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Biking on the big screen: On Any Sunday turns 49

Published: 28 July 2020 Updated: 08 September 2021

Not only was it nominated for a 1972 Academy Award for best documentary, but On Any Sunday was also backed by Steve McQueen – the coolest man ever to have graced Planet Earth.

Still considered the most important motorcycle documentary ever produced, the film’s impact popularised BMX biking across the world. Featuring old-school desires from Triumph, Husqvarna, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki, this is compulsory viewing for any bike enthusiast.

On Any Sunday director, Bruce Brown

The film’s director, Bruce Brown, spoke to MCN back in 2017 just before his death at the age of 80.

“You know, it was never my intention [to inspire anyone to ride a motorcycle],” he said. “It was more about legitimising motorcycling, because the reputation at the time was all Hells Angels and biker gangs.

“I came into motorcycling late in my life – as opposed to surfing (Brown made his name directing the definitive surfing movie Endless Summer) – and I met the people and admired them, and thought it would be great to make a movie about these people.

“I’d made surfing films, but I’d never made a film about anything else, so I reckoned it would be fun to try something different. With my new interest in motorcycles, I thought maybe that would be a good thing.”

Here are some other times that motorbikes have made it into the movies.

Triumph Street Triple RS to feature in new DC action film Birds of Prey

Triumph’s Street Triple RS will take centre stage when it appears in the upcoming action film Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).

Released in cinemas on Friday, 7 February 2020, the DC Comics-inspired epic tells the story of characters; Harley Quinn, Huntress, Black Canary and Renee Montoya, who must team up to take out self-loving Gotham City villain, Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor).

Margot Robbie stars in Birds of Prey

The three-cylinder middleweight Triumph will be ridden by the crossbow-wielding Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and can be seen in the latest trailer (above) towing Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) towards the rear of a speeding car.

The Triumph Street Triple RS received a number of updates for 2020, including revised styling, an updated TFT dash and improved midrange, thanks to a new exhaust cam.

The Motorcycle Diaries

The Motorcycle Diaries turns 15

The Motorcycle Diaries was first shown in the UK 15 years ago today. The perfect excuse to rewatch?

This coming-of-age road movie documents the journey taken by 23-year-old medical student, Ernesto Guevara (who went on to be known as Che) across Latin America.

The film is based on the travel diary Ernesto kept during his 14,000km journey, from Argentina through Chile, Peru, and Colombia to Venezuela and documents some of the experiences which led him on the path towards his future as Marxist revolutionary.

Top Gun

Although Top Gun is principally about flying rather than riding, one very famous scene featuring a Kawasaki GPz900 left bikers around the world longing for a Ninja. Now, a new trailer for Top Gun: Maverick has been released, featuring a pair of Kawasaki Ninjas from either end of the 34 years since the original film was released.

Tom Cruise’s character pulling a cover off a Kawasaki GPz900R (called a Ninja in other markets) just like the one he rode over three decades ago, before a second shot shows him riding a modern Ninja H2.

We saw social posts back in 2018 that showed the Hollywood A-lister riding the H2 on set, but the new trailer confirms the bike’s inclusion in the film.

Cruise himself has a long history of riding motorbikes, famously riding a range of bikes including a Triumph Speed Triple and BMW R nineT Scrambler in various Mission: Impossible instalments and a Ducati Hypermotard in Knight and Day.

Top Gun: Maverick is set to arrive in cinemas in summer 2020.

Easy Rider

Not only is Easy Rider a great motorbike movie, it’s also a bona fide slice of Americana that explores the drug-taking, commune-residing hippy counterculture of the 1960s.

With a top-notch cast – Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson – and a moral message for us all to absorb, very few films can change your perception on life. However, this is one of them.

Restless Natives

If Easy Rider is a bit too obvious, why not try something a little less well-known from Scotland? For those (we assume, the majority of you) who haven’t yet enjoyed 1985’s Restless Natives, prepare yourself for some ‘Local Hero’ style charm.

Filmed in Glasgow, Edinburgh and the Highlands, this story follows two teenagers who make a living as modern highwaymen on their Suzuki GP125 – becoming local folk heroes and a tourist attraction along the way.

It sounds silly on paper, but stick with it – Restless Natives is well worth a watch, especially with a soundtrack by Big Country and cameos by Mel Smith, Ned Beatty and Bernard Hill.

The World’s Fastest Indian

Having already played Donald Campbell in the BBC film Across The Lake, it was only a matter of time before speed-junkie Anthony Hopkins brought legendary bike racer Burt Munro back to life for the silver screen. Not every aspect is historically accurate, but don’t let that stop you enjoying the incredible true story.  

Unlike Across The Lake, this feel-good heart warmer is easily obtainable through Amazon. And if you haven’t yet seen it, we would heartily recommend it.  

On Any Sunday – The Next Chapter

Four decades after the original documentary, On Any Sunday – The Next Chapter shows that the passion for riding motorcycles is as strong as it ever was. Directed by Dana Brown, this new film captures just what motorcycling means to people all over the globe.

The film is an exploration into the pursuit of excitement, passion and life in the world of motorcycle riding. If this doesn’t scratch that two-wheeled itch over Christmas, we don’t know what will.

Hitting the Apex

From Mark Neale, the director of Faster and Fastest, Hitting the Apex tells the inside story of six of the most talented motorcycle riders in the MotoGP paddock as they battle against each other for the ultimate prize.

Brad Pitt narrates the stories of each rider, as we follow them through the exhilarating highs of winning a MotoGP race, and the crushing lows that this sport can deliver.

TT – Closer to the Edge

If you’ve ever wondered what could possibly motivate a rider to take part in the Isle of Man TT, then Closer to the Edge is the film for you. Featuring behind-the-scenes access to some of the biggest names in road racing, including Guy Martin, John McGuinness, Conor Cummins and Ian Hutchinson.

Torque

Suspend belief for 84 minutes and forget about the laws of physics with this film from the producer of The Fast and the Furious which centres around underground motorcycle racers.

You will also find Torque in MCN’s list of movie mistakes: when the films get motorbikes wrong as it features a host of gravity-defying stunts and motorcycling impossibilities. It’s just a bit of fun though…

By Ben Clarke

Assistant Editor (Motorcycling), hick for life, two cylinders max