Best & Worst Bikers On The Silver Screen

They can be good actors and looking terrible when riding on the silver screen. Or bad actors hired because they have good riding skills. Very rarely actors are good at both acting and riding.

Steve McQueen. He was a natural, both as actor and motorcycle rider, even acting better near a motorcycle than front of other actors. No, he didn’t jump the barbed wired fence in the movie “The Great Escape”,  but I guess it has more to do with his movie insurance contract.  Lee Marvin: it seems to me that motorcycle club members of the 60’s took a lot of inspiration from him after “The Wild One” was released. Much more biker than Marlon Brandon whose look was a little bit to preppie. Lee Marvin comes in and he steals the show. Arnold Schwarzenegger: looking comfortable only on a stock Harley, especially if he rides it with one hand and hold a shotgun in the other.  Tom Cruise: the less credible actor when he rides a jap. Motorcycle  and race a jet fighter. As authentic as a cartoon character.  Larry Wilcox: in the TV series Chip’s his big saddlebags Harley seems too much for him to handle. Henry Winkler:  In “Happy Days”, he spends more time looking at his bike or cleaning it than riding. So, I will never know for sure if he likes motorcycles to look at them or for the ride. John Travolta: on a motorcycle he makes me smile and you feel that he never goes on a motorcycle without his Black Amex and Blackberry Bold. Would be a very good spokesperson for all bandanna yuppie riders who invaded biker rallies between 99 and 05. Now tell me your best and worst actors on 2 or 3 wheels (picture Lee Marvin).

16 Responses to “Best & Worst Bikers On The Silver Screen”


  1. 1 Gangster Nov 25th, 2008 at 10:03 am

    The worst The Teutels, Mikie is the most beliveable at least he is the best out of the bunch. The best I’d have to say Denis Hopper in Easyrider, more class than most.

  2. 2 Lyle Nov 25th, 2008 at 11:03 am

    The best rider beyond a shadow of a doubt was Steve McQween. Clint Eastwood in The Gauntlet rode that rigid chop like a natural while Sondra Locke was riding bitch and they were being chased by a helicopter down a gravel road. But being this is about “Bikers,” the best was William Smith who starred in a variety of biker flicks in the 60’s and 70’s.

  3. 3 Jay Nov 25th, 2008 at 1:33 pm

    The best new biker movie is Hell Ride. Its a Tarentino flick that is a throwback to the 60’s biker movies.

  4. 4 madpuppy Nov 26th, 2008 at 9:41 am

    Hands down, its gotta be Pee wee Herman ! LOL

  5. 5 rodent Nov 26th, 2008 at 10:09 am

    Steve McQueen & Lee Marvin were real..Dennis Hopper is an great actor that was not a biker. I knew Dennis when we both lived in Taos NM.

  6. 6 james(Kiwi) Nov 26th, 2008 at 2:22 pm

    I know this is from left field but Jack Nicholson was in Hells Angels on wheels and did not come off too bad.Probably his first big break.
    Though do not know if he has ridden since.
    Some of the HA’s (way back) used to list their last known employment as actors so they would probably win though.

    Has ”Hell Ride” been released yet?

  7. 7 cooldaddy51 Nov 28th, 2008 at 11:59 am

    Bikers from sons of anarchy.Too rehearsed . parking lot riders behind a camera truck rig only. Colors are way too new ,look like they just came off a rack a couple of days ago.Nicely washed and pressed. Gotta admit show has gotten better since first episode.

  8. 8 Power Stroke Nov 29th, 2008 at 3:44 pm

    Tom Cruise couldn’t act to save his life, it’s like saying Arnold is an actor or Kevin Costner can do a british accent.

    That being said, Arnold actually rides, and does so frequently on Indians, not H-D.

    George Clooney rides and there are some cool scenes in Leatherheads, I wonder if it is a real Excelsior.

    BTW Cyril, those were Kawasakis they rode in CHiPs.

    The worst?
    Anybody whose name appeared in Torque. In fact, did anyone actually ride a motorcycle in that 90 minute long advertisement that Hollywierd tried to pass offf as film and entertainment?

    Pam Anderson in Barb Wire.

    Mickey Rourke In HD&MM.

  9. 9 Nicker Dec 1st, 2008 at 12:15 am

    RE:
    “… That being said, Arnold actually rides, and does so frequently …”

    Reality Check:

    – The last time we here in CA heard about “The Governator” and a motorcycle he had fallen off it and hurt himself.

    – And at that time it was reported that Arnold didn’t have a MC endorsement on his drivers license.

    Sounds like Arnold can maybe “drive” a MC, but can he actually “ride” one…??? (highly unlikely).

    -nicker-

  10. 10 PairsNPaint Dec 1st, 2008 at 11:36 am

    New Best: Nick Cage in “Ghostrider”. Whether on his stunt bike, daily chopper or the ghost bike, he looks like a natural.

    Worst: Has everyone forgotten Prince in “Purple Rain”? Of course, with Apollonia on the back, who cared?

  11. 11 Rube Dec 1st, 2008 at 12:29 pm

    Henry Winkler had not ridden before he got the part of Fonzie. He couldn’t handle a HD so they put him on the Triumph, and about the only time you saw him ride it was in the introduction, because he was so bad at it.

  12. 12 Power Stroke Dec 1st, 2008 at 12:33 pm

    Nicker,
    Apparently we outside the state of California get more news about your govenor than you.

    While I do not hold him in the highest esteem, so what if he fell offf his bike, you’ve never gone down?

    You’ve never riden a motorcycle while not having the proper endorsment?

    I suppose you think Billy Lane is just a nice guy who was having a bad day.

    Arnold showed up at Cooks Corner with his entourage in tow while seeking the “biker” vote in his last bid for reelection, how could you forget that?

    [IMG]http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c224/snwbluebyyou/Indian%20Motorcycle/Arnolds03Vintage-1.jpg[/IMG]

  13. 13 psychodrew Dec 1st, 2008 at 7:08 pm

    You may not like OCC but compare bank accounts.Have to respect the money they make if nothing else

  14. 14 HARLEYSVILLE DAVE Dec 1st, 2008 at 7:56 pm

    There is only one ” Capt America ” & let’s not forget Billy ! If it wasn’t for Peter Fonda, Easyrider’s magazine wouldn’t have a name ! One of the best soundtrack’s of all time ! ~~~I agree, The Wild One was the beginning, but Easyrider’s is the Holy Grail. Fuck Wild Hogs, even If I did laugh a few times, if you are a biker and have done the cross country tour, you’ll know about being looked as an outcast in some part of this country you put your front tire in. Try and ride that rigid Pan in some towns today, and your going to get stop by some young crew-cut rookie who watches “COP’s” on his lunch break. I don’t know why they break our balls being a meter maid cause, the pipes are too loud, bars too high ,etc. Their is enough “real” crime if they would really look to find it. Oh yea. fuck OCC, $$$ don’t make you a biker, Paulie,pretty soon you’ll make a “Golf Bike” & use a Putter as a seat ~~!And Yes, Billy is a nice guy who did have a bad day that is just going to get worse. Was Gary Busey as psyco before he fell off his motorcycle and hit his head? DealerDave

  15. 15 Nicker Dec 2nd, 2008 at 12:10 am

    Power:

    RE:
    “… You’ve never ridden a motorcycle while not having the proper endorsement?…”

    Well, when i started riding there was no M1 requirement. Ya could ride what ever ya wanted on a learner’s permit. But had to get one as soon as they were required….. because the cops didn’t treat us like they treat a Governor.

    RE: (LAPD Officer Jason Lee)
    “…The LAPD does not issue a motorist a citation unless that person is observed by the officer committing a traffic violation…”

    Oh ya, lets see now Arnold didn’t operate that scooter.
    Sorta like Teddy Kennedy didn’t drive off that bridge.

    RE:
    “… Apparently we outside the state of California get more news about your governor than you…”

    So, then you must know that the “Governator” doesn’t like playing by the same rules that apply to the rest of us. (see his words below)

    RE:(Schwarzenegger says)
    “…”I did all those things anyway. I never played by the rules…”

    What a surprise… Arnold gets to make up his own rules. Lets see what else there is:

    RE:
    “…Schwarzenegger may have been an illegal immigrant at some point in the late 1960s or early 1970s due to violations in the terms of his visa…”

    Hmmmmmmmm…..
    I carried a Green Card to prove i was here legally. but apparently Arnold doesn’t like having to pick the shit with the rest of us chickens.

    Since you know about our Governator, then you also know that this isn’t Schwarzenegger “The Biker’s” first accident. Hell, falling off is an equal opportunity event, we all do it.
    But that isn’t the point.

    The point is that even after his 2001 get-off Arnold still didn’t have to get an M1 license.
    What’s up with that….???

    RE:
    “…For Schwarzenegger, judgement day should have been when he had his previous crash, where he was at-fault and unlicensed. Apparently, none of the cops involved wanted to terminate the celebrity’s fun…”
    http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/streetsurvival/arnold_schwarzeneggar_crash/index.html

    RE:
    “…The fact Schwarzenegger has been riding Harley-Davidsons over the roads of Pacific Palisades and Malibu Canyon for years without the required M1 license came out after an accident Sunday…”
    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10811025/

    May be he figures the “laws of physics” apply to him….???
    Sorry, IMHO Arnold’s no Biker.

    -nicker-

  16. 16 burnout Dec 2nd, 2008 at 12:24 am

    I’m with mad p on this one, Pee Wee is both best and worst! peace

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Cyril Huze