Top five biker movies/documentaries

Before you start to wonder, let me clarify that we aren’t even going to mention that certain Indian movie starting with the letter D, as this list is reserved for the real biker movies and documentaries, which not only personify the bikers that we are, but also manages to touch our hearts.

So Ladies err… Biker babes and biker dudes, lets put our hands together for India on two wheel’s Top Five Biker Movies of All Time:

Number 5 - Riding Solo to The Top of The World: The only Indian movie/documentary to make it to the list, Riding Solo to The Top of The World, manages to capture Guaurav Jani’s journey from the concrete jungles of Mumbai, to one of the remotest places in the world, the Changthang Plateau in Ladakh. What makes it even more interesting is the fact that the whole movie was shot by Guaurav Jani himself, with only his overloaded Royal Enfield for company!

Number 4 - Faster: Faster is a tribute to the world of motorcycle racing and MotoGP in particular. There are no actors (ok there is one, Ewan McGregor as the narrator), there are only racers and their steeds. Based on the 2001 and 2002 season of MotoGP, Faster manages to capture an important era of MotoGP, the rise of the 4st behemoths and the bitter and often volatile rivalry of Valentino Rossi and Max Biaggi.

Number 3 - Long Way Around: Long Way Round is a documentary, made by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, of their 32,000km journey from London to New York, going Long Way Round. Crossing over into mainland Europe, they ride through France, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Siberia, Alaska, Canada before arriving 115 days later at their final destination, New York.

Number 2 - The World’s Fastest Indian: While the title of the movie might suggest that the movie is about an Indian racer, the movie is in fact loosely based on the true story of Burt Monro, a biker from New Zealand, who wanted to create history by breaking the land-speed world record at the Bonneville Salt Flats, using his rebuilt 1920 Indian motorcycle. The World’s Fastest Indian manages to captivate the audience and follows Burt Monro’s journey from New Zealand to United States, in order to fulfill his life long dream.

Number 1 - The Doctor, the Tornado, and the Kentucky Kid aka. DTK: The top honor goes to the sequel of Faster (number four in our list), The Doctor, the Tornado, and the Kentucky Kid. Even though it is only covers the Red Bull Grand Prix at Laguna Seca, California, held on July 10th, 2005. It manages to capture the essence of motorcycle racing at MotoGP’s most technically demanding and physically intimidating race courses, Laguna Seca. Even those who aren’t even remotely interested in motorcycling and motor sports would marvel at the skill and bravery of the riders as they skillfully negotiate fifth gear turn 1 and the infamous Corkscrew. A must watch for bikers and motor sports fan!

Don’t forget to tell us, what is your favorite biker movie of all time and why. Till next time, keep the rubber side down…