Why We Ride Movie Tries to Answer The Age-Old Question

By all accounts, the new documentary Why We Ride is a beautifully filmed work that will make you want to hop on a motorcycle the moment you step out of the theater. It's that kind of film. Through exquisite vintage and slow-motion footage from places such as Bonneville, Daytona, motocross tracks, and campsites in the California desert, the audience is taken on a stunning visual journey into our two-wheel world, with dozens of riders, some famous, some not, speaking poignantly about what motorcycling means to them. There's no narrator, and there doesn't need to be; the various folks who do the talking are all remarkably well-spoken. We only wish they were identified as they appeared on screen and not later in the movie as the credits were rolling.

But that's a small nit to pick on this otherwise satisfying film, which was independently funded and should be available on DVD by now. It's also being marketed in a novel way that allows motorcycle dealers and clubs to host private screenings at theaters all around the country. "It's the best marketing tool there is for dealers," explains Mike Shell, the movie's dealer program director, who says the motorcycle industry still could use a kickstart following the economic downturn of 2008. You can view the trailer at whyweridetour.com, where you can also learn more about how to book a screening. "We shot over 300 hours of film," producer/director Bryan H. Carroll adds. "I'd like to do a TV series with each one of our featured people being its own episode."