15 Most Famous Motorcycle Riders Of All Time

steve mcqueen motorcycle

Motorcycles have been a passion of many people for decades. They are a symbol of freedom and independence, but more importantly, they represent the spirit of adventure. No matter who you are or where you come from, there is always someone out there that has something to teach us about these great machines.

There are several motorcycle racing competitions like the British Superbike Championship, Moto GP, Ulster Grand Prix, Isle of Man TT race, Bonneville Salt Flats race and more where fans get their stars to ride motorcycles and compete in Grand Prix races. Famous personas often use custom motorcycles and personal motorcycles for shooting or other purposes. Movie icons also take the help of a stunt rider to prevent motorcycle accident during shootings. Car racing and motorcycle world championships are on one hand and on the other hand, there are movies and free rides cross country.

Hell’s Angels: Strange and Terrible Saga is a book on California’s most outlaw motorcycle gangs. The book talks about the myths and notorious activities of the bikers. Many motorcycles from Harley Davidsons are the primary choice for famous riders. Motorcycle racers prefer the likes of Honda CBR for racing purposes. Only a handful of motorcycle racer become the greatest motorcycle racers of all time. There is an unmatched thrill to ride your own motorcycle and perform your own stunts. A successful rider is one who masters riding and racing on their first bike. The TT races began before the world war started in a Northern Ireland mountain course. The TT course is in the north west region between England and Ireland. Man TT races and Man TT victories are an excellent feat for motorcycle riders that makes a name for them.

There are ample celebrities who love to ride motorcycles. Some of them are Buddy Holly, Bob Dylan, James Dean, Ryan Reynolds, Clint Eastwood, Marlon Brando, Ryan Gosling and other famous people. The most successful rider who won races and created world records are listed in the Guinness Book. The greatest road racers in real life make sizzling motorcycle news every day. In this article, we will be taking a look at some of the most famous motorcycle riders in history. From racers to businessmen, from outlaws to inventors and celebrities, all 15 have contributed something significant to the motorcycle world.

Steve McQueen

One of the most famous motorbike riders in history is all-time Hollywood legend, Steve McQueen. Perhaps best known for his roles in movies such as The Great Escape and Bullitt, he was a well-known motorcycle enthusiast himself. In fact, before he got a driver’s license at age 16, McQueen built a custom bike from spare parts that used to belong to Marlon Brando. He also earned a trophy in 1968 while competing in the ISDT (International Six Day Trial), an event for military teams held across Europe where riders had to pass through physical fitness tests along with regular inspection of their bikes and equipment, just like they do today during Dakar Rally.

Robert Craig Knievel “Evel Knievel”

Evel Knievel was one of the most famous motorcycle riders in history. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest daredevils that ever lived, and his stunts involved jumping over 14 broken buses in Rome, 50 stacked cars in Las Vegas, and even a coffin in Great Britain. Knievel’s character made him an icon to millions of Americans during the ’70s. His stunts were recorded by TV programs such as ABC’s Wide World of Sports and they dealt with issues including child abuse, war, drunk driving, drugs, taxes, etc

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise is a well-known motorcycle rider. In fact, the idea behind his iconic role in Top Gun was inspired by a true story of a young Navy Pilot named Maverick who went to fight for his country on a bike. Tom’s relationship with bikes goes far beyond movies, though. He actually owns a radical custom bike, the Triumph Rocket III Roadster, and besides that, he also rides with his own team in annual gala charity races against other riders who are known for their movies.

Ed Roth

Ed Roth is one of the most famous motorcycle riders in history. He was well-known for his unique style (he often used cartoonish illustrations on parts of his bike, like side covers and fenders), as well as his persona. He was described by his friends as a very loud person who made almost every woman he knew to fall in love with him. Ed modelled some of his bikes after American cars, like Cadillac (long before Mad Max came into existence).

Keanu Reeves

Keanu Reeves is a well-known motorcycle rider. He has been riding for many years, but his passion really started in the 2000s when he bought himself a brand new Harley-Davidson Dyna Glide. His movie John Wick helped bring the image of motorcycle riders into focus in pop culture, giving them more exposure in Hollywood rather than just treating them as outlaws.

In 2011 Keanu founded Arch Motorcycles, a custom bike manufacturer which has since built several bikes including KRGT-1.

Chad McQueen

One of the most famous motorbike riders in history is Chad McQueen, son of Steve McQueen. Like his father, Chad was also passionate about motorcycles and he used to race in various competitions when he was still a teenager. His passion for bikes brought him to a much wider audience in 1999 when he appeared as one of the characters in the TV show King Of The Hill alongside Johnny Knoxville.

He then went on to star in several other TV shows that involved his passion, including Dirtbag: The Legend Of Robin Malone where he plays a character who builds custom choppers and streetfighters in a California garage.

Jay Leno

Jay Leno is another well-known motorcycle rider. He is the owner of the world’s largest motorcycle collection with over 150 rare bikes. Jay is also a mechanic who loves to create custom bikes, and his experience allowed him to become one of the most successful TV personalities who discuss various aspects of motorcycles.

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt is well known for his passion for motorcycles. According to him, he fell in love with biking since the first time he saw Easy Rider when he was 12 years old. He bought himself a Ducati Monster 900 and later on, used it as one of the main transportation methods during the filming of Snatch (alongside Vinnie Jones).

Valentino Rossi

Valentino Rossi is one of the most successful motorcycle riders in history. The Italian rider has won over 100 races and he holds the record for the most Grand Prix victories, with more than 7 different bikes under his belt.

He was born on February 16th, 1979 at Tavullia in Italy. He started riding at the age of 3 when he got a tiny Honda PA50 to ride around on. As he grew up, Rossi became famous among other racers as an extraordinary competitor who worked hard to be better every time out on track. Even now, Rossi still rides often, but now it’s mostly for pleasure rather than competition.

Indian Larry

Indian Larry is one of the most famous motorcycle riders in history. He started riding at the age of 15 and earned his nickname thanks to his dedication to Indian Motorcycles, which was decided by Karl “Indian” Meier after seeing him ride it so well.

Larry had over 50 bikes during his lifetime, including a custom built Harley Davidson called “The Beast.”

Ewan McGregor

Ewan McGregor is another motorcycle rider who got his passion from his father. Ewan’s father was a motorbike racer and he used to take him around on the back of his bike when Ewan was still a child. The Scottish actor now owns a few motorcycles, including BMW R1200GS which he describes as “The Holy Grail.”

Dean MacGillivray

Dean MacGillivray is one of the most famous motorcycle riders in history who also happens to be blind. He started riding at the age of 17 after being inspired by Ace Cafe, which was the first cafe for bikers in London back in 1938. Dean rode with the charity group Blind Veterans UK where they visited various places around England.

He also used to host a TV show called ‘Long Way Round’ alongside Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman. The three of them travelled from London to New York on motorcycles via Europe, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Siberia. During the course of the trip, Dean revealed that he actually felt safer while riding a bike than when he was driving a car because his other senses were more engaged in motorcycling so he could better sense what was going on around him.

Jackie Stewart

Jackie Stewart is considered as one of the best Formula One drivers in history who also won 3 championships during his 9-year career as an F1 racer. However, it’s not only in fast cars that Jackie showed talent – he also proved himself as a skilled motorcycle rider. According to him, biking is “the most dangerous thing I do.”

Jackie started riding at the age of 16 when he got a Triumph Cub motorbike which he used for short trips around his hometown. After several years, Jackie saved enough money to buy himself a BSA A65 Lightning 650cc which was one of the fastest bikes available at the time.

Jackie has continued riding motorcycles ever since, and today he’s involved in several charity events that raise money for biker causes.

P!nk

P!nk is also one of the most famous motorcycle riders in history who got her passion for motorcycles from her father. Even though she was just 5 years old when her dad bought himself a Harley Davidson, P!nk fell in love with bikes at first sight.

As an adult, P!nk bought herself a wide range of different bikes, including a Yamaha R6 that was used in the 2006 film ‘Clerks 2’ where she also starred it.

She has often spoken about how much she loves riding around on her various motorcycles but one particular story stands out. She once rode all the way from Los Angeles to New York City, meeting lots of fans along the way who were surprised to see her riding a motorbike.

Richard Hammond

Richard Hammond is a popular British TV personality who has starred in several different shows, including ‘Top Gear,’ ‘Brainiac: Science Abuse’ and the rebooted ‘The Grand Tour.’

Hammond’s love for motorcycles began at an early age when he was 16 years old. He bought himself a Honda CG125 which he rode for two years. During the 1980s, Hammond was involved in a serious accident where he almost lost his life.

Ever since then, he has continued riding, and today he owns an impressive collection of bikes including Triumph T120 Bonneville, Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom, Moto Guzzi V7 Stone, and BMW R1200GS Adventure.

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