Motorcycles represent liberation and living life on the edge. When the wind is blowing through your hair and the scenery of the open road hits you right in the eyes, there’s nothing better than experiencing it all while revving an engine and riding on two wheels. Many people who ride motorcycles make the vehicles part of their daily lives; it’s a cultural thing for sure.
TV shows have done a decent job incorporating biker culture into their library. There aren’t a lot of fictional series following bikers and their lives, but there are quite a few reality and unscripted series that follow celebrities or other motorcycle enthusiasts as they build, ride, and promote their hogs. These are the best motorcycle TV shows you need to stream right away!
Sons of Anarchy (2008)
Sons of Anarchy is so good that it found room amongst a sea of legendary shows during the late 2000s and early 2010s. The series is an FX classic that follows a violent, sometimes heroic gang of motorcycle riders in California led by a terrific lead performance by Charlie Hunnam. SAMCRO follows its own rules and regulations, shunning society’s expectations and forming bonds within the organization that resemble those in mob shows like The Sopranos or Boardwalk Empire. Every season was famous for ending with dramatic flair and shocking character deaths worthy of HBO’s greatest hits. You don’t have to like motorcycles to love the politics and turmoil in Sons of Anarchy.
Ride with Norman Reedus (2016)
Norman Reedus is best known for playing Daryl Dixon on The Walking Dead and its spinoffs, but anyone who watches interviews with the likable TV star knows how much he enjoys riding motorcycles. AMC capitalized on Reedus’s popularity by creating a reality series in which the actor travels around the country with a specific guest of the week, sometimes another Hollywood celebrity, and always someone who enjoys the intricacies of motorcycle life. Ride with Norman Reedus isn’t your typical junk food reality television show, but rather a thoughtful and fun journey through biker culture with someone who truly knows the business inside and out.
American Chopper (2003)
American Chopper became one of Discovery’s biggest shows in the mid-2000s on the strength of fantastic motorcycle building and entertaining bickering between father and son. The reality show follows the work and personal lives of the Teutul family and their business partners as they are commissioned to build beautiful choppers under time constraints. The fighting between Paul Teutul Sr. and his son became headline news in tabloids and fueled high ratings for the series, but there’s plenty of genuine
Mayans M.C. (2018)
Sons of Anarchy’s world-building and large cast of characters allowed FX to make a spinoff show that went five seasons, Mayans M.C. The follow-up has creator Kurt Sutter at the helm and deals with many of the same themes of family, betrayal, loyalty, and interpersonal ethics that its predecessor did, only through the eyes of a different motorcycle club. Edward James Olmos is one of the standout stars here. In a world with a lot of reboots, it’s nice to see a show that mixes new and old from the same universe like Mayans M.C.
Long Way Up (2020)
Ewan McGregor may be known for playing Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars, but the award-winning actor also can take to foreign roads on his motorcycle and lead fans through exotic locales. Long Way Up is the third series starring McGregor and Charley Boorman in which they log their adventures while teaching the audience about history, culture, and everything in between. This series has many of the same elements as Ride With Norman Reedus but with a more Travel Channel-esque energy.
Race to Dakar (2006)
If you enjoy Charley Boorman in Long Way Up, you’ll also love him in his solo venture without McGregor, Race to Dakar. The documentary gets much more personal and gives an extended look at Boorman’s quest to ride in the Dakar Rally, a massive rally for bikers and the like held in Dakar, Senegal. Only true motorcycle fans will enjoy this one, as it’s more for the diehard fans of the biking experience.
CHiPs (1977)
CHiPs is one of those classic 1970s sitcoms that your grandparents probably reminisce about fondly. Starring Larry Wilcox and Erik Estrada as two motorcycle cops in California, the drama has all the classic trappings of a network drama. The series isn’t going to provide a lot of in-depth
Jesse James Is a Dead Man (2009)
Jesse James was one of the most famous motorcycle riders of the 2000s (his marriage to actress Sandra Bullock helped his legend). Jesse James is a Dead Man is a fun reality show that lets viewers into the realm of James’ madness as he does crazy stunts and motorcycle-themed dares that need to be seen to be believed. James has another good show from the 2000s titled Monster Garage for those who enjoy this one.
