Bikesrepublic

hollywood

In what seems like a modern-day fairy tale for small businesses, Coventry-based motorcycle company, Arc, found itself racing into the limelight after Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds shared his experience with their high-end electric motorcycle, the Vector.

  • Ryan Reynold heaps praise on his USD120k electric motorcycle. 
  • The Arc Vector is a high-performance electric motorcycle with a max speed of over 200km/h. 

Taking to Instagram, Reynolds shared his sheer joy of riding the Vector with his whopping 50 million followers. “I’ve never stopped giggling the whole ride,” the actor exclaimed, proclaiming it as the “coolest bike” he had ever experienced. And for those suspecting a promotional angle, Reynolds made it clear he had “no stake or connection” to Arc, simply sharing his genuine passion for the product.

The power of a single post from someone of Reynolds’ stature cannot be underestimated. Almost instantly, Arc found itself fielding a “huge amount” of inquiries and experienced a surge of interest on social media. Speaking to the BBC, Mark Truman, Chairman of Arc, mentioned how invaluable this kind of endorsement is for start-ups, admitting they “would never have been able to pay for that sort of celebrity endorsement.”

So, what is it about the Vector that got Reynolds so revved up? Arc boasts the Vector as the “world’s most advanced motorcycle”. The bike can zoom from 0 to 100km/h in a fleeting 3.2 seconds and can reach a top speed of 200km/h. Not just fast, the Vector also offers impressive endurance, with a range of about 430 kilometres on a mere 40-minute charge. However, all this tech and performance do carry a premium price tag, with each bespoke motorcycle starting at USD120,000 (RM558k).

Adding a personal touch, Truman shared how Reynolds reached out to them expressing that the Vector brought him tantalizingly close to a childhood fantasy – flying just above the ground, akin to Superman.

This serendipitous celebrity endorsement coincides with Arc’s recent launch in the US, where they’ve introduced two exclusive motorcycles for North American enthusiasts. And with the momentum from Reynolds’ post, they’re optimistic about attracting more high-profile aficionados.

Moto Guzzi, the historic Italian motorcycle brand, has launched a new campaign for their latest model, the V100 Mandello, featuring Hollywood actor and avid motorcyclist, Ewan McGregor. 

  • The 60-second video explores the relationship between man and machine, with McGregor lending his voiceover to enhance the storytelling and using historic.
  • he video has a nostalgic feel, evoking the golden years of Hollywood, while still feeling contemporary and artistic.

The 60-second video, directed by Duncan Winecoff, tcdakes viewers on a journey through California, exploring the relationship between man and machine and the emotional history that shapes identity.

McGregor, who is known for his love of motorcycles and has an impressive collection himself, lends his voiceover to the campaign and even suggested using historic motorcycles from his personal collection to enhance the storytelling. 

The video showcases the V100 Mandello’s unique blend of modern technology and classic design, with McGregor describing it as “totally Moto Guzzi at heart.”

Shot entirely on 35mm film, the video has a nostalgic feel, evoking the golden years of Hollywood, while still feeling contemporary and artistic. The locations chosen, such as Eric Lloyd Wright’s brutalist house in Malibu, the Pacific Coast Highway, and the L.A. River, add to the sense of adventure and freedom that comes with riding a motorcycle.

The V100 Mandello represents the culmination of a century-long history of innovation and craftsmanship for Moto Guzzi, and the video highlights the deep connection between rider and machine. 

“Human beings build their identity in relation to objects and memories, which – in turn – make up their emotional baggage. Their emotional history is with them through their lives, and it helps them project themselves into the unknown, in constant balance between past and present,” says the campaign’s description.

Read how Vespa began and how it became one of the world’s most celebrated motorcycle marques ever.

(more…)

A stunning short film featuring Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds and his custom Triumph Thruxton café racer built by Kott Motorcycles. (more…)

46-rossi-brad-pitt__gp_0011_1_0.middle
Photo courtesy of MotoGP.com

Many who witnessed the British MotoGP round last weekend would have noticed the presence of popular Hollywood actor Brad Pitt during the event.

Although it is normal for celebrities to grace MotoGP race events with their presence, not many are true fans of the race itself, unlike Brad Pitt, who expressed his undying love for MotoGP last week at the Silverstone circuit.

Speaking to ShortList, a lifestyle magazine in the U.K, Pitt said, “It’s just phenomenal. These guys are so poetic and beautiful, and yet they’re on the edge of complete and utter destruction. It’s incredible, incredible, incredible.”

“When I first started, wherever I was, I had to find an outlet who was going to broadcast it and at what time, including in the middle of the night. Now you can just go to motogp.com to watch it live. Nothing gets in the way of Brad Pitt watching the flag drop on race day: I’ll watch with whoever wants to watch with me, my wife, my kids – everyone’s welcome. But I’m definitely watching,” he said.

“I’ve always loved the bike. Over a car any day. These bikes are the ultimate – the space shuttles of the motorcycle world. I started watching a bit in the Nineties, the Mick Doohan years – the great Australian racer. But it wasn’t until Rossi’s time around 2001 that I came maniacal about it. I don’t think I’ve missed a race since,” Pitt’s admiration for the sport the same as even the most fanatical fan.

When asked about his championship predictions, Brad Pitt said that it is still too early, as the title race is still wide open between Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, and Marc Marquez.

When asked who his favourite rider was, Pitt said that he would always remain neutral, enjoying the sheer thrill of the racing itself: “I love Lorenzo, because his focus is absolute – this fighter pilot focus, He’s incredible. And then Rossi is just great. There’s a mythology around all the riders. They’re gladiators to us. These guys have to make decisions at 200mph in milliseconds. It’s just thrilling to watch.”

“You attach your life to it, and either it goes the way you want it to, or it goes against you. The gods are with you or they’re not. The millions of us who follow sports have had that experience. That ride of heartbreak and success, heartbreak and success, heartbreak and success. It’s hard to pull yourself away from that,” Brad Pitt is a MotoGP fan for life.

Pitt stars as a narrator of the upcoming MotoGP film – ‘Hitting the Apex’.

Archive

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on YouTube