James Dean
Marlon Brando’s image was often labeled “rebel without a cause,” but James Dean played the part. As Jim Stark in the iconic film where he is forever enshrined, Dean drove a ’49 Mercury Coupe. Dean loved cars. He was on the way to a race when he crashed his Porsche Spyder and died. But he also loved bikes.
He got his first motorcycle for his 16th birthday and was soon known for racing full throttle. He owned a Norton, an Indian, and a Harley. The bike he’s pictured with often is a Triumph Trophy, chosen in deference to Brando.
Johnny Hallyday
When Johnny Hallyday passed away in 2017 at 74, everyone, even French President Emmanuel Macron, recognized him. Macron said that the musician, AKA “the French Elvis,” credited for bringing rock and roll to France, “transcended generations and is etched in the memory of the French people.”
As a tribute to Hallyday’s love of motorbikes, 1,000 motorcycles attended his funeral procession through the Champs-Élysées, where almost one million mourners gathered. Hallyday was an H-D man known for cruising his Harley out to the desert from his LA home. But his collection included European brands and also Ducati, Honda, and Kawasaki bikes.
Dean McDermott
Dean McDermott and wife Tory Spelling have hit some dark places financially. But that didn’t stop McDermott from buying a brand-new Harley-Davidson Victory. It’s a beauty! The $20,000 ride is pearl white with black trim. It’s surprising that he still likes bikes at all after his crash in 2010.
Then, he went dirt biking with his friends and ended up in the ICU with a collapsed lung and a lot of bruising from hitting his chest when he was pitched onto the handlebars. In a Tweet, McDermott announced that his dirt biking days were over.
Adam Levine
Maroon 5’s frontman Adam Levine is a Triumph fan. The folks over at "Top Gear" studied Levine’s Instagram page and speculated he rides a T100 or a T120 Bonneville. He used to have a Harley-Davidson 48 until he gave it away.
One lucky fan took it home in a Maroon 5 contest to promote their third album. Levine got plenty of publicity in 2019 when his band rocked the Super Bowl halftime show.
Wyclef Jean
The “Haitian sensation” made an impression on his 43rd birthday posing with his brand-new patriotic Ducati. Wyclef Jean showcased the red, white, and blue motorcycle on Instagram, wearing nothing but a scarlet Speedo.
He also owned a totally outrageous Spiderman chopper bike. It’s an OC Choppers custom build that’s got ape hanger handlebars and a front end that stretches out on super-long extended forks. He sold his Spidey bike back to the shop, so if you want to see it, check it out at the OCC museum.