Cinema has always had a thing with vehicles. Be it from cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, and literally, anything with wheels on it will have an amazing shot in the cinema that makes it look cool. Or anyone that rides it looks cool. But there is one type of vehicle that can move faster, more convertible than the car, and it makes anyone who rides it looks extra cooler. That is, a bike! Bikes represent freedom, danger, rebellion, a macho attitude to authority, and a good thumbing of the nose at health and safety. In the slightly changed words of George Orwell in his book Animal Farm, “four wheels good, two wheels better”. 

Easy Rider – 1959 Harley-Davidson chopper

In the movie Easy Rider, Peter Fonda’s custom-built chopper was modified from a 1952 Harley-Davidson Hydra-Glide that he bought at a police auction. Add on the bike were the stars-and-stripes fuel thank “Captain America” and Steppenwolf belting out a bit of “Born To Be Wild” just adds on the cool. In the film, four bikes were used and one was partially destroyed in the final scene. The other three bikes were then stolen.

The Wild One – 1950 6T Triumph Thunderbird

Before Easy Rider rides with its long hair psychedelic drugs, the movie The Wild One was considered the ultimate in biker counterculture. Marlon Brando as Johnny made a civilized society terrified of him for wearing a leather jacket with his attitude. At one point, the movie was banned by the British censors for 14 years. Although by today’s standards, the movie was quite tame compared to movies nowadays. Marlon Brando himself is a bike enthusiast and he rode his bike for the film. In the beginning, Triumph was quite worried about the brand’s association with the movie’s outrageous and controversial reception. That is until 1950 6T Triumph Thunderbird sales figures started to go up they wouldn’t mind anymore.

Terminator 2: Judgement Day – Harley-Davidson Fat Boy

When Terminator 2 came out in 1991, Arnold Schwarzenegger as the robot T-800 from the future arrives completely naked at a biker bar. He took a dude’s clothes, his boots, and his bike. He chooses the right bike, a Harley Davidson Fat Boy. Arnold as a robot from the future is an indicator that his weight is way beyond that of normal human beings and with him sitting on the bike kinda sends the message that that bike can withstand the very heavy-weight weight. Even the bike itself is 300kg and it was so heavy that in one of the stunts in the film, they had to use hidden wires to keep it under control during the famous storm drain jump in the film’s chase scene. In June 2018, the bike was sold at auction for $482,000 with only 392 miles on the clock.

Dumb And Dumber – The Hog

In the movie Dumb and Dumber starring Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels whose main vehicles were massive dog-shaped cars and exchanged for the only vehicle less cool which is, The Hog. A tiny stretched moped based on a weird little invention called a Taco 22. In the movie, they cross vast swathes of the American Midwest in a not terribly-rock’n’roll montage of streaming eyes and frozen snot. The bike was sold in 2018 at an auction for $50,000. Amazing how an appearance made in a film could skyrocket the price at a very ridiculous amount.

The World’s Fastest Indian – 1920 Indian Scout

The World’s Fastest Indian, a movie starring Anthony Hopkins. He played the character Burt Munro, an eccentric New Zealander who modified his 1920 Indian Scout bike from 600cc to 950cc. He went to race his bike at the Bonneville Salt Flats in the US and broke the speed record for a bike under 1000cc.

Top Gun – Kawasaki GPZ 900R Ninja

In the movie Top Gun featuring Tom Cruise as Maverick, the role of the Kawasaki GPZ 900R Ninja bike that he used was quite incidental to the plot. By racing get fighters as they take off, going for a moody drive, and all other amazing stunts done by this bike are phenomenal. Because the Whole bike thing works, in Top Gun 2, Maverick is back on a Kawasaki Ninja H2 Carbon. One of the fastest road bikes in the world.

Ghost Rider – Harley-Davidson Panhead chopper

Then, here comes the Ghost Rider, a Marvel comic book movie featuring Nicholas Cage as Johnny Blaze. As the main character’s name presents, it’s about a skeleton on fire riding a bike on fire, leaving the road on fire. The bike that was being used in the movie is a Harley-Davidson Panhead Chopper, modelled on the “Captain America” Harley of Easy Rider. A tribute we might say and a very cool concept of bikes in the cinema.

The Great Escape – 1961 Triumph TR6 Trophy Bird

Lastly, the movie The Great Escape, is one of the finest bike scenes in cinema history. Steve McQueen plays Captain Virgil Hilts, a US airman who is part of a mass escape from Stalag Luft III. In the movie, he commandeers a German army motorbike and attempts to jump his way over the border and to safety. Interestingly, Steve McQueen did most of the stunts in the movie himself. Although the film insurers wouldn’t allow him to do the gut-churning 60ft leap. After the film, the bike was sold to a farmer who now used it for herding cows.

Original article by GQ Magazine.