Uncle Larry started this thread where I first saw the above video trailer. Got me so revved up I bought it on eBay for 25$.

My review follows:

89 minutes, high quality production as far as documentaries go.
Includes some very credible professionals like Keith Code, Arlen Ness, Kenny Roberts. Also features some lesser known record holders and regular folks, too.

The DVD begins with a montage of riding, which goes a little too long, and I found myself wanting to get to the stories and bikes after a few minutes of bikes riding into the sunset with inspirational choral music playing in the background.

One of the opening segments features a nice tribute to Ed Kretz, legendary Indian racer. The tribute features his son, Ed Kretz Junior, who was himself an accomplished racer and died this year in 2013 in a motorcycle crash after reportedly suffering a heart attack.

The stories are presented logically, so after the Kretz tribute the story evolves into modern day Daytona racing, and then features some recent Daytona winners. Road racing is covered well, and Keith Code is prominently, and appropriately, the star of this segment.

There is a short segment on the history of motorcycles that focuses on Indian and Harley Davidson. I learned a few things here, like how the first "motocycles" were actually the pacers for bicycle racing on wood slats at Daytona...and then the demand to watch the pacers race outgrew the demand for the bicycles. Cool fact.

The history segment covers the darker side of motorcycling and how society didn't embrace the biker culture in the 1950s. Some old timers tell stories of being turned away at hotels etc. Then there's an explanation of how the Honda campaign, "You meet the nicest people on a Honda," influences pop culture and bikes become more socially acceptable. I was hoping for more coverage of motorcycle clubs in this segment. What motorcycle documentary leaves out Hell's Angels? And my biggest disappointment was that there was no mention of Evel Knievel. If you're going to cover the sociology of motorcycle culture and what inspired us 1970s kids to ride--you can't skip over Evel Knievel.

Woven into the racing stories is cool footage of land speed holders at the Bonneville Salt Flats. I didn't know the current speed record is 265 MPH!
There is a family theme that runs through the stories. While on the Salt Flats topic, the three women who race and hold land speed records are featured--A Mom and two daughters.

The story then turns to dirtbikes and motocross racing with a brief segment on uphill climbing. Again, families are featured and my wife got into the cute little guys and gals riding their minibikes and mini racers. This segment was cool, but it dragged on a little long.

There is a very brief segment on Daytona bike week and Sturgis. When it comes to how television and movies influences riders, there is a lot of pop culture to be covered, and this segment didn't cover it well. Like it or not, today's society is influenced by shows like OC Choppers, Sons of Anarchy, and Full Throttle Saloon. There was no mention of these. There was some brief commentary of how social media fails to help kids develop their creativity, and the producers clearly express their opinion that todays kids should tweet less and twist more wrist.

My wife is a non-rider, and she liked the video. She liked the colorful characters and the philosophical explanations of why we ride--especially the seed analogy. Afterward she said she now understands that I've always had that seed, and that it doesn't go away when you get married and have kids. Then our conversation turned to safety and risk. She pointed out that the DVD does not speak about the risks, at least directly. She would have been very upset to learn that one of the featured speakers [Kretz Junior] was killed on his motorcycle 4 months ago. I didn't bring it up. But as I see it, he was riding up to age 81, and died doing something he loved.

Interestingly, the last line of the video is a quote from a paraplegic soldier that reminds us that life does not provide any guarantee about tomorrow. The unspoken inference is that we should do the things we love while we're here and able.

So in the end, I have a few complaints, but I still give it 4 stars out of 5. The stories moved me at times, and at one point I teared up thinking about some good times riding with my now deceased father and brother. It was worth the 25$, and I'll keep it and watch it every once in a while.

 

Great review. I totally agree. I also purchased off Ebay and watched it last week. Gotta admit, teared up in certain segments too. It brought back a flood of memories. I have been lucky that my family has ridden for generations. My son continues the legacy. Our first ride together came flooding back while watching this movie. And my first ride with my father.

I also would give it 4 stars.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed it myself. Found myself trying to figure out how sand was blowing in my eyes while in my house at a few points....

Need to get my OL to watch it now. She supports my love of bikes, but she doesn't "get it" and I'm hoping this will help her understand a bit more how it isn't "just a hobby", or a "luxury" to me.

Also, he didn't have a normal wreck. He had a heart attack mid ride and it caused him to swerve off the road causing the crash.

 

Haven't seen it. Thanks for taking the time to do this.

 

Downloading…Thanks!

 

Thank you for taking the time to post your review.

 

Thanks for the in depth review. Saves me the trouble of wasting money on it,and I can just buy some more Jean Claude Van Dame movies,instead.I guess I'm one of those idiots who knows why he rides,has always known why he rides,and doesn't need to be told why he rides. Go figure.

 

Eh, it probably helps spouses and family members.

I'd say a large contingent of us know why we ride. Some of us can't put it into words that non-riders can understand.

I know why I ride, for example. It's a compulsion, an addiction, and like taking a shot of morphine for me. I need to feed the adrenaline junky in me. My wife doesn't get that, nor will she ever through my words. She's risk-averse; I'm risk-prone.

I'd like to see it with my wife so that maybe she'll understand you're born with the desire and drive and why it is the way it is. I know I can't really explain it to her, though, and she can only see that being without my moto-bike for extended periods, when I get back on it I get a stupid smile on my face.

 

I must agree. It was a great documentary. I loved every minute of it.

 

FYI, a post I made about it over in the Videos forum: