The Sexiest Motorcycles and Their Riders Throughout the History of Cinema

Motorcyclists have always held a special place in cinema, often taking the place as the rebel, the renegade, the outcast– the person who is just a bit off beat from everyone else. And it’s hard to argue against a certain sex appeal found in these riders and their motorcycles, as they go off the beaten path and dare to be different. From cyborgs from the future to innovators from New Zealand, here are the sexiest and most daring motorcyclists throughout the history of cinema.

Steven McQueen and the 1961 Triumph TR6 Trophy Bird in The Great Escape . McQueen plays Captain Virgil Hilts, an American captive in a Nazi Germany prisoner of war camp. He gains the nickname “The Cooler King” as he is constantly thrown in an isolation cooler due to his irreverent and defiant attitude towards his captors. The most memorable scene in this film comes when he attempts to evade the Nazis by jumping a barricade with the Trophy Bird.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy in The Terminator 2 . Arnold Schwarzenegger was the epitome of badass in the 80s. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle and he stood out from the rest. And from the leather jacket and the black shades to the shotgun and the way he sat the Fat Boy, Arnold reaches his peak of badassery in The Terminator sequel.

Bruce Willis and the Harley-Davidson FXR Super Glide in Pulp Fiction. It’s not a motorcycle– It’s a chopper, baby! Bruce Willis rides away on the Super Glide after escaping with his life in what is chronologically the final scene in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (if you don’t believe me, here’s a guide to the movie’s timeline). And the best part is, he got the girl too.

Marlon Brando and Triumph Thunderbird 6T in The Wild One . In what is often attributed as the first outlaw biker film, Brando plays Johnny Strabler, the leader of the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. This gang of renegades rides from town to town, causing mayhem and ripping up the streets. The only thing they are worried about is drawing blood from each town’s residents, because “blood makes everything slippery”.

Anthony Hopkins and 1920 Indian Scout “Burt Monro Special” in The World’s Fastest Indian . Ok, so admittedly, there’s a little less sex appeal in this one. Anthony Hopkins plays Burt Monro, an older motorcyclist from New Zealand who is just trying to make his way to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. But there’s no denying his free spirit as he unfetterly pees on his lemon tree, refuses to cut his lawn and breaks the land speed record on his modified Indian Scout at 201.85 miles per hour. And this film gets bonus points for being based on a true story.

If you think you can capture the same kind of sex appeal as the riders listed above and want to stand out from the rest, check our catalog of Triumph, Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycles and come visit us for a test drive.