Have you ever stopped and thought about how many great motorcycle movie scenes there have been over the years? I’ve never owned one but I’ve always thought motorcycles were cool especially when our favorite movie stars are speeding, flipping, and jumping them in ways only possible in the movies. So why not look at 5 Phenomenal Motorcycle Movie Scenes? Now this was a tough list to put together because I always like to include a little variety. But there are some iconic motorcycle scenes that I hate to leave off. So here they are. Now I know people will find some popular choices missing therefore I’m not calling this the definitive list. But I have no trouble calling these five motorcycle movie scenes absolutely phenomenal.
#5 – “THE GREAT ESCAPE”
Steve McQueen was one tough dude. He also had an affection for fast vehicles and maybe that’s one reason his motorcycle scene from “The Great Escape” is so good. McQueen, decked out in full Nazi soldier garb, makes his way by motorcycle into a small German occupied village as he tries to sneak out of Nazi territory. There he is discovered which leads to an amazing chase through the rolling Bavarian meadows. The gorgeous scenery is one thing, but watching McQueen handle the bike with Nazis in pursuit is exhilarating. Very little stunt work was needed. McQueen was a skilled motorcycle rider and he even played the Nazis pursuing him in several shots. The sequence climaxes with an amazing jump over a barbed wire fence (this time done by a stuntman). It’s a great scene from a great film.
#4 – “INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE”
There is a wonderful motorcycle sequence in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”. Indy (Harrison Ford) and his father (Sean Connery) make a wild escape after being captured by the Nazis. The pair tear off on a motorcycle and sidecar with five Nazis on bikes right behind them. This is a typical Indiana Jones action scene and I love it. They bust through checkpoints, joust with an oncoming Nazi biker, and cause some of the wildest motorcycle crashes you’ll ever see. But as you would expect from an Indy film, humor is a key ingredient to making the scene work. It’s funny enough seeing Sean Connery whizzing around in a motorcycle sidecar. But watching Indy’s childlike exuberance when he takes out a Nazi versus his dad’s scowling show of disapproval is just hilarious.
#3 – “SKYFALL”
I love it when I am able to put a newer movie on one of these lists and I have no reservations with including “Skyfall”. Much like “Casino Royale” this film starts with a bang as Bond (Daniel Craig) is pursuing a mercenary who has killed an agent and stolen a hard drive. The chase eventually ends up on motorcycles as the two speed through the crowded Istanbul market streets. From there they go to the rooftops of the Grand Bazaar before ending up on a moving train. This motorcycle chase sequence is utterly insane and a lot of that can be attributed to the profoundly good cinematography of Roger Deakins. This is a pure edge-of-your-seat adrenaline rush and its easily one of the best motorcycle chases of all time. Don’t believe me? Just check it out!
#2 – “SHERLOCK, JR.”
I feel for anyone who hasn’t experienced a Buster Keaton film. He was a true master of filmmaking and physical comedy. For those unfamiliar with his work, “Sherlock, Jr.” is a beautiful starting point. This 45 minute gem is absolutely hilarious and features some of Keaton’s greatest stunts. It also gives us one of cinema’s greatest motorcycle sequences hands down. In this scene Keaton finds himself sitting on the handlebars of a motorcycle. He doesn’t notice the driver is knocked off after hitting a big bump and he zips through a series of insane near-miss obstacles with no one steering the bike. This is truly jaw-dropping cinema. He flies through traffic, skims across a collapsing bridge (while it’s collapsing mind you), and almost gets hit by a train in one of the film’s most amazing shots. Give this silent film a watch. I promise you, the motorcycle sequence with blow you away!
#1 – “MISSION IMPOSSIBLE II”
Many people didn’t care for “Mission Impossible II” but I enjoyed John Woo’s more stylized and action-packed picture. One of the reasons I liked it was the wild and explosive finale. In it Tom Cruise hops on a Triumph motorcycle and flees from a big group of baddies in SUVs followed by the terrorist leader on a bike of his own. Cruise jumps onto bridges, rides through explosions, and gets in a shoot out while going 90 mph. And of course the big showdown comes down to motorcycle versus motorcycle. Woo’s well known visual techniques of moving camera shots and slow-motion gives the sequence an over-the-top kinetic energy that I thought was great. “Mission Impossible II” certainly wasn’t a perfect movie, but its big motorcycle finish is just phenomenal.
Now let your voices be heard. See a pick of mine you agree or disagree with? Let me know. Also, be sure to share your favorite motorcycle movie scene.
Keith & the Movies 
Well damn, paint me impressed. The inclusion of Sherlock Jr gave you a hell of a love of street cred lol. Great list.
LOL! I’m hanging onto this newly received cred!
You gotta include Sherlock Jr., right? It is such a brilliant scene and the absence of our modern special effects techniques makes Keaton’s accomplishment even more impressive.
Anything Keaton or Chaplin and you have me sold.
I love your list. I was one of the few who liked MI 2.
I liked it better than either the first or third film. I loved what Woo did with it.
I thought it very underrated. It was art how Woo used the Spanish Flamenco dance and then mirrored the dance with the The twirling cars on the cliff top. I love his use of fire and the pigeons, her white scarf blowing away off her neck…so much! It’s really my favorite of the four,
OH I forgot about the dance! Yes! Great scene!
GREAT post! When I read the headline, the first though that came to my head was The Great Escape. But now that you mention it, MI was pretty amazing. Well done.
Thanks! There were several that I hated to leave off including Matrix Reloaded and Terminator 2. I also wanted to put in Dumb and Dumber! lol
Ha ha, yeah Dumb and Dumber would be my choice! That was classic.
Good list. The motorcycle scenes from The Great Escape and The Last Crusade are my two favorites.
Thanks man. There have been a bunch to choose from. If you haven’t seen the Sherlock Jr. scene it’s worth seeing. It’s amazing.
Believe it or not, I don’t think I’ve seen any Buster Keaton movies. I have a copy of The General so I’ll try to watch that one soon.
Tsk, tsk, tsk! Hey I think the motorcycle scene from Sherlock Jr may be on YouTube.
Wow, saw in a comment above that you thought of T2 and left it off? Geez… LOL
And The Great Escape’s gotta be higher, bro. You should bump Sherlock Jr down a couple notches even if its the greatest stunts ever, just because its modern pop culture standing is pretty non existant!
Good list though. 😉 Top Ten lists always draw out the nitpicking. LOL
LOL! I’ll never bow down to modern pop culture persuasion! 🙂 No way I’m bumping my boy Buster Keaton!
I knew I would get some flack for not putting T2 on here. I really wanted to make this a Phenomenal 7 but I had to keep intact what miniscule amount of integrity this list has anyway. LOL!
Where’s T2?!
LOL! Juuuust missed the list. I couldn’t come up with one to bump off for it.
#1 man! Terminator vs terminator kicking major ass! Come on!!!!
Ok, I LOVE the scene. It’s great and almost made it. But honestly all Arnie does is look cool and make one big jump down into the drainage area. Well, he does pluck Edward Furlong off his dirt bike.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very cool scene, but maybe a #6! 😉
The whole motorcycle and side-car image from Indy III is the reason I wanted to either ride across Europe or down the Pacific Coast Highway in one for my honeymoon. We still haven’t had a chance to take that honeymoon, but when we do I am going to rent a motorcycle and side-car.
That’s what I’m talking about! Great scene isn’t it?
Awesome list!! I love that you included the Indiana Jones scene of the Jones father/son together, their banters are sooo much fun! I like the Skyfall one too, though I think I like the one in Bourne, I think it’s the 2nd movie, no, not Bourne Legacy. It’s just so bad ass. Oh yeah MI 2 was cool, and I just rewatched Top Gun and there’s some cheesy bike scene in there w/ Cruise, ahah.
Oh yes!!! Cruise is flying alongside the landing strip on his bike and does a cheesy fist pump! I think later he takes Kelly McGillis there for a make out session! Oh yes, Top Gun!
Yep, exactly!! There’s sooo much cheese in Top Gun but that’s kind of the appeal, ahah.
You’re 100% right. Especially for an 80s guy like me!
Nice list. Guess I’d swap McQueen’s Great Escape with Cruise’s Mi2. I might include T2, Dark Knight bat bike, or even Borne Ultimatum bike (in Tangiers). Additionally, I may give honorable mention to Bond again for BMW in Brosnan’s Tomorrow Never Dies, Raising Arizona Tex Cobb character, or original Tron lightcycle. Cool post.
Thanks for checking it out! You mentioned several that I considered. I’ve talked about T2 but I skipped the Bat pod just because it wasn’t a traditional bike. I also really considered Brosnan in “Tomorrow” but I ended up skipping it because parts of it were kinda goofy. I do love the jump over the chopper! Ultimatum? Great pick!
GREAT list here man! some classy inclusions. I have to say I was missing the Bat pod from The Dark Knight! Completely blew me away when it came. but I read your reason for excluding it and understand. (although I would argue that nothing about Batman is traditional because…he’s Batman!)
That’s a great point. And isn’t the bat pod really just a souped up motorcycle? LOL! You’re right though, it’s a fabulous scene .
Pingback: Checking Out the “Happy-Haps!” (2/20) « The Focused Filmographer