Motorcycles feature in plenty of films, but only a few are remembered as classics by bike lovers and enthusiasts. We take a look at what we think are the coolest and most memorable motorcycles in the movies.
#10. Wild Hogs – Harley Davidson
Wild Hogs is a feel good family movie. Four middle aged friends, who only ride their Harley Davidsons at the weekend, take a cross country trip to discover what it feels like to be a “real” biker. The cast includes John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence and William H Macey on Harley Davidson bikes. Harley Davidsons featured in this movie include a XL1200C Sportster Custom, FXSTS Springer Softail, Black Fatboy and a Screaming Eagle Fatboy.
#9. Purple Rain - HONDA 400A
Prince played “The Kid” in the 1984 classic Purple Rain. He has trouble at home, trouble in the band - the movie is 80’s from beginning to end. Prince was already an experienced rider at the time of filming and rode the Honda Motorbike alongside the filming truck himself, unlike a lot of movies where the actor is filmed sitting on a motorbike on the back of a trailer.
#8. Ghost Rider – Custom Built Chopper
Marvel comic character Johnny Blaze is played by Nicolas Cage in the 2007 film Ghost Rider. Blaze is a motorcycle stuntman who transforms into a demon-like Ghost Rider. Grace, Blaze’s bike in this film, is a custom made chopper designed as a modern take on Peter Fonda’s in Easy Rider. Interestingly, Peter Fonda plays the baddie Mephistopheles in Ghost Rider.
#7. The World’s Fastest Indian – Indian Scout
Starring Anthony Hopkins, The World’s Fastest Indian is the true story of a speed bike racer from New Zealand, Burt Munro. Munro set an under 1000cc world record in 1967 on an Indian brand motorcycle that he mechanically modified and covered with an aerodynamic shell. Amazingly, at the time of the world record the Indian motorbike was 47 years old and Monroe himself was 68! More amazingly, the record still stands today! Film worthy material indeed.
#6. The Motorcycle Diaries – 500cc Norton
The Motorcycle Diaries is based on the real journey of young Argentinean Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara. Before becoming a guerrilla leader he travelled across South America for more than 500 miles with his friend Alberto Granado. Both ride together on a 500cc single cylinder Norton Motorcycle which they name La Poderosa - “The Mighty One”. This film is based on the diaries kept by the two friends on their epic journey.
#5. Top Gun - Kawasaki GPZ750R
Tom Cruise plays Maverick, a competitive naval school recruit who pilots an F14 fighter jet. In the movie Cruise rode a Kawasaki GPZ750R. Cruise had not ridden a motorbike before he filmed the movie and learnt to ride in the parking lot of a Californian bike shop. Despite the informal motorcycle training, the experience turned into a passion for Cruise and he has never looked back!
#4.Terminator 2 – Harley Davidson Fatboy
Terminator 1 had Sarah Connor being chased on a Honda scooter with the Terminator chasing her on a Honda 750. This chase scene left audiences wanting more, so in 1991’s Terminator 2 Arnie rode a Harley Davidson Fatboy. It all started with the line “I need your clothes, boots and your motorcycle”. Arnold, now Governor of California, remains to this day an avid motorcycle enthusiast and owns a range of bikes.
#3. Easy Rider – Harley Davidson
Lots of great stars, lots of great bikes, 1969’s Easy Rider is a cult classic and spawned the hit “Born to Be Wild”. A motorcycle buddy film featuring names such as Nicholson, Fonda, Hopper, the bikes featured in the film were Harley Davidson Hydraglide models from 1949, 1950 and 1952. This film makes you want to get on a Chopper and head out to the unknown with your friends.
#2. Mission Impossible 2 – Triumph
Mission Impossible 2 features two Triumph Motorcycles. The first, ridden by Ethan Hunt played by Tom Cruise, is a Triumph Speed Triple. The second is a Triumph Daytona, ridden by Dougray Scott as Sean Ambrose . The big motorcycle battle is action packed in a way that only director John Woo could pull off. This movie has some of the best motorcycle stunt scenes ever.
#1. The Great Escape - TT Special 650 Triumph
The Great Escape has arguably the greatest motorcycle scenes of all time. Steve McQueen himself had a lot of input into the motorcycle scenes in the 1963 movie and performed all of his own stunts, apart from the jump across the barbed wire fence. McQueen in the famous final scene was riding a TT Special 650 Triumph which had a makeover to look like a wartime BMW. The Great Escape – inspiring people to get on a motorbike for the last 40 years.
