- 2 days ago
- #madmax
- #motorcycles
- #movies
- #bikes
Ride into the wasteland with Kras Moto as we explore the motorcycles of Mad Max’s first three films—from Goose’s iconic Kawasaki interceptor to wild desert customs and hidden movie-bike details. Which machine rules the road?
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#MadMax #Motorcycles #Movies #Bikes
👉 This channel was created in collaboration with https://www.youtube.com/@krasmoto
0:00 - Mad Max's Origins and World
2:42 - Motorcycles of the First Mad Max
10:57 - The Road Warrior's Wasteland Motorcycles
19:20 - Beyond Thunderdome's Modified Bikes
20:49 - Final Thoughts and Future Films
Subscribe to our channel for more motorcycle stories.
Tell us what you liked most about the video in the comments!
#MadMax #Motorcycles #Movies #Bikes
👉 This channel was created in collaboration with https://www.youtube.com/@krasmoto
0:00 - Mad Max's Origins and World
2:42 - Motorcycles of the First Mad Max
10:57 - The Road Warrior's Wasteland Motorcycles
19:20 - Beyond Thunderdome's Modified Bikes
20:49 - Final Thoughts and Future Films
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00Greetings dear viewers.
00:02The Mad Max universe is a harsh post-apocalyptic world that has survived a global catastrophe,
00:07the collapse of civilizations and bloody wars for resources.
00:11The devastated planet has turned into an endless and merciless desert where the main valuables
00:17are water, bullets and gas.
00:19In this chaos, law has been completely erased and the survivors gather into mad tribes and
00:24gangs fighting each other on modified combat vehicles.
00:28Vehicles have always been a distinctive feature of the films about Max Rokotansky, Vladimir
00:33Nevolin gave an excellent overview of the cars from Mad Max on his YouTube channel.
00:38I want to tell you about motorcycles, let's take a look at the two and three wheeled machines
00:44that appeared in the first three films about Max, starring Mel Gibson.
00:49And if you show enough interest, we will separately review the continuation of the media franchise
00:55with Fury Road from 2015 and Furiosa from 2024.
01:00You're watching Krasmoto.
01:01Enjoy watching.
01:16Several factors influenced the creation of the iconic film.
01:20Before moving into filmmaking, George Miller worked as an emergency room doctor in Melbourne.
01:25He faced the horrifying consequences of car accidents and the injuries that motorcyclists
01:31and drivers suffered on the highway every day.
01:33Initially, he envisioned a modern drama about a journalist and then about a cop who gradually
01:38loses his humanity against the backdrop of road violence.
01:41Co-writer James McCausland drew attention to the consequences of the oil crisis of 1973.
01:48He noticed how ordinary peaceful Australians turned into brutal savages in endless lines
01:53at gas stations, ready to attack each other for a can of fuel.
01:58Initially, the film was supposed to be a realistic thriller set in contemporary Australia at the time.
02:04However, the crew had catastrophically little money.
02:08Miller even worked shifts on an ambulance during filming to supplement the budget.
02:13They couldn't afford to rent busy city streets, hire extras or block off roads.
02:18To justify the completely empty highways, abandoned buildings and general devastation,
02:23Miller simply added the line in the near future to the opening credits, turning the film into a dystopia.
02:33The film tells the story of an officer from the main force patrol who stands up to a gang of
02:38violent
02:39bikers in the midst of a collapsing civilization. Due to the extremely modest budget of the first film,
02:44George Miller and his associates had to improvise in many ways.
02:48Some of the motorcycles were acquired from outside sources.
02:51The film crew approached a local Kawasaki dealer in Melbourne.
02:53Realizing the film's advertising potential, the dealer provided 14 brand new Kawasaki motorcycles free
03:00of charge, KZ-1000 and KZ-900 models, on the condition that they would be returned after filming.
03:06Some of them were given to the stuntmen and the actors playing Toy Cutters gang,
03:11and one was turned into Jim Goose's dedicated police interceptor.
03:15And without a doubt, the Kawasaki KZ-1000 is the film's star motorcycle.
03:20So, what kind of bike was it? It was, without exaggeration, one of the most powerful and
03:26fastest production bikes of its era. The KZ-1000, sometimes also called the Z-1000,
03:32made its public debut in 1976. The 1015cc inline-four could boast a maximum power output of 83 horsepower.
03:42And the top speed that Kawasaki's flagship model could reach was 212 kilometers per hour-hour.
03:48The machine was perfect, both as a futuristic interceptor and as a biker gang's ride.
03:55The conversion of the production Japanese motorcycle into an MFP interceptor was handled
04:00by a small Melbourne workshop called La Parisienne Engineering.
04:04Its owner, the Frenchman Bertrand Caidart, personally designed the unique aerodynamic body kit.
04:09By the way, Bertrand had a small role in the first film about Max. He played Clunk.
04:14The design was inspired by European Endurance racing motorcycles, such as those used in the 24
04:20Hours of Boldore. The KZ-1000 received a massive, tall front fairing and a huge angular tail at the
04:28back, which completely covered the passenger seat. The fairings also featured the word Quakka,
04:34an Australian slang nickname for the Kawasaki brand and the abbreviation MFP, along with Goose's personal
04:41number 42. A working police radio and emergency lights and siren were also installed on the tail.
04:48The engine covers were painted matte black so that the chrome parts wouldn't reflect the filming lights.
04:54By the way, the KZ-1000 was a popular choice among cops in real life. For example, it was widely
05:01used
05:02in the US and police versions of the Kawasaki were produced at a separate factory in America.
05:07Without major changes, the police model was produced all the way until 2005.
05:12By the way, the KZ-1000 is a very cinematic machine, especially in the police version. The motorcycle appears
05:18in at least 10 movies and television shows. For example, Terminator 2, Judgment Day and a television show
05:24Chips from 1977 to 1984.
05:34The vast majority of the time, members of the Toa Cutter gang move around on the KZ-1000 and KZ
05:40-900,
05:41including the leader himself and his right-hand man, Baba Zanetti.
05:45By the way, Toa Cutter's motorcycle was also modified at the La Parisienne workshop.
05:49Let me say a little about the KZ-900. The appearance of the Z-1 model in 1972
05:55with a 900 3cc 4-cylinder engine was a response to Honda's CB750 model.
06:01And this was the beginning of the war among Japanese motorcycle manufacturers to create the ultimate road bike.
06:07By 1976, the Z-1 model had been significantly redesigned and was named the Z-900.
06:13At the time of its release, it was a very fast and powerful motorcycle,
06:18no less legendary than the KZ-1000 that appeared a year later.
06:22Its engine produced 81 horsepower and could accelerate the bike up to 210 kilometers per hour.
06:30By the way, in some shots among the biker gang, you can spot the legendary Honda CB750.
06:35The world's first mass-produced motorcycle that was called a superbike and forever changed the motorcycle industry.
06:43The 736cc 4-cylinder CB put out an impressive 67 horsepower and the Honda's top speed was close to 200
06:51kilometers per hour.
07:07The main change to the gang's bikes was making them look like they hadn't just rolled off the showroom floor.
07:14The chrome was painted over and the bikes were decked out with accessories typical of 70s rocker style.
07:21The key roles of the bikers were played by real actors.
07:25But to avoid spending money on extras, stuntmen and renting equipment,
07:30George Miller hired the real Melbourne bike club the Vigilantes.
07:34The bikers appeared in the film on their own motorcycles, performed dangerous stunts on the roads themselves,
07:40and even helped the film crew with logistics.
07:43Since the filmmakers didn't have money for hotels,
07:46the real bikers lived together with the actors in the same tent camp during filming,
07:51which helped professional actors Hugh Kissburn and Tim Burns get into character as savage highway outlaws.
07:59By the way, Hugh, who played the role of the gang leader nicknamed Toy Cutter in the 1979 film,
08:06appeared many years later as the main antagonist in Fury Road in 2015.
08:24Jim Goose, after injuring his leg, arrives at the police station on a 1976 Kawasaki KH-250.
08:33The KH-250 is a classic road motorcycle with a two-stroke three-cylinder engine,
08:39which replaced the S1-250 model in the wake of the oil crisis.
08:46This is one of the legendary inline triples from Kawasaki.
08:49The new model lost some power, 26 horsepower compared to 32.
08:54This was due to new environmental regulations and economic realities.
08:59In the early 70s, horsepower was a point of pride.
09:03By the latter half of the decade, fuel economy was.
09:08Finally, when analyzing the first movie, it's worth taking a look at the red hippie trike.
09:13And this is not some nameless knockoff, but a well-known custom project called Cyclotron.
09:18This incredible three-wheeled machine is one of the most memorable and unusual custom bikes.
09:25In the movie itself, it's ridden by a colorful hippie couple.
09:29Behind its futuristic appearance lies a real story from Australia's custom bike scene.
09:34The machine wasn't built specifically for the movie.
09:37It was assembled long before filming by Lance Sidon from the Melbourne Workshop cycle gear.
09:42The bike was a local celebrity and was even featured on the covers of iconic chopper magazines in the late
09:4970s.
09:50The donor for the project was an engine from a Honda CB750.
09:54The main feature of the Cyclotron is a giant futuristic transparent plexiglass bubble canopy
09:59that completely shielded the passenger from the oncoming wind.
10:03The bright red body was decorated with the finest hand-painted designs and patterns
10:08made from real 24-carat gold leaf by master craftsman John Leach.
10:13After filming, almost all the surviving Kawasaki's were returned to the dealer,
10:18who removed the body kits, repainted them in their original colors,
10:21and sold them as regular used motorcycles to the public.
10:24Goosey's original bike has not survived, but its design sparked a worldwide wave of replicas.
10:30In Japan and Australia, ready-made plastic body kits styled after Goosey's bike
10:35are still being produced for fans of the first movie.
10:40I'm scared, Fif. And you know what? I'm starting to light this red circus on the roads.
10:47You're just overworked.
10:49Another year, and I'll be just like those lunatics.
10:52I'll lose my mind. I'll become a lunatic, but with a police badge.
10:57If in the first movie we witness the gradual collapse of society,
11:01then in the following films the director fully immerses us in the post-apocalypse.
11:08It hasn't been loaded this whole time.
11:17That's dishonorable. That's low.
11:22In the movie Mad Max 2, The Road Warrior from 1981,
11:26Lord Humongous' gang traveled on a variety of vehicles.
11:30It was no longer just a gang of bikers like in the first film.
11:34The gang had all sorts of vehicles.
11:36Cars, different kinds of buggies, and of course, you can't do without motorcycles.
11:41In The Road Warrior, there are two-wheeled vehicles that got enough screen time to be examined in detail.
11:47And there are motorcycles that appear in the background for just a few seconds.
11:51The choice of vehicles was dictated by the film's limited budget
11:55and the specifics of the Australian motorcycle market.
11:58However, the production of the second film was still noticeably more expensive.
12:023.9 million US dollars compared to the 350,000 it took to make the first movie.
12:08This affected the variety and quantity of vehicles.
12:12Most of the Marauder's bikes were built on the basis of Japanese motorcycle models from the late 70s.
12:18Their appearance was significantly altered to make them look post-apocalyptic.
12:23The main motorcycle in the film is a Kawasaki KZ-1000, which is ridden by Humongous' main henchman, Wes.
12:30This powerful machine was noticeably customized. The front half fairing was handmade.
12:37Its sharp, angular shapes visually echoed the futuristic design of the Suzuki Katana Superbike,
12:43which debuted in September 1980 but with a rougher, garage-built look.
12:48The motorcycle seat was covered with real fur, emphasizing the wild, animalistic image of Wes.
12:55The bike was fitted with the iconic Henry Abe Starhawk alloy wheels of that era,
13:01featuring a star-shaped spoke pattern which were painted black.
13:04The mufflers were completely removed, and in their place were straight pipes in a four-in-to-one
13:10configuration, making the motorcycle emit a deafening furious roar during chases.
13:23According to the film's plot and the official booklet, Wes's motorcycle is equipped with a
13:27Rajai turbocharger. On the left side of the engine there was indeed a massive chrome turbo housing and
13:34a custom chain cover. However, in reality the turbocharger was a prop. It was difficult to set
13:41up a real turbo system to work reliably during the tough filming in the hot Australian
13:45desert of Broken Hill. The filmmakers installed decorative elements and routed the pipes,
13:50so that the bike looked as powerful and detailed as possible. Pretty high-tech for a post-apocalyptic
13:56world. At least two identical motorcycles for Wes were built for filming. One was for close-up shots,
14:02and the other was for stunt work. The stunt bike was completely destroyed during filming.
14:07The fate of the original showpiece remains unclear, since after filming most of the vehicles from the
14:13movie were either scrapped or sold to local residents. Today, highly accurate replicas,
14:18created by fans using the original blueprints, can be found in various film museums and private
14:23collections around the world, including the famous Silverton Collective exhibition in Australia.
14:41The motorcycle with a sidecar that Wes uses to chase the truck is a Yamaha XS-1100E. The XS-11
14:48was
14:49Yamaha's first four-cylinder, four-stroke motorcycle. The model went into production in 1978 and it was
14:56presented in September 1977. At the time of its debut, this model became the most powerful and
15:02fastest production motorcycle in history. 1,100 cc, 95 horsepower and a top speed of around 217 kmph.
15:12From the moment it appeared, the XS-11 immediately earned a reputation as a heavy, very powerful and
15:18reliable motorcycle. It was the first production motorcycle of 1978 to show a quarter-mile time
15:25in less than 12 seconds. But later, in 1978, it was surpassed by the Honda CBX. However,
15:33the XS-11 remained the most powerful production motorcycle in terms of torque.
15:41It was recognized as the best touring motorcycle by Cycle World in 1978 and 1979.
15:51Just like in the first part, many of the background motorcycles were Kawasaki Z's,
15:55900 cc and liter-class bikes, as well as models from the KH series. In addition to the mentioned
16:01Kawasaki's, the gang's background bikes also include lightweight two-stroke and four-stroke motorcycles.
16:06The logic of the post-apocalypse. The logic of the post-apocalypse required desert capability,
16:11so many bikes got aggressive off-road tires. The most common and recognizable enduro in the film is
16:18the Yamaha XT500. Released in 1976, this model revolutionized the off-road bike market and won the
16:25first two Paris-Dakar rallies. For the film, the XT500s had their headlights, original tanks, seats and
16:32exhaust pipes removed, turning them into custom rat bikes. It was on these lightweight bikes that the
16:38marauders jumped over dunes and chased the truck. Do you think you're the only one suffering?
16:46We've already been through all of this, but we didn't give up and didn't lose our humanity.
16:52In the film, you can often see light four-stroke Honda off-road bikes from those years,
16:57models XL250 and XL500. You can recognize them by the distinctive geometry of the engine and frame,
17:04although the film crew did everything they could to erase the brand's signature features.
17:09We removed all the plastic parts, replacing them with homemade metal shields, covered the tanks with
17:15animal heights and put on aggressive motocross tires. The two-stroke TS series and the four-stroke SP
17:22series, light dual-purpose motorcycles from Suzuki, also joined the ranks of the extras. They were valued
17:28for their lightweight, simplicity and quick acceleration, which made them perfect for stuntmen performing
17:34dangerous jumps and high-speed falls. You can briefly spot the Yamaha XS650, a classic motorcycle with a
17:41two-cylinder four-stroke engine, among the extras. At the time of its debut, in 1969, it was a worthy
17:48response to the British school of motorcycle engineering. But in that same year, Honda would set
17:54a new standard in motorcycle engineering with the CB750 model. Powerful Japanese road bikes, Suzuki GS1000,
18:09Honda CB750 and CB900 Boldore are also some of the workhorses of the film crew. Let me tell you a
18:15bit
18:15more about the last one. The CB900F model debuted in 1979-1979. It was another excellent motorcycle,
18:23born out of the race to create the best superbike among the big four Japanese motorcycle manufacturers.
18:29The design of the CB900F was primarily aimed at the European market and the USA, where it only became
18:36available in 1981. The frame housed an inline-four engine with as much as 95 horsepower.
18:45The other day I saw a car that would suit you.
18:50Do you want to leave here? Contact me.
18:54The motorcycles from the Road Warrior set a visual standard for the entire post-apocalyptic
19:00industry in movies and video games for decades to come.
19:19In the third film, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome from 1985, the number of classic solo motorcycles
19:27dropped sharply compared to the earlier installments. The main focus shifted to heavy buggies, trucks and
19:34original two-wheel vehicles and motorcycles with sidecars, built on the basis of Japanese models.
19:40The film features many custom buggies that use motorcycle engines from Suzuki GS and Kawasaki Z series.
19:47The Barter Town guards patrol the surrounding areas using modified heavy road bikes Suzuki GS1000 and Yamaha XS1100.
19:56A few words about the GS1000. This is a legendary Japanese superbike with a 997cc four-cylinder engine, released in
20:051978.
20:06It became Suzuki's first liter-class four-stroke motorcycle, instantly earning the title of one of the fastest and most
20:14maneuverable bikes of its time.
20:26In the chase scene at the end of the movie, several Yamaha XT500 and XT550 Enduro motorcycles appear, as well
20:35as probably a Suzuki DR Enduro model.
20:40What did he do before? He was in the highway patrol. Funny how the world changes.
20:49So, my friends, we've just reviewed the motorcycles from the first three films about Max Rokotansky.
20:55Starting from the lightly customized Kawasaki's from the first film and ending with the wildly modified machines from the second
21:01and third movies.
21:02I don't rule out that there might be some inaccuracies regarding the background motorcycles, however.
21:08I did my best. Be sure to write in the comments which of the mentioned motorcycles you think is the
21:14coolest and of course which movie motorcycle is your favorite and why.
21:20And yes, if you really liked this episode, then we can think about doing one on Fury Road and Furiosa.
21:27Motorcycles are featured in these movies, especially a lot of them in the latest one.
21:32At this point, my story comes to an end.
21:35I think you know exactly what to do if you enjoyed the video.
21:39Give it a like, share it with your good friends and subscribe if you haven't already, so you don't miss
21:45new interesting stories.
21:48You've been watching CrossMoto, see you next time!