You know Tom Cruise. Well, you may not know him personally, but surely you're aware of him from that one movie? The one where he feels a need for speed? Ok, what about the films in the Mission Impossible franchise? Knight and Day? Oblivion? Risky Business? Surely, this is ringing a bell.
Those who are familiar with Tom Cruise's portfolio will know that he likes to perform his own stunts, particularly ultra-daring motorcycle stunts. Therefore, it's not shocking at all to learn that he has an impeccable collection of personal motorcycles.
Here are a few of the most notable motorcycles that the Hollywood daredevil has ridden. From his own personal collection to the bikes that he hand picks to be in movies with him, it's clear that Tom Cruise has impeccable taste in motorcycles.
The Birthday Vyrus
When your net worth is somewhere around $480 million, you can afford to buy yourself a nice birthday present. At least, that appears to be the case with the nearly $104,000 Vyrus 987 C3 4V Tom rode for his 51st birthday in 2013.
Terms like "most powerful" and "most expensive" are associated with the production motorcycle, but of course, most records were made to be broken. Hailing from Italy, the Vyrus 987 C3 4V has a 1.2L engine that is able to hit 209 miles per hour. Given its lightweight frame, that should satisfy most people's need for speed.
The Ducati Motorcycles
There are at least two Ducati motorcycles associated with Hollywood legend Tom Cruise. There's the grey Ducati 999R he gifted himself for his 46th birthday. Only 200 of this model were produced, making it a truly special present, indeed. That makes it horrifying on many levels to note that the Ducati 999R was the bike he almost wrapped around a tree in Los Angeles.
Then there's the Ducati Desmosedici RR. Again, a limited edition, with only 1,000 of these bikes produced. Cruise generously took Knight and Day co-star Cameron Diaz for a ride on his Desmosedici RR during filming. Considering this bike costs around $72,500 and can easily hit 200 miles per hour, that must have been an impressive Sunday drive.
The Kawasakis from Top Gun
In the first Top Gun film, Tom Cruise was seen riding around on mesmerizing Kawasaki GPZ900r. In true Cruise fashion, he performed his own motorcycle stunts, including racing a fighter jet. At the time, this was the first and only bike to cross the 150 MPH threshold, so this isn't necessarily as irrational as it may seem, though it's probably not something most riders need to try. You'll at least have to sign a waiver.
Though early reports indicated the Kawasaki GPZ900r was coming back for Top Gun 2: Maverick, early press indicates that the role of Tom Cruises's super-sweet bike will be played by a Kawasaki Ninja H2R. This is the track-ready version of Kawasaki's Ninja H2, and yes, it's the one that casually zoomed up to 248 miles per hour in just 26 seconds. Definitely fighter jet racing material for the new millennium.
All of the Amazing Mission Impossible Bikes
Tom Cruise doesn't necessarily own every bike he has ever ridden in the Mission Impossible movie series, but popular legend has it that he had input into which motorcycles made it onscreen. It stands to reason that doing your own stunts gives you that kind of privilege.
In Mission Impossible 2, Ethan Hunt (played by Tom Cruise, of course) tools around on a 1999 Triumph Speed Triple. This was the Sports Bike to have in the 1990s. Not only could it speed around at over 140 miles per hour, it was actually designed with the rider in mind. You might not immediately think "road trip" while watching Cruise leave the bad guy on the Daytona in the dust, but the idea isn't...impossible.
The next installment in the franchise, Mission Impossible 3, starred a Triumph Bonneville Scrambler. This bike was custom-built for the movie, and allegedly auctioned off afterwards. You'll notice this bike is a bit more rugged, compared to the other bikes. The chrome. The vintage styling. It's essentially made to be stared at.
Honorable Mention goes the Confederate Hellcat Tom Cruise rode to the premiere of Mission Impossible 3. In keeping with the "rugged and manly" theme, this 121-horsepower, 140 lb/ft torque bike is a force to be reckoned with, and has gained the stamp of approval from another Hollywood motorcycle fan, Brad Pitt.
Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation is the fifth installment in the Impossible Film series, and the black BMW S1000 RR goes along with it. This is definitely back on track with the racing bikes, as the BMW S1000 RR was international speed superstar Michael Dunlop's ride for many a road race.
If you haven't seen Mission Impossible: Fallout, you don't want to know what happens to the BMW R nine T Scrambler. When you do watch it, just remember that not everything in the movies is real. The BMW R nine T Scrambler is absolutely real; in fact, with a starting price just around $14,000, you can custom design your own.
So what kind of motorcycles can we expect in Mission Impossible 7? Director Christopher McQuarrie has teased a few photos of a motorcycle jump, and a lot of things flying through the air independently off a cliff, but sadly, the teaser is just that. More details will surely follow.
In the meantime, we can expect Tom Cruise to continue to choose the best, the most powerful, and naturally the most expensive motorcycles for himself, Maverick, and Ethan Hunt. And, once our collective jealousy subsides, maybe we can get organized and start writing up that bucket list of bikes to try.