12 Rockin’ Songs About Motorcycles

Rock n’ roll and motorcycles go together like cheese and fine wine, or a greasy burger and a tall pint– however you want to look at it. Today we bring 12 rockin’ tracks about motorcycles and the one-of-a-kind feeling of saddling up on an iron horse.

“Bad Motor Scooter” – Montrose (1973)

What has been called the first song penned by Sammy Hagar, “Bad Motor Scooter” comes from Hagar’s first band, Montrose. The song is known for its steady drive and its guitar that sounds similar to a motorcycle revving up.

Our favorite lyrics: “So you get on your bad motor scooter and ride/Come over to my place and stay all night. Yeah!”

“Motorcycle Man” – Saxon (1980)

This opening track off of Saxon’s second album, Wheels of Steel is upbeat tune about speed and not letting up. On the track, lead singer Biff Byford has explained: “It’s a song about the motorcycle attitude. Not many people write songs about motorcycles, so it’s all about the attitude and aggression and the speed of the song, really. There aren’t too many lyrics on that one.”

Our favorite lyrics: “If you see me riding by/Do not stop me, do not try”

“Hell Bent for Leather” – Judas Priest (1978)

Aggressive, fast and everything you would want from a track about motorcycles. Rob Halford even goes as far as to ride a motorcycle himself while performing the song on occasion.

Our favorite lyrics: “Wheels! A glint of steel and a flash of light!/Screams! From a streak of fire as he strikes!”

“Midnight Rider” – Greg Allman (1973)

The song was originally released in 1971 but didn’t capture the same flare as Greg Allman’s solo version of the song released in 1973. It tells the story of an outlaw on the run with only a bike and a silver dollar to his name.

Our favorite lyrics: “Well, I’ve got to run to keep from hiding/And I’m bound to keep on riding”

“Bat Out of Hell” – Meat Loaf (1977)

From the Meat Loaf’s album of the same name, this track tells of a biker who leaves his lover in the night and speeds through unfavorable weather conditions before he crashes and dies. A great song as well as a precautionary tale.

Our favorite lyrics: “Like a bat out of hell I’ll be gone when the morning comes/When the night is over, like a bat out of hell, I’ll be gone, gone, gone”

“Ride the Wind” – Poison (1990)

“Ride the Wind” marks an era of some of Poison’s most mature and accomplished songwriting. The song itself is about riding as hard as you can and not looking back.

Our favorite lyrics: “Hearts of fire/Streets of stone/Modern warriors/Saddle iron horses of chrome”

“Motorcycle Mama” – Neil Young (1978)

One of the more relaxed tracks on this list, “Motorcycle Mama” comes from Neil Young’s very laidback record, Comes a Time. Young duets the song with Nicole Larson and together they tell of a man and his “motorcycle mama” cruising down the highway.

Our favorite lyrics: “Down the proud highway/And as long as I keep moving/I won’t need a place to stay”

“Panheads Forever” – David Allan Coe (1982)

Legendary country singer and songwriter penned this track for his favorite kind of bike– a Harley Davidson with a panhead engine. The track comes across as a bittersweet love song that only slightly hints that it might be about a woman too.

Our favorite lyrics: “She’s a high flyin’ lady/She takes me where I want to be/There’s no other woman/Standing between her and me”

“This Life” – Curtis Stigers and the Forest Rangers (2011)

Many will recognize this track as the theme song for the hit outlaw-biker series, Sons of Anarchy. The song covers the outlook of a biker who feels alone in the world without a belief in an afterlife. He decides he’s going to ride as hard and fast as he can before he’s put six feet under.

Our favorite lyrics: “This life is short/Baby that’s a fact/Better live it right/You ain’t comin’ back”

“Ballad of Easy Rider” – Roger McGuinn (1969)

Roger McGuinn penned this song for the classic film, Easy Rider. Bob Dylan was asked to write a song for the film but turned down the offer. However, he did make a small contribution writing the opening lyrics for “Ballad of Easy Rider”: “The river flows, it flows to the sea”.

Our favorite lyrics: “Flow river flow, let your waters wash down/Take me from this road to some other town”

“Wanted Dead or Alive” – Bon Jovi (1986)

Composed for the band’s love of Wild West heroes, Bon Jovi wrote the track to note the similarities between living as old Western outlaws and a touring band of rock musicians.

Our favorite lyrics: “I’m a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride/I’m wanted dead or alive/Wanted dead or alive”

“Born to be Wild” – Steppenwolf (1968)

https://youtu.be/mLhpXUtxS1c

An often unknown fact about this song is that it was originally written by songwriter Bonfire Mars. However, it didn’t capture the same excitement as Steppenwolf’s performance of the song and today it has become synonymous with the late 60s rocker.

Our favorite lyrics: “Get your motor runnin’/Head out on the highway/Lookin’ for adventure/And whatever comes our way

Is there a song you feel that we missed? Let us know in the reply section below!