Motorcycle Films You should Watch

What do we do in-between riding? Watch films about riding.

So here’s a list of films and short films you may or may not have seen yet.

Films

Big Budget, Indie, and Amateur

  • The World’s Fastest Indian

    • The story of New Zealander Burt Munro, who spent years building a 1920 Indian motorcycle -- a bike which helped him set the land-speed world record at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats in 1967. Starring Anthony Hopkins.

  • One Week

    • A young man (Joshua Jackson) decides to embrace life and embark on an epic cross-country road trip full of adventure and romance.

  • 21 Days Under the Sky

    • A fearless crew of adventurers take a 21 day, 3,800 mile ride across the country on vintage motorcycles. Their epic journey across the United States most majestic landscapes and scenery will test patience and challenge their internal will.

  • Grease 2

    • Musical, Many familiar faces from the smash hit "Grease" return to the campus, and the new ones are equally memorable in this happy tribute to straight skirts, girl-chasing and young love. (Amanda’s Opinion: Plus Maxwell Caulfield rebuilding a bike and learning to do wheelies. This is the film that got me into motorcycles as a Tween.)

  • Road to Paloma

    • A pair of outlaw bikers with violent pasts attempt to outrun the FBI across the American west in this sprawling redemption thriller. (Amanda’s Opinion: The story is kind of Meh, but it’s very visually pretty.)

  • The Greasy Hands Preachers

    • This film explores the revival of manual work through the passion of motorcycle enthusiasts who have found their way to a happy life. Shot on Super 16, Greasy Hands Preachers takes viewers all over the world...

  • Long Way Round (actually a TV Show but Classic)

    • In 2004 Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman embarked on an epic challenge, to motorcycle 20,000-miles, cross 12 countries and 19 time zones in just 115 days. Long Way Round is the result of their adventures - a fascinating, frank and highly entertaining series about two friends riding round the world together and, against all the odds, realizing their dream.

  • Why We Ride

    • An inspiring adventure into the world of motorcycling, told by the famous racers, passionate riders and everyday families who live each day to the fullest on their two-wheeled machines.

  • The Best Bar in America

    • A whiskey-fueled writing assignment takes one man on an epic motorcycle road trip through the bars and taverns across the American West. Motorcycling, sleeping on the ground, chasing mermaids, & drinking in America's most legendary taverns, Sanders experiences firsthand the brotherhood of the bike and bar. Along the way he gets advice from Ernest Hemingway & Jim Harrison on writing & drinking.

972 Breakdowns by Leaving Home Funktion

  • “When plans collapse things start to get interesting…! Welcome aboard the Ural 650: A charming yet moody Russian motorcycle which will take us over land to New York city. For the next 40.000 kilometers we’ll keep pushing, pulling and fixing looking for the point where we can’t go on…

    Through our Breakdown Theater we come in contact with the strangest mix of people around the globe. Pulled, pushed and towed – with their help we always get a bit further… until the next breakdown!”

  • Flats by Matte Media

    • The creators of Dream.Build.Drive bring you the cinematic documentary, FLATS.

      A desire to build his own machines and the pursuit of speed lead Nigel Petrie to create a Salt Flat Racer from a 350cc KTM. The childhood dream of setting a land-speed record fuels his journey to the DLRA 25th Annual Speed Week.

      Riding on custom made motorcycles, Nigel and his good friend Dean Walters go on an epic road trip from Geelong, Victoria to the salt flats of South Australia in the chase of the ultimate speed.

  • Oil in the Blood

    • 'Oil in the Blood' is a documentary feature film on the contemporary custom motorcycle culture. It's not a film about motorcycles, it's a film about motorcycle people.

  • Out of Nothing

    • From the Pacific Northwest to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, this is the inspiring true story of four tenacious men who risk everything to conquer the world records of motorcycle land speed racing. Their extraordinary journey will remind you how perseverance against all odds can send the most unlikely men roaring into glory.

  • Somewhere Else Tomorrow

    • Travelling by motorbike, Daniel and Lars set out on an exhilarating journey to circumnavigate the globe. Aiming to finance their trip by working as they go, they want to experience local cultures more immediately than any tourist could. Battling against nature, the road, their bikes and their fears, the journey that unfolds in this doc gives an unusually compelling display of the human spirit.

  • Arrows of Fire

    • Seeking relief from city life, four friends ride motorbikes into the Australian outback where a disaster fractures their friendship and calls into question their need for adventure.

Alaska to Patagonia Via the Darién Gap: Where The Road Ends

  • The Darién Gap is a roadless, lawless, sometimes hopeless stretch of jungle between Panama and Colombia that is the last place you’d want to ride a motorcycle. But these retired Veterans—Wayne, Simon, Mike, and Richard—are taking up the challenge. Starting in the whiteout blizzard conditions of Alaska and pushing through the sweat-soaked misery of the jungles in South America. Former combat operator, Jake Hamby documents the entire ordeal and as well as taking an unflinching look at life after the military and seeks to answer what does one do Where The Road Ends.

  • Halfway to Nowhere by Tim Caraco

    • For as long as I've been on two wheels I've dreamt of burning through empty hills. I'd been across the world but I hadn’t even traversed my own backyard. I had my mind set on exploring Tasmania, an isolated island off the very bottom of Australia separated from the mainland by the Bass Straight, known for its vast, rugged wilderness and volatile weather. I wanted to capture these machines in an environment void of modern objects. Our first venture into Van Diemens Land started with a bang and ended with a cold wet whimper.

  • Never Ride Alone by Scott Englund

    • A man aiming at the impossible finds that which pushes him to overcome his obstacles. Scott uses everything he has to reach the end of an unknown route while risking his life to bring the story to the big screen. Exploring the Andes of Peru will never look the same.

  • Dust to Glory

    • An all out action-adventure movie documenting the most notorious and dangerous off-road race in the world, the SCORE Tecate Baja 1000. This riveting documentary is from filmmaker, Dana Brown.

When the Road Ends

  • Dylan dreamt of travelling the world on a motorcycle. After journeying 200,000km, the road from Panama to Colombia comes to an end, swallowed up by an impenetrable jungle. Instead, Dylan built a raft powered by his motorcycle engine in the hope of reaching Colombia's road network 700km away. He must brave strong ocean currents and storm batterings in his journey from Central to South America.

  • White Knuckle: The Story of the Motorcycle Cannonball by Brian Darwas

    • Ride along with Hot Rod Builder and Award Winning Filmmaker Brian Darwas as he travels coast to coast on the ultimate antique motorcycle endurance run, "The Motorcycle Cannonball".

      Witness as these bikes are pushed past their limits! Get an upfront look at parking lot engine rebuilds! and watch as the top guys in the motorcycle industry machine parts in the back of their vans to keep their bikes on the road, and in the race!

  • Finding Main Street by Sole Creative

    • A film about three young men traveling across America by motorcycle, exploring their country as well as themselves.

  • A Motorcycle Journey “Rediscovering Pakistan The Untold Tale”

    • May 2014, 9 riders from across the oceans came to Pakistan to explore the beautiful northern areas with Moin Khan. They started out from Islamabad and made their way up towards the China-Pakistan Border. The roads were full of bumps and some of us came back with bruises and broken bones, but everyone came back high with euphoria.

  • The Tenth Step by Thunder Dragon Media

    • World-renowned Himalayan expedition leader Gerry Moffatt embarks on an exciting 4,000-mile solo motorcycle adventure across the Himalayas for his 50th birthday, intent on exploring changes he's seen over 30 years of guiding. As challenges and personal tragedies unfold, his adventure unexpectedly helps him discover that the biggest changes over the past 30 years happened inside of him.

  • Pursuit Horizon “Stop Working; Start Living” by Zach Settewongse

    • A Motorcycle/ Travel/ Inspirational Adventure Documentary. - Feeling trapped with their redundant daily routine two adventurers spontaneously quit their jobs and set out on an 12,000 mile journey across America.

  • The Unfamiliar Road | Overland Motorcycle Adventure by Daniel Greening

    • The Unfamiliar Road is a documentary feature film following the overland journey on a motorcycle from Perth, Western Australia to London in the United Kingdom. Together with his two best friends, Daniel Greening left his job and home behind in Australia to set off on the open road in search of an extraordinary adventure.

  • Sit Stay Ride: The Story of America’s Sidecar Dogs by One Acre Films

    • Across America, there are dogs of all breeds riding in the open air of motorcycle sidecars, whether on short trips around town or extended adventures on the highway. Sit Stay Ride: The Story of America’s Sidecar Dogs is a delightful and inspiring documentary film about motorcyclists and their beloved canine co-pilots.

Ride N Seek

This is a series hosted by the History Channel featuring Jaime Dempsey the co-founder of ATWYLD. Linked above is the First Season’s playlist.

Short Films

  • Headed East by Jack Harries

    • Tired of city life and in search of adventure, my friend Fraser and I left London on two motorcycles with a plan to drive to Budapest and back. We wanted to leave technology behind, to wild camp, cook our own food, reconnect with others and importantly ourselves.

  • Tokyo Gone by Speedtractor (English Subtitles)

    • Life in the megalopolis can grind down even the most badass individual. When the city rubs Aki the wrong way one too many times, she hustles her way onto some sweet retro custom motorcycles and gets gone... Tokyo Gone.

  • Driven to Ride

    • Driven to Ride' is a documentary that explores the unstoppable spirit and diversity of women motorcycle riders by Emmy-winning filmmaker Michelle Bauer Carpenter.

  • Why I Ride Episode 2 by AlchemyCreative

    • Our 2nd video in the series features an adventurous Harley Davidson rider Leslie Padoll, living in Brooklyn, NY.

  • Motorcycle Diaries - A journey to the Highest Village in the World by Carlos Costa

    • Together with my friend Doove we embarked on a trip to South America in the search of a Motorcycle Adventure. We flew to Peru with the plan to drive from the desert in the Pacific Ocean to La Rinconada (the highest village in the world at 5,100m above sea level).

  • Epic North Coast 500 Motorbike Adventure by Steve Brooker

    • Ben and I headed on an epic road trip up to Scotland to complete the Northcoast 500 on motorbikes! 🏍 We didn’t expect it to get to -3 degrees celsius and to be caught in a crazy snow storm! I hope you guys enjoy this one.

  • Tour Of Idaho by Dirt Bike Test

    • Follow Jimmy Lewis and his KTM 500EXC on an eight-day journey off-road across the state of Idaho. Unsupported except for random intercepts with a cameraman, see Idaho and get inspired to go riding.

Let me know what your favorite Motorcycle Movies (especially less known Indie films) are down in the comments!

Amanda Zito