History Main / BadassBiker

* Franchise/{{Batman}}:
** Nearly every incarnation of Franchise/{{Batman}} and all incarnations of Barbara "ComicBook/{{Batgirl}}" Gordon have had a Bat-Cycle at some point.

* ComicBook/{{Cyclops}} is a petrolhead. In the movies, after his original bike burned with his campervan, Wolverine stole one from Cyclops. ComicBook/{{Gambit}} as well.
* ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} has... a scooter.
* The alternate universe version of Franchise/TheFlash, Hot Pursuit has a Cosmic Motorcycle, which can go faster than light and time travels.

* Joshua Brand, the hero of ''ComicBook/ShamansTears'', tools around on a classic Indian motorcycle.

* Franchise/SpiderMan's clone [[ComicBook/ScarletSpider Ben Reilly]], while he was WalkingTheEarth and dealing withhis CloneAngst.
* Franchise/{{Superman}} takes up one of Batman's motorcycles in ''ComicBook/SupermanTruth'' due to him losing a vast majority of his powers.
* ComicBook/WerewolfByNight, primarily during the UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks.
* ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} from ''ComicBook/XMen'' is the most famous comic-book example.

* The Music/BlueOysterCult were pretty much the house band for New York Angels. The band adopted a leather biker look for a while in tribute, and wrote several songs as homage: ''[[Music/BlueOysterCult1972 Transmaniacon MC]]'' tells the story of the Altamont festival - from the point of view of the Angel chapter that became infamous there. ''[[Music/{{Spectres}} Golden Age of Leather]]'' is about old Angels who decide to go out with a bang rather than get old. ''[[Music/RevolutionByNight Feel The Thunder]]'' is about the death and afterlife of three Angels.

* ''The Losers'' (1970): A gang of bikers is recruited by the US military to undertake a rescue operation of a CIA agent imprisoned by the Viet Cong with motorcycles armed with machine guns mounted on the front.

* Robert Wolf, the protagonist of Creator/JasonMomoa's ''Road to Paloma'', is a biker, and is shown riding for a good portion of the movie. His buddy Cash also has a pretty cool bike.

* Franchise/SpiderMan's clone [[ComicBook/ScarletSpider Ben Reilly]], while he was WalkingTheEarth and dealing with [[CloningBlues his angst]].

* Some ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'', such as Thrust from ''Beast Machines'', Sideways from ''Anime/TransformersArmada'' and Prowl from ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'', take this even further... they're Badass ''Bikes''. [[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Oil_Slick_%28Animated%29 Oil Slick]] has yet to appear, but he looks the part and will likely fit the role to a T.

A universal trope, as media from America, Europe, and Japan all love to depict badass bikers. They're also surprisingly versatile, since Badass Bikers can be heroes or anti-heroes, or, in gangs, they can be villain captains or mooks. Badass bikers can even be transposed into a science fiction setting by giving them a futuristic hover bike.

* Creator/KatsuhiroOtomo is very fond of this trope and thus often includes it in his works, espcially ''Manga/{{AKIRA}}'' where Tetsuo, Kaneda and most other characters ride and fight on stylized motorbikes. Kaneda's red motorbike is iconic of the series.
* Norman Burg in ''Anime/TheBigO'' is this and a BattleButler. He's is ''very, VERY good'' at the wheel, and has the sheer balls to take on massive robots with his bike......especially considering it's equipped with a sidecar mounted MLRS!

* ''Anime/CombattlerV'': Hyoma Aoi was the only biker of the team.

* ''Anime/{{Devilman}}'': Akira owns a rather fetching red motorcycle which he often rides into battle on before transforming. Iwao Himura owns a similar bike, and in his debut episode he races Akira with it.

* Haruhara Haruko from ''Anime/{{FLCL}}''. She alone inspired many people to get a Vespa, learn to play guitars and live a life of endless badassery.

* The titular character from ''Manga/KurenaiSanshiro'' is a TroubledButCute young man who rides his red motorcycle around to earch for his dad's killer. And he kicks LOTS of ass in the meantime.

* In the anime version of ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara'', Date Masamune's horse sports exhaust pipes which makes it look like a horse version of Harley Davidson bike.

* ''Manga/VenusWars'' is chock full of badass bikers since it's about battle bike riders and motorbike military units with [[TheHero Hiro (Ken) Seno]], Miranda and [[MajorlyAwesome Major Kurtz]] topping the list.

** Sometimes, ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} would cruise the streets on a carefully customized bike. Jason Todd, The Red Hood would also count as he rides a Harley, and is constany wearing a red ''helmet'' rather than actual hood. Finally, you have ComicBook/{{Huntress}} and ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}, both of whom frequently use them.
** The third Robin Tim Drake was the first Robin to get a "Robincycle" which he quickly learned to use to his advantage against superpowered opponents in addition to having fun riding it. His assassin trained successor as ComicBook/{{Robin}} Damian Wayne, is often seen riding a bike that a normal ten year old would not be able to handle.

* ComicBook/BlackCanary frequently travels on a bike, sometime with her sometime love interest ComicBook/GreenArrow riding pillion.

* ''All'' female characters in ''ComicBook/GothamCityGarage'' travel on bike and are adept at riding motorbikes, even the ones don't need one like ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} or Franchise/WonderWoman.

* ''Fanfic/Earth27'' has the Sons of Batman biker gang. According the author, he took influence from ''Sons of Anarchy'' with Jean-Paul Valley looking a bit like Jax, but both groups have wildly different ideologies.

* ''Film/TheArtOfTheSteal'': After getting out of prison, former GetawayDriver Crunch Calhoun works as motorcycle daredevil who takes cash from event organisers to deliberately crash, because that's what the crowds have come out hoping to see.

* ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'': Much like his comic counterpart, Captain America gets a chance to kick ass with his motorcycle in his movie. The bike even has added weaponry for additional ass kicking.

* In 1978 version of ''Film/GameOfDeath'' Billy Lo faces a lot of bikers who he has to fight. In the end he uses a motorcycle himself to '''attack a mook with his frontwheel'''.

* Scarlet from ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra'', who spends the Paris chase in a motorcycle.

* A group of biker hooligans are the eponymous villains in ''Film/KillersOnWheels''. Headed by a pair of brothers from a wealthy family with too much spare time on their hands, the bikers spend the whole movie partaking in illegal street races, terrorizing a small coastal town and chasing after women while on their bikes.

* ''Film/StarTrekBeyond'' has one scene where Captain Kirk storms the enemy base in a motorcycle.

* T-800 and T-1000 in the first two ''{{Franchise/Terminator}}'' films respectively, as well as John Connor from ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'' & ''Film/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines''. And ''Film/TerminatorSalvation'' keeps with tradition by having John comandeering a Mototerminator to ride into a Skynet base.

* ''Literature/SixteenThirtyTwo'': In ''The Dreeson Incident'', the eponymous incident involves [[spoiler: Buster Beasley riding into a armed mob]] on a Harley. This combined with the HeroicSacrifice he makes after dismounting lead to him attaining major in-universe status as a MemeticBadass.

* Death from ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' got himself a bike in ''Literature/SoulMusic'' (a "[[StealthPun triumph]]", built by the Librarian) because the only thing [[RuleOfCool cooler]] than Death the Destroyer of Worlds is Death on a bike made of bones, shiny bits and light. It should also be noted, while we're on the subject on unbearable coolness, that he needed the bike so that he could quickly [[BigDamnHeroes save the day]] by [[ThePowerOfRock shredding out some hot licks on the guitar]]. [[spoiler:In order to blackmail the '''universe''' into [[ScrewDestiny sparing someone's existence]].]] He also has a rose in his teeth at the start of the ride and, knowing that you [[TheoryOfNarrativeCausality need]] to [[BadassLongcoat get the outfit right]], informs the Dean that "I need your clothes".

* ''Literature/MickeyHaller'''s new investigator Dennis "Cisco" Wojciechowski starting in ''The Brass Verdict'' is one. He has connections and an informal affiliation with the fictional Road Saints biker gang, but is not a full member of the club.

* The Darksiders from ''Literature/SuperMinion''. They've got the attitude, the leather coats, and the motorcycles. they're also surpisingly friendly and civic-minded, helping out lost visitors and keeping an eye on dangerous Odd Summer phenomena.

* ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett'': The Mods are all expert swoop riders who pull off daring stunts while chasing down the Majordomo. Additionally they all dress in stylish clothing, with several having {{badass longcoat}}s.
* ''Series/BrooklynNineNine'' features Rosa Diaz, who is the toughest among a group of detecties and is frequently shown as having rode a motorcycle to work.

* ''Series/TheRising'': Neve was a motorcross competitor and is shown performing impressive feats during flashbacks against other bikers. She often wore a [[BadassLongcoat long leather coat]] while alive and not in driving gear, being a tough young woman overall. Neve doesn't permit a little thing like being dead stop her from trying to find her killer either, and [[OurGhostsAreDifferent luckily for her it doesn't stop her riding]].

* Biker [[TheGimmick gimmicks]] were common in the territorial days. Wrestling/TheRoadWarriors and Wrestling/{{MagnumTA}} are couple of the more famous examples.

** [[https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/File:Doomrider.jpg Doomrider]]. A demon price/chaos lord from older editions has become a meme with 40k fans. Now mind you cocaine is bad, but when you are the demon god-thing of sex, drugs and rock-and-roll's favored demon prince biker of badassitude, cocaine is the weakest drug in your veins.

** Cadian Rough Riders ride ''choppers''. Yes, 40k has a unit of badass normals, riding big bikes around in combat and charging people on them so they can stab them with explosive tipped lances.

* Franchise/JamesBond qualifies for this in ''VideoGame/EverythingOrNothing'', whenever he rides the Q-Bike. Especially so in the nailbiter that is the Pontchartrain Bridge chase level, where he's trying to catch up with Jaws [[spoiler: who's driving a tanker-truck full of nanobots, hell-bent on [[HarsherInHindsight destroying the levees and flooding New Orleans]].]]

* ''VideoGame/FullThrottle'' (pictured atop this page) is all about Badass Bikers and is generally the all-round reference for details of this trope.

** Another example, when being hauled to his feet by another survivor;

* ''VideoGame/MarioKart Wii'' added bikes to the series. Of course, in this case the badassness depends on the rider: ones like Baby Peach or Baby Daisy can't really pull it off, but Bowser or even ''Dry'' Bowser? Heck yeah!

* ''VideoGame/MidnightClub'' also features motorcycles in their games, working much like the example above; quick and compact, but one collision sends you flying. The third game, ''DUB Edition'', has choppers along with sport bikes.

** The one person to play this straight, ironically, is Makoto Niijima, the ''StudentCouncilPresident.'' Despite being a bit of a goody two-shoes with some hidden anger issues, alongside a ''completely'' blushing beauty when romanced or flustered, she manages to be a badass, competent Persona-user who's Persona manifests ''[[NinjaPirateZombieRobot as a nuclear-powered motorcycle based off a female Pope and later a Sumerian goddess.]]''

* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2'' has Claire Redfield, a college girl who rides a motorcycle into zombie-infested Raccoon City. Post-credit scenes in both ''Resident Evil 2'' and ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilCodeVeronica'' also features Claire with different motorcycles.
* ''VideoGame/RideToHellRetribution'' has many of the gang kind in its cast, including lead character Jake. The highest difficult is also called "Badass Biker".

** The Boss can be played this way; just give them a HellBentForLeather outfit, a couple of guns, and a CoolBike and boom! Instant BadassBiker.

** Jin Kazama is this too, owning a souped up sports bike which has boosters on it. The Bloodline Rebellion Intro details just how good he is with his bike of his.

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' A keen motorcyclist who favours biker-influenced outfits, Yang is an elite [[HunterOfMonsters Huntress]] whose pride and joy is her orange-and-black motorcycle, Bumblebee. Junior's nightclub fears her because every time she rocks up on her bike, it's to cause trouble, and Neptune is impressed when she bursts through the club's blast doors, unfazed by the club's defences. When biking through Anima, she punches a bandit for hitting on her and later sacrifices her bike in battle against Adam to save Blake; In Volume 8, she field tests a new hoverbike by performing somersaults, and later leads the bike chase through the mountains [[spoiler:when Oscar is kidnapped]].

* In ''Webcomic/AngelDown'' Maria uses a motor bike as her primary mode of transport, and is a well respected paladin.

* Subverted with Hades from ''Webcomic/ZeusAndSons'' who, despite his biker garb, badass motorcycle and dominion over the dead, is seen crying about his inability to find a girlfriend and lovingly petting his [[CuteMonster three-headed puppy]].

* ''WesternAnimation/AvengerPenguins'' revolves around three bike riding penguins that inhabit Big City, uniting to protect it and its citizens from the evil Caractacus P. Doom, [[MadScientist an insane and reclusive criminal scientist]].

* Ulrich Stern of ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko'' has a monowheeled, flying "Overbike" in the virtual world. Note that he's also a [[SuperSpeed speedster]], but the bike makes him even ''faster''.

** Oh, and did we mention badass bikes Prowl and Oil Slick are also ''ninjas''. Sideways just has to get along with being [[spoiler: a living virus and servant of an eater of worlds.]]

** [[http://www.bacausa.com Bikers Against Child Abuse]] are another charity biker group who offer support and protection to children who have experienced mental and physical abuse. They have chapters in the US and other countries. If the victim is scared at night, they will ride up to keep vigil outside their house and they also fill the entire front row of the courtroom when the victim has to testify. "It's harder to feel scared when the scariest-looking people in the room are on ''your'' side. "

* Italy has a tradition of ''military'' bikers dating to before UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, when every ''Bersaglieri'' (quick assault infantry) regiment was given a recon platoon equipped with bikes, recon platoons that, if necessary, [[http://image.archivioluce.com/foto/high/ATTUALITA/GP13/A00049515.JPG could fight]]. To this day, Italian brigades still have a recon company equipped with bikes (including, of course, the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garibaldi_Bersaglieri_Brigade Garibaldi bersaglieri brigade]]), said bikes' manufacturer Cagiva sells bikes to armies of all the worlds, and the ''Corazzieri'' (the guards of the Italian president, chosen among the tallest and most badass of the ''Carabinieri'') [[https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/2june2006_059.jpg can be seen on large bikes when on parade or escorting the president]].

Only one type of badass character can move around with confidence in these parts. He's got a surly attitude, a [[BadassLongcoat longcoat]] or leather jacket, [[CoolShades shades]], and (optional) [[SmokingIsCool cigarette clenched in his jaw]]. But what really [[ClothesMakeTheSuperman sells it]] is the CoolBike: big,shiny chrome, and a growling engine.

Only one type of badass character can move around with confidence in these parts. He's got a surly attitude, a[[BadassLongcoat longcoat]] or leather jacket, [[CoolShades shades]], and (optional) [[SmokingIsCool cigarette clenched in his jaw]]. But what really [[ClothesMakeTheSuperman sells it]] is the CoolBike.

Possibly popularized by the Creator/MarlonBrando movie ''Film/TheWildOne'' and the Creator/JamesDean movie ''Film/RebelWithoutACause'', the Badass Biker is the epitome of the viciously cool, tough guy. Whether they are traveling through the desert, city streets, a [[MotorcycleOnTheCoastRoad coastal road]], or [[RuleOfCool up a wall]], this character and bike combo exudes an aura of awesome that eclipses just about any other badass + vehicle combination.

A pretty universal trope as media from America, Europe, and Japan all love to depict badass bikers. They're also surprisingly versatile, since Badass Bikers can be heroes or anti-heroes, or, in gangs, they can be villain captains or mooks. Badass bikers can even be transposed into a science fiction setting by giving them a futuristic hover bike.

So you've got one mean setting. PoliceAreUseless, and usually [[DirtyCop corrupt]]. Half the time the place is enveloped in [[PollutedWasteland smoke, fog]], and general unpleasantness. [[WretchedHive Violent thugs rule the streets]], and you would have to be crazy to even leave your house if you had even the slightest excuse not to.

Only one type of badass character can make it around these parts. He's got the [[BadassLongcoat longcoat]], the [[CoolShades shades]], and the (optional) [[SmokingIsCool smoking addiction]]. But what really [[ClothesMakeTheSuperman sells it]] is the CoolBike.

Possibly popularized by the Creator/MarlonBrando movie ''Film/TheWildOne'' and the Creator/JamesDean movie ''Film/RebelWithoutACause'', the Badass Biker is the absolute epitome of the viciously cool vagrant tough guy. Whether they are traveling through the desert, city streets, a [[MotorcycleOnTheCoastRoad coastal road]], or [[RuleOfCool up a wall]], this character and bike combo exudes an aura of awesome that eclipses just about any other badass + vehicle combination.

A pretty universal trope as media from America, Europe, and Japan all love to employ badass bikers. They're also surprisingly versatile, since Badass Bikers can be heroes or anti-heroes, or, in gangs, they can be villains or mooks.

* In ''VideoGame/WarioWare'' Wario becomes this complete with a chopper bike called the "Wario Bike". In fact, a good few of his microgames have him riding his bike through various hazards.
** There's also [[OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent Mona]] who owns a scooter and puts it to good use in her stages in the first game and ''Twisted''.

* Numerous characters on ''Series/SonsOfAnarchy''. Of course, it's woven into the premise.

* The protagonist of the classic Richard Thompson song "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" is a Badass Biker [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold robber with a heart of gold]].

* The Music/BlueOysterCult were pretty much the house band for New York Angels. The band adopted a leather biker look for a while in tribute, and wrote several songs as homage: ''Transmaniacon MC'' tells the story of the Altamont festival - from the point of view of the Angel chapter that became infamous there. ''Golden Age of Leather'' is about old Angels who decide to go out with a bang rather than get old. ''Feel The Thunder'' is about the death and afterlife of three Angels.

* ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/14997911/chapters/34760702 The Horsewomen Of Las Vegas]]'' features the Wrestling/AcesAndEights, the Disciples Of the Apocalypse and the Ascension motorcycle gangs featured in the Pro Wrestling section.

* [[Wrestling/ImpactWrestling TNA]]'s Wrestling/AcesAndEights stable, who are based on SAMCRO from ''Series/SonsOfAnarchy''.

* Hidaka Ken in ''Anime/WeissKreuz''; his teammates, meanwhile, drive various flavors of [[CoolCar cool]] and not-so-cool vehicles. Izumi Sena in ''Weiss Kreuz: Gluhen'' also rides a motorcycle, but it doesn't make him any more badass.

* Celty Sturluson from ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}''. A modernized [[HeadlessHorseman Dullahan]] from Ireland riding around [[TokyoIsTheCenterOftheUniverse Ikebukuro]] on her [[CoolBike horse familiar-turned-motorcycle]], working as a "transporter" to earn money while she searches for her lost head. Also a BadassAdorable: her helmet has kitty ears!

* ''LightNovel/RebuildWorld'': The protagonist Akira gains a reputation for this. There are hunters (PrivateMilitaryContractors) known for preferring motorbikes over heavier vehicles such as [[TankGoodness tanks]] or MiniMecha, and he shows why that is. Akira, even without the assistance of his VirtualSidekick Alpha who usually aids his movements, is able to RampJump onto an assault aircraft that was attacking him. It helps to have a really technologically advanced CoolBike.

* Riki's backstory in ''Lightnovel/AiNoKusabi'' reveals he was once this as the leader of a biker gang that [[EarnYourTitle earned himself the title]] "Riki The Dark".

A Badass Biker who is a thug or [[GangOfHats gang member]] usually fits into AllBikersAreHellsAngels as well. Sometimes, his entrance is a SlidingBikeStop as its own DynamicEntry. A Badass Biker might also [[RomanticRideSharing drive while their lover hugs them tightly from behind romantically]]. Most of those enter HelmetsAreHardlyHeroic, riding with heads fully exposed.

* ''Film/EasyRider'' centers around two of them, Captain America and Billy, with the iconic opening credits having them just riding an looking cool as "Born to be Wild" plays. The film is also something of a subversion. While the main characters don't have a problem breaking the law (they survive by running illegal drugs), they're mild-mannered hippies who generally try to avoid serious trouble.

%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample * Creator/JamesDean in ''Film/RebelWithoutACause''.
%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample ** James Dean did own a couple of Triumph motorcycles. In fact, a photo exists of him seated on one while talking to Jim Backus on the set of Film/RebelWithoutACause... but [=Jim Stark=], Dean's character, was not a biker in the film.

%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample * Creator/MarlonBrando in ''Film/TheWildOne''.

* Rob Halford, lead singer of pioneering heavy metal band ''Judas Priest'', is known for riding onstage on a large Harley Davidson motorcycle, usually performing a song or two whilst seated on the bike before getting off of it.

* "Born to Be Wild", originally performed by Music/{{Steppenwolf}}'' is told from the point of view of such a biker. Thesong is often invoked in both popular and counter culture to denote a biker appearance or attitude. Whenever used as {{Leitmotif}} it implies that the character is either BadToTheBone or simply [[MilesGloriosus someone who thinks he is.]]
* The late {{Music/Taiji Sawada}}, ex-X, ex-Loudness, ex-Cloud Nine, ex-The Killing Red Addiction. Insanely talented slap bassist, and until his injuries got too severe, a Badass Biker since the 1980s, also preferred a Harley-Davidson [[http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1011/526527214_21b03351b8.jpg?v=0 but could settle for a Honda occasionally... ]]

%%* ''VideoGame/RideToHellRetribution'' attempts this with its lead character, but not very successfully.

* Touring bikers are often an aversion. [[{{Music/Rush}} Neil Peart]] and Creator/EwanMcGregor are good examples of this.

A Badass Biker who is a thug or [[GangOfHats gang member]] usually fits into AllBikersAreHellsAngels as well. Sometimes, his entrance is a SlidingBikeStop as its own DynamicEntry. A Badass Biker might also [[RomanticRideSharing drive while their love hugs them tightly from behind romantically]]. Most of those enter HelmetsAreHardlyHeroic, riding with heads fully exposed.

* Season 9 of ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'' has [[ActionGirl Agent]] [[TheAce Texas]] riding a heavy motorcycle during the big highway battle; when she's done with it, she simply sends it up a ramp and crashing into an enemy AV-14 Hornet.

* Fantasy AntiHero ''Literature/{{Kane}}'' and his sidekick Blacklight in "Deep in the Depths of Acme Warehouse", in which Kane appears in present-day New Orleans. Most probably because [[MyHorseIsAMotorbike Harleys are the closest equivalent of a horse]].

''"Hell hath no fury like a flaming skeleton on a motorcycle."''
— ''VideoGame/UltimateMarvelVsCapcom3'', about ComicBook/GhostRider

->''' Mildred:''' Hey, Johnny, what are you rebelling against?\\
'''Johnny:''' Whadda you got?
-->-- ''Film/TheWildOne''