There has always been an aura around the figure of the biker. That lonely, kind of reckless, indomitable spirit, that keeps being associated with the two wheels. Perhaps it has been like that for longer than memory can assuredly retain, but this phenomenon is in no little measure caused by some glamorous personalities who were at some point associated with motorcycles. Some did promotional films, others appeared riding bikes in movies, and yet some were just fond of their motorcycles in their personal life.
One of these bigger-than-life characters was Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence, the controversial Lawrence of Arabia. His unforgettable account of his deeds during WWI turned him into a celebrity, but his untimely death in a bike accident in Dorset added to the myth. He used to drive a custom made Brough Superior SS100, a model that remains a highly valued collectors item. His tragic end would spark an investigation that would less to the widespread use of motorcycle helmets.
Charles Lindbergh was to be a famous airplane pilot and a pioneer in transatlantic flights. But he was an enthusiast of bikes as well, and was notoriously daring while driving his Excelsior X around his hometown during his early years.
Many Hollywood stars had a passion for bikes too. Clark Gable and Marlon Brando are well known to be bike admirers, and Clint Eastwood occasionally indulged into biking. James Dean owned several motorcycles during his short life, and he was a racer too, of course, having competed frequently with his Triumph, not needing to wear a motorcycle jacket to further underline the image of a Rebel Without A Cause.
Steve McQueen, though, was in a class of his own. Well before stardom took hold of him, he spent most of his time driving one of his motorbikes (apparently he owned over a hundred of them throughout his life) in off-road races. Being very competitive, he did not relent his passion even after being a top actor. His riding skills were impressive to the point that he did most of the stunts in his own movies.
As for rock stars, Buddy Holly, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan are all known for donning a motorcycle jacket and speed away. The Boss had a bad crash during his teens and eased a little bit on the gas pedal from that moment on, while Dylan had an accident in the mid-60s, at the height of his career. According to him, the time he spent in hospital changed him and made him take his life in a slower, calmer way.
Opening a magazine will surely present many more personalities who have jumped up on a two-wheeler and rode towards the sunset…
