The Best Motorcycle Movies to Watch During Winter - Part 1

For motorcyclists living in Canada, winter is a bit like purgatory. While our beautiful two wheeled machines are in hibernation underneath a warm blanket, we are in a state of temporary suffering. Is there anything that can ease the pain? Yes there is!

In addition to going to a local motorcycle show during the off-season, I like to host motorcycle movie nights and invite my riding friends over. It's guaranteed good times ... until someone loses an eye. Then it's a sport :) Over the years my friends and I consumed dozens of chicken wings while watching hours and hours of great and not-so-great movies. Here is a list of my favourite motorcycle movies that I personally guarantee that you will love (this is not a guarantee).

Riding Solo To The Top of the World (2006)
Website Link
IMDB Link
Link to Trailer

By far this is my favourite. What Ewan and Charley do with a film crew and a support vehicle in Long Way Round and Long Way Down, Gaurav does by himself. Gaurav travels from Mumbai, India to one of the remotest places in the world, the Changthang Plateau in Ladakh, bordering China. He captures amazing footage and is given access to places and cultures that even National Geographic haven't. If you watch it, please buy the original DVD from his website to support Gaurav's courageous and costly efforts. Or if you're in the GTA, I'll lend it to you.

On Any Sunday (1971)
IMDB Link
Link to Trailer

This movie captures the fun of riding motorcycles and sucks you in with the opening scene of a five year old kid doing a massive wheelie. Being made in 1971, I thought the movie would seem dated. However, the "dated" feel is charming and added to my overall enjoyment. It's also cool to see what people could do with 40 year old technology, albeit new at the time. This movie is impossible to watch without having a smile on your face.

(More after the jump)

My Take on the 2013 Toronto Motorcycle Supershow

So what's the Toronto Motorcycle Supershow all about? Hundreds of vendors and thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts gather at the International Centre near the airport to sell and buy motorcycle gear (eg. jackets, helmets, gloves, boots, etc.), accessories, new and used motorcycles, motorcycle insurance, etc. There are also booths for motorcycle clubs and charities, featured racers, custom bikes, fashion shows, live bands, models, awards and interviews on the main stage, etc. etc. And sausages. All this stuff takes up a huge amount of space -- 5 halls which adds up to 10 acres of floor space! And it's still jam packed to the brim with wall-to-wall people! The parking situation is a nightmare too. The enormous parking lot always fills up by 11am with new arrivals having to park a kilometre or more away. That's a cold, long walk in the dead of winter.

There are many booths for clubs and charities such as WROAR (Women Ride
Out Against Rape). WROAR is an annual ride that raises money for the
Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape. I've
provided some photography services for them for the past few years.
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There's lots of custom bikes on display at the show. Since most of the patrons
are men, having a pretty lady at your booth doesn't hurt traffic. I admit it, I'm a sucker!
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This is Brittany. Head over to her facebook page and "Like" her. She's super nice too!
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(More after the jump)