Most Iconic Motorcycles in Movie History

Motorcycles represent many things to many people – speed, excitement, style, and danger for starters. So is it any surprise they so often rise to Hollywood superstardom?

The number of memorable and influential appearances made on two wheels on the big screen is vast indeed. And as such, the following list in no way attempts to be complete or exhaustive. 

So consider it merely a sampling of some of the more iconic appearances made by motorcycles throughout the history of cinema.

Easy Rider

Who came away from late ’60s counter-culture classic Easy Rider the bigger star, Peter Fonda or Captain America, the custom Harley Panhead chopper ridden by Fonda’s Wyatt character?

In truth, there’s no easy answer to that question. 

What is clear, however, is the massive impact the movie had in the way it helped to not only define, but chart a path forward for, a significant segment of motorcycling in the decades that followed the film’s release. 

In fact, that’s an influence that still resonates to this day.

The Wild One

Marlon Brando played the leader of a motorcycle gang in the 1953’s The Wild One. 

No matter what he rode, it was almost destined to be coated in cool factor. Fortunately, his Triumph 6T Thunderbird 650 held up its end of the bargain too.

Mission(s) Impossible

The Mission Impossible franchise is revered for its increasingly insane stuntwork and kinetic action. At that heart of the thrust is Tom Cruise – the rare movie star who aspires to be a journeyman stuntman.

Cruise clearly recognizes the appeal of two wheels, and Mission Impossible movies have loaded up on motorcycle action, including showcases that have previously featured a variety of BMW, Triumph, and Honda motorcycles.

Top Gun(s)

Cruise’s appearances in this list don’t end with Mission Impossible. Rather, in terms of chronology, they begin with Top Gun. 

Who can forget Maverick blasting down the runway on a Kawasaki GPZ900 Ninja as swing-wing Navy F-14 fighters storm by, all to the rocking accompaniment of Kenny Loggins’ Danger Zone?

While Top Gun was widely (and rightly) credited with providing Navy enlistments a massive boost, it did much the same for the nascent sportbike market. The GPZ900 was Kawasaki’s first bike graced with the Ninja moniker and one of the earliest examples of a full-blown sportbike.

In short, Top Gun helped put sportbikes on the map. The rest is history.

Terminator 2

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 was introduced in The Terminator as the ultimate relentless, unstoppable adversary. 

Harley-Davison had to be thrilled to see the T-800 return as the good guy in the movie’s summer blockbuster follow-up riding a Harley Davidson Fat Boy.

Even better, the bike was a star performer in one of the most memorable action scenes in cinema history in T2.

The Matrix Reloaded

As impressive as the effects and stunt work were in Terminator 2, The Matrix franchise took both elements to new heights.

While The Matrix sequels may not be as beloved as the original entry, the set pieces were undeniably jaw dropping. And perhaps the most incredible of all was The Matrix Reloaded’s highway chase scene, in which Trinity boards an emerald Ducati 996, jumps it off a moving semi, and weaves her way through oncoming traffic.

Tron

Sure, the Light Cycle’s feature in Disney’s 1982 science fiction flick Tron may be fictional, but there’s no use denying their impact. 

In fact, it can be argued that the fondness for those 90-degree turning, light-wall protruding Game Grid bikes are a major reason Disney has twice attempted to continue the Tron series despite more than four decades passing since it originally hit theaters.

Skeptical of that claim? Go check out the movie posters for 2010’s Tron Legacy and 2025’s Tron Ares.