The Fastest Bikes in Pop Culture

The Fastest Bikes in Pop Culture

From Batman’s Batpod to Maverick’s bike in Top Gun, all kinds of bikes and motorcycles have had memorable roles in pop culture. Riding a two-wheeler is undoubtedly fun, and fun to watch in films too. We’ve gathered some of the most iconic bicycles in pop culture and ranked them to see which were the fastest.

The first bike is one that Elliot & E.T. ride, which is the slowest on the list, but boy could that thing fly! A bit further down, you’ll find the Batpod, which is actually the escape pod integrated into Batman’s Tumbler vehicle that still manages to reach 100 MPH. If you want to get a little further away from the real world and into virtual reality, the Light Cycles in Tron can hit a blazing 144 MPH. You’ll even find one below that’s so fast it leaves behind a trail of fire!

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Many of examples we found were real-world bicycles, while some we only wish were real! See below for more context and technical information about the fastest bikes in pop culture:

The Kuwahar KZ-1 from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was pedaled by 10-year-old Elliot. It was in many scenes, most notably a cop chase scene, and of course the iconic moment when Elliot and E.T. are flying with the moon in the background.

The bike from Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure only went up to 25 MPH, but this was a heavily modified and accessorized bicycle. It would have been faster, but the gadgets on his bike still helped him evade trouble.

Prince’s 395 cc Hondamatic from Purple Rain hit a top speed of 86 MPH. It was painted purple to match The Kid’s wild outfits, and the bike was actually one of three on the set–two of which were stunt bikes.

The Harley Davidson FLSTF Fat Boy from Terminator 2 was one of Harley’s newest models in 1991 with a top speed of 92 MPH. The Terminator analyzes a few other Harleys and a Yamaha outside a bar, all declared “SUITABLE,” but he ultimately strong-arms his way onto the FLSTF.

The Batpod from The Dark Knight is an escape pod integrated into the Tumbler. It affords greater mobility at the cost of some protection for the caped crusader.

Hilts’ Triumph TR6 Trophy from The Great Escape performed one of the most celebrated stunts in all of cinema when it was jumped over a barbed wire fence to escape its pursuers. This role made Steve McQueen an icon and arguably the coolest guy on the planet.

Breatrix’s Kawasaki ZZR 250 from Kill Bill Vol. 1 was her vehicle of choice as she chased down her ex-partner in the streets of Tokyo.

Butch’s FXR Super Glide from Pulp Fiction was a memento taken from Zed after Butch’s harrowing visit to the pawn shop – It’s not a motorcycle, it’s a chopper.

Daryl Dixon’s classic chopper from The Walking Dead actually sports a frame and fork from other vehicles, but the engine is from a Triumph Bonneville 650 which maxes out at 109 MPH. Quick enough to dodge hungry zombies, the bike is used by Daryl for scouting and to get from one town to the next.

Sam Flynn’s bike in Tron: Legacy is the 5th-generation light cycle which looks more like a real-world motorcycle than previous models have. These light cycles are generated from a baton. The light cycles form below the rider ready to hit a top speed of 144 MPH, and are powered by pure liquid energy.

The Kawasaki GPZ 900R in Top Gun was the immediate predecessor to the modern sport bike, topping out at 145 MPH. Maverick rode his bike mostly around his US airbase and to meet up with his girlfriend, all the while making this Kawasaki a cultural icon.

As bike gang leader of The Capsules, Kaneda rides a red Power Bike of an unspecified make and model in the film Akira. He speeds through Neo-Tokyo in a dystopian metropolis riddled with terrorism and gangs on his bike at up to 150 MPH.

In Mad Max, officer Jim Goose rides a 1977 Kawasaki KZ1000. Goose pushes this bike hard at a max speed of 160 MPH to keep up with Toecutter and his motorcycle gang.

Trinity’s Ducati 996 in The Matrix Reloaded was acquired after jumping onto a moving truck. Combined with her downloaded riding skills, this was the perfect bike to pull off an awe-inspiring rescue.

The Burt Monro Special from The World’s Fastest Indian was based off of real-life Burt Monro’s modified Indian motorcycle that he used to set three separate land-speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, topping out at 202 MPH.

The C-1 from RoboCop was made of graphene and liquid steel by OmniCorp. Sporting blast resistance and a “threat” sensor package, and top speeds of 248 MPH, the C-1 is fitting for a part-man part-robot seeking justice in Detroit.

The Speeder Bikes from Star Wars: Episode VI were designed for speed and mobility, but also had a maximum altitude of 32 feet, which made them ideal for maneuvering over the rough terrain of Endor. These bikes have a top speed of 310 MPH.

The Lawmasters in Dredd are the primary form of transportation for the Judges in their futuristic world. They are equipped with artificial intelligence and can reach a top speed of 350 MPH, making them a must have for these these advanced crime stoppers.

The Hell Cycle from Ghost Rider is powered by Hellfire and is not affected by the natural laws of physics, allowing it to reach the incredible speed of Mach 4. The wheels are constantly on fire, which leaves a trail of flames in its path.

Although electric bikes have not been around long enough to become icons in pop culture, they’re still a great option to ride faster and longer, making obstacles easier to manage. Check out our different models of electric bicycles, each specializing in different types of uses.