bodywork as it is viewed now. Purchased by our seller in 2025, the bike remained on static display amongst a substantial collection of cars and motorcycles, but now, in an effort to thin the herd, it is available to the next custodian. As a static display piece, it will need the usual recommissioning to the fuel and spark systems before returning to fearsome competition of Death Valley.