Motorcycle films: Where to find the good ones

Naturally, we think you'll want to catch every CTXP episode, watch Daily Rider for real-world reviews of new motorcycles, The Shop Manual for education, and our other content. But we're not the only ones making great video. What if there was a curated list of some great motorcycle feature films and shorts that was put together by people who have already taken a deep dive into this stuff? Well, there is. It's the Toronto Motorcycle Film Festival's Film Vault.

Billing itself as "the world's largest film and arts festival dedicated to the celebration of motorcycles and motorcycle culture," TMFF has been selecting the best films and other art about motorcycling and generally putting on a big party since 2017. So they've seen a lot of motorcycle movies and have a pretty good eye for what's high quality. Best of all, you don't have to wait for the next festival to come around in October. They have a curated selection of films on their website, called the Film Vault.

One of the things I like about the Film Vault is the variety that's included, from full-length documentaries and travel stories to creative and quirky shorts. Some are films we've mentioned before here at Common Tread, such as "Motorcycle Mary," about pioneering racer Mary McGee, and "Where the Road Ends," a story of military veterans taking on the Darién Gap. There are plenty of epic adventures, and you might be surprised by beautiful cinematography you weren't expecting from something like "Southbound," a self-funded passion project by a couple of guys who usually make films for other clients. You'll also find personality profiles and biographies of women and men who have taken on extraordinary challenges or simply dealt with life's inevitable blows through the cathartic experience of riding a motorcycle.

There are plenty of fun short films, too. Maybe you're in the mood for some humor. Check out "On Any Other Sunday," but I warn you, you'll only get the jokes if you've seen the classic "On Any Sunday" and it helps if you've seen it often enough that you can recite some of the Mert Lawwill scenes from memory. Or maybe your tastes run to something moody like the black-and-white "Tunnel of Love," featuring a guy on a Norton café racer and a woman in a Mercedes that is heavy on the 1960s vibes and may leave you wondering what exactly happened and who ended up with the Norton.

The point is, there's an admirable variety of carefully chosen motorcycle film content in the TMFF Film Vault and you'll probably find something you like. For some you'll have to pay for streaming, but most can be watched for free on YouTube or Vimeo. Check it out.