I’m not usually the kind to make a shameless holiday plug. But with Christmas fast approaching, I felt that I ought to relate my article to the celebration.

Unfortunately, writing an article about a Christmas-related car is harder than you’d think.

Christmas isn’t really a time for action movies with climactic chase sequences.

But then it hit me. I actually had a chance to write about one of the great chases of all time.

The Great Escape may feature a rollicking plot and superb acting, but it also has Steve McQueen riding for freedom on his motorbike.

Okay, he doesn’t make the jump (sorry for the spoiler), but the feat still lives on in cinema legend.

What’s more, for some reason it seems to have become a staple Christmas tradition, like singing carols or getting a disappointing sweater from your aunt.

Showing this film on the 25th gives Grandad something to do between talking about his bus pass and shouting out random words in charades.

Now I know the Triumph TR6 Trophy that McQueen rides has two fewer wheels than the vehicles usually featured; in fact it’s been a novel experience for me too.

Indeed, the first thing I noticed was that nobody knew the Trophy’s top speed. Clearly bikers aren’t as fascinated by 0-60mph or gut-wrenching speed the way ‘car people’ are.

Companies can’t wait to tell you just how fast their new hatchback or saloon car will go, but bikers must be too timid to take their two-wheeled variants to max throttle. This is fair enough: after all, in a bike the crumple zone is your face.

But if you can’t go top speed and feel like you’re on fire then, where’s the appeal? It can’t be the looks.

It isn’t for the noise either because, whereas a powerful car will roar and bellow, this bike doesn’t give off an earth-shaking grunt. For going off road perhaps? No, you’d get a 4x4. Reliability? Just buy a Volvo.

Buying this bike doesn’t make any sense. But then again, nor does showing The Great Escape at Christmas. And maybe that’s where the appeal lies.

I defy anyone to watch The Great Escape and not feel patriotic.

It’s something to do with the stiff upper lips of our soldiers and their resilience. And the Triumph is the same. It is a British bike that, despite its many flaws, kept on being made. That’s what makes this bike irresistible.

That and it’s very cool...