Motorcycle Chases in Movies

stl360+450

stl360+450

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I was rewatching First Blood last night for the first time in several years, enjoying the motorcycle chase, when all of the sudden it dawned on me that the featured Yamaha XT250, a four-stroke, was sounding very much like a two-stroke.

A little research suggested that the audio was dubbed to make the chase sound more dramatic. I also learned a little about the stunt rider Will Harper in the following Article.


Probably I'm late to the party in realizing this now, so feel free to share other cool motorcycle stunts or chases from movies here to get me caught up on things!

Bonus points for Hondas.
 
"The Great Escape" of course. For years I had thought Steve McQueen did the stunt himself but found out later it was Bud Ekins.

 
It has always bugged me, the stupid dubbed motorcycle engine noises. two strokes making Harley or Honda 4 noises, and vice versa. Also the infinite up shifts, some bikes must have 20 speed gear boxes.

That said, they did get it right sometimes. Thinking about the Kawasaki's in CHIPs and Mad Max, for example.
 
Just remembered this. Clearly some sort of two stroke moto cross bike under there, but dubbed to sound like a four cylinder four stroke. And the 'hero' was called Jesse, which amuses this UK viewer, as in 'You big Jesse' :LOL:

( Apologies to any male Jesses out there )

1777999533453.png
 
Speaking of Chips: I was driving in L.A. one day and I came upon a trailer with the 2 bikes and actors being towed around by a camera truck while acting their parts! Ever wonder how they maintained that perfect spacing between the bikes while riding? They were on a trailer.
 
Terminator 2 - the river chase scene.

Bonus points for a Honda XR100, a fully patched MC President (Robert Patrick, Boozefighters MC), a FatBoy surviving a 20’ jump and semi-correct sound dubbing.
 
ericfreeman said:
I was 14 when 'Then Came Bronson' was on TV. I had a CL70 at the time but even I noticed how the dirt riding scenes used dirt bikes painted red with Sportster gas tanks!
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And sometimes you could hear the starter motor when Bronson was shown kickstarting it.
 
Richard Pitman said:
It has always bugged me, the stupid dubbed motorcycle engine noises. two strokes making Harley or Honda 4 noises, and vice versa. Also the infinite up shifts, some bikes must have 20 speed gear boxes.

That said, they did get it right sometimes. Thinking about the Kawasaki's in CHIPs and Mad Max, for example.
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Was gonna say: Mad Max, Mad Max II (The Road Warrior). Can't remember the third that well (with Tina Turner) because it was a stinker and I didn't watch it a million times like the other two. And of course the fourth one -- very different, but some crazy moto stunt work.

Let's not forget Russ Meyer's Motopsycho. I laughed when I saw this -- tough guy motorcycle gang riding around on little 90cc bikes, although maybe it was satire?

And, of course, the winner: Japanese garage punk hero Guitar Wolf and the film Wild Zero...
 
One of my favorites was Any Which Way but Loose with Clint Eastwood. He didn't ride, but bikes were a big part of the movie. "We're the Black Widows"... Right turn Clyde!
 
I sold my red 1977 XLCH Sportster in 1979 to a guy who needed it for a movie he was going to be in. I was always hoping to see it but never have.
 


There's a taste. Thank me later. The second one is entitled "The greatest sequence in cinematic history" and if you don't agree... you're wrong.

I've seen Guitar wolf a few times -- mind blowing show.
 
Richard Pitman said:
And the bikes in 'Mission Impossible', which suddenly change from street to dirt tyres as they go off tarmac.
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Don't get me started!
Oops too late!
Cruize on a Triumph Speed Triple can't get away from a Nissan Patrol (bad enough) and then the bike magically turns into a dirt bike and jumps the patrol.....
Don't Know which MI that was, don't care.
I did rather like the James Bond chase around the markets of Marrakesh? I did see a docco showing the bit where he rode up the staircase from the harbour. Somehow I was less offended than MI. More amused, and some stunt guy actually did that!

Ok I'll stop now, Margaritas calling me.
 
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The 'Ballad of Andy Crocker' starring a young Lee Majors. Soldier comes home from Vietnam, takes a Triumph from a San Francisco hippy and heads home to the Midwest. Finds his motorcycle shop was sold by his friend and business partner (Jimmy Dean) and his girlfriend has gotten married and pregnant by a guy he can't stand. Winds up beating the crap out of his partner, takes off on the Triumph being chased by the cops until he runs out of gas and dumps the bike into a gully. Movie ends with Andy sitting on a recruiters doorstep in the early morning. A rare find these days.
 
ericfreeman said:
The 'Ballad of Andy Crocker' starring a young Lee Majors. Soldier comes home from Vietnam, takes a Triumph from a San Francisco hippy and heads home to the Midwest. Finds his motorcycle shop was sold by his friend and business partner (Jimmy Dean) and his girlfriend has gotten married and pregnant by a guy he can't stand. Winds up beating the crap out of his partner, takes off on the Triumph being chased by the cops until he runs out of gas and dumps the bike into a gully. Movie ends with Andy sitting on a recruiters doorstep in the early morning. A rare find these days.
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Now that's obscure! Written by Stuart Margolin of all people, best known for his role on the Rockford Files.
en.wikipedia.org

The Ballad of Andy Crocker - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
 
Fifty5 said:
I can't believe that nobody has mentioned Timerider. Today is your lucky day. You can watch it for free with this link:

https://ia801606.us.archive.org/23/items/timerider-the-adventure-of-lyle-swann/Timerider - The Adventure of Lyle Swann.mp4
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I did a few days ago but in a different thread, certainly fits here though not exactly the typical bike chase scenes

1965 Honda CL 72 Value?

A friend of mine wants to sell his 1965 CL72, so I told him I'd do some research for him. He bought it new in 1965, is the original owner and has the title. Frame and Engine numbers are only 41 numbers apart, which is nice. He served in the 82nd Airborne and when he was in Vietnam his brother...
www.vintagehondatwins.com www.vintagehondatwins.com
 
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