When Bud Ekins took the area of Steve McQueen, to jump the wire fence inside film 'The Great Escape', he arguably come up with most popular motorcycle movie scene ever, but you will realize that I used the word 'arguably', because there are other movies that run this one close. The Great Escape wasn't a film about motorcycles; it simply happened to achieve the scene which everybody remembers. Interestingly, although McQueen didn't perform that stunt, it turned out his idea to include that scene. Both Ekins and McQueen were avid motorcyclists.

In 1969, Dennis Hopper directed and starred alongside Peter Fonda in a motion picture that reverberated far beyond the Movie Theatre. 'Easy Rider' was the storyplot of two disillusioned youths who, after collecting the funds from a dope sale in Southern California, embark on a trip across America. The Hydraglides within the film, which are built between 1949 and 1952, were bought at auction for 500 US Dollars, but chopper builders Cliff Vaughs and Ben Hardy transformed the bikes, each having a back-up to guarantee the cameras kept rolling. One with the bikes was wrecked inside the final scene while the others were stolen prior to significance of movie props was realised. The final campfire scene still had to be shot, hence the absence in the motorcycles, whereas inside previous campfire scenes, the bikes are clearly visible. The wrecked 'Captain America' was rebuilt and also by Dan Haggerty and became a museum exhibit until it was sold in 2001.



Walter Salles directed 'The Motorcycle Diaries' that was released within the USA in 2004. This is the true story of Ernesto Che Guevara who in 1952, before completing his medical degree, sets out with his biochemist friend Alberto, to travel across South America with an old Norton 500. La Poderosa (The Mighty or Powerful one), as the bike is fondly, but erroneously named, is motivated to drive them over the Andes, down the Chilean coast, throughout the Atacama desert, through the Peruvian Amazon and arrive in Venezuela within a several months, over time to celebrate Alberto's birthday on April 2nd. They actually go to their destination in July. This movie is Spanish with English subtitles.

In 2007 the 'Wild Hogs', sick of their middle-class existence, plan to take to the road on his or her Harleys. All goes well until they fall foul from the biker gang 'Del Fuegos' whose mean leader steals Dudley's bike. The bikes within the film, supplied by Harley Davidson, were an XL1200C Sporster for Dudley (William Macy), an FXSTS Springer Softail for Bobby (Martin Lawrence), a black Fatboy for Doug (Tim Allen) along with a Screaming Eagle Fatboy for Woody (John Travolta).

In the 1997 film, 'Tomorrow Never Dies', Pierce Brosnan and Michelle Yeoh steal a BMW R1200 and tangle with villains in a Range Rover. รีวิวมอเตอร์ไซต์ to say, Bond wins the afternoon, and luckily for Bond, the owner in the BMW doesn't catch up with him. Bikes aren't used much at all in Bond films, that is a great pity while they seem to be perfect for the this kind of movie.

Marlon Brando played gang leader Johnny Strabler within the 1953 film 'The Wild One', where a small town is terrorized by two rival biker gangs. Brando rides a 1950 Triumph Thunderbird. This film was banned inside United Kingdom for fourteen years, then its first public airing was on the 59 Club in Paddington, London. The audience were predominantly 'Rockers'. The movie also features Lee Marvin because the opposing gang leader.

In 1968 'The Girl on the Motorcycle' was Marianne Faithfull as young wife Rebecca, who leaves her husband to go to her lover in Heidelberg. One with the amazing reasons for having this film is the place where she manages to keep her Harley within an upright position regardless if taking bends. The film can also be referred to as 'Naked Under Leather', which sounds more interesting don't you think?

There are naturally many other movies featuring motorcycles, many of them with very interesting titles such as 'She Devils on Wheels', 'Chopper Chicks in Zombietown' and 'Electra Glide in Blue', but until someone happens having a scene to rival the wire start 'The Great Escape', I'm sticking to my favourite.