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Last Updated : 02 July 2012

Motorcycle culture and references pervade popular culture.  There are references to them everywhere - if you care to look.  So I've put up this page, that will contain all the more interesting bits of trivia!

Torque: Torque the movie is definitely one of the better motorcycle movies in my opinion.  The actors are not on the A list which is nice to see but they are from other movies.  The story line and script is nice and simple with one or two great twist.

Stereotypes and clichés are every where!  Where do I start: baddies on Harleys, FBI, gangs, drugs but no sex scenes thankfully.  Also no car is faster than motorcycle stupidity.

Of the cast, actress Monet Mazur is a stand out, easily eclipsing the 'star' Martin Hendersen.  The 'baddie' bikie has some good bits but not intrinsically bad enough since his 'girl friend' has a much 'baddier' persona.

Technical mistakes include sports bike racing on dirt roads.  Any motorcyclist will recognize trail bikes in sport bike fairings in the dirt scenes and stunts.  Harleys just as fast or faster than sports bikes is quite funny cause it can only happen in the movies.

Lots of stunts - great comic relief.  There are the usual motor X, wheelies or mons and stoppies including Tomb Raider style U turns and some very unrealistic but cool ones nonetheless.  I dare say just watch the movie for all the various stunt action. One bad part is NOT showing what really happens when you crash without a  helmet.

Torque features a ton and I means lots of different motorcycles:
Honda CBR1000RR
Triumph TT600
Kawasaki ZX6R
More to come as I watch more closely next time!

Anyway the movie is bit slow at the start but last 30 minutes ramps it up.  Torque is a bit like Fast and Furious really but much better because there's so much more action.

Biker Boyz : The first movie to feature the Hayabusa !  However it is clear that none of the bike manufacturers where sponsors of the movie.  Ie. bikes names where not referred to at all ! 

Interesting movie, in which the Hayabusa features prominently.  The acting is good but let down by the poor script and not very efficient editing.  The 'twists' where predictable which was also unfortunate.

The lead character played by Lawrence Fishbourne of (The Matrix fame) rides a modified Hayabusa.  The 'King of Cali' and races against the modified ZX-12 and a GSX-R1000.   The story told by the movie is not innovative or particularly interesting and the racing is not exciting ie. only straight line drags.

A blooper : Why was the Hayabusa and ZX12 clearly highly modified retain the standard instrumentation ?

Another blooper : All the drag bikes where lowered bar the GSX-R1000.  The other 'most powerful bike'.  Come-on.  The GSX-R1000 is fast but on standard suspension come on.

Another blooper : The final race is on a dirt road.

The Hayabusa looks great despite the not so great colour scheme. 

The good part of the movie is that least it doesn't send the message that motorcycles are bad, rather road racing is bad.

James Bond : Over the years 007 has had bikes make appearances as hero and villain vehicles.  However unlike James preference for Made In England vehicles, esp. Aston Martins and the unforgettable Lotus Esprit, I have yet to see him or anyone else for they matter ride English motorcycles.  So is a Triumph ever going to movies?  Apart from that he's been ridding a variety of BMWs over the years.  From a disguised KT100, RS1200.

Return of the Jedi : Check out the Endor Moon bike speeder chase.  Sure they don't have wheels but you get the drift.

The Phantom Menace : The first scene with 'Padme and Jar Jar Binks' on the way to Tatooine.  As she is cleaning R2-D2 you will notice that they have used GIVI motorcycle cases (as well as other regular ones) as props.  They do look good.

Then you have Darth Maul riding what is definitely a flying motorcycle when he arrives to Tatooine.

Lara Croft Tomb Raider : The motorcycle in this movie - I can confirm is indeed a Yamaha TRX850.  (Thanks to everyone who sent emails!) I finally got the DVD and frame by frame checked the movie with pictures of the TRX850. 

It is clear that the bike is heavily modified from the original - the undertail exhausts, wheels, kick start the list goes on, but you can't hide the engine and frame on a naked motorcycle.  So check it out for your self!

Prior notes:
The bike in the movie is not a KTM Duke or even vaguely KTM related, as originally reported but is as many pointed out but a proper movie bike.  The frame appears to be based on a Ducati monster due to the trellis frame.  The Engine is not from a Ducati as it has a kick start and the cylinder head is at an incorrect angle and the block its self is not the correct shape.  Maybe an engine from a motorcrosser ?  The wheels appear to be from a Harley.  The overall look is still KTM Duke in my opinion.

Regardless the point is that this bike does suit the character of Lara as it is a decent customised and decent looking piece of work !

Tomb Raider - Cradle of Life : In this movie old Lara is on another de-badged KTM, unfortunately the bike stunts in this one is VERY sadly lacking. 

Personally I do not find Lara driving a Jeep appropriate.  Like 007 she really needs the Aston or Landrover she had in the first movie.

Next are TV Ads :

In Australia we have the KFC ad for their new food line - we have a youthful couple riding a motorcycle - or so it seems - its actually an amusement park ride !  However notice the mistake - The guy appears to use his right hand as a clutch   prior to a ' virtual wheelie'.  I'm sure we all know that using that particular lever ain't going do a wheelie.  I think the bike was a real one - a Yamaha R1 ?

Music videos :

The first one that comes to mind is the Ducati in Britney Spears' various video.

More videos  to check out :

 

 

 




 




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