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Hollywood superstar Ryan Reynolds wasn’t always the instantly recognizable personality that he is today. No, the celebrity was once the archetype of a struggling actor with few resources other than talent and will. However, Reynolds had a cathartic weapon in his arsenal (no, that’s not a football quip). That’s right; Reynolds would find his bliss astride a motorcycle.

Long before Ryan Reynolds was ‘Deadpool’ or even the regrettable ‘Green Lantern’, he was a motorcycle rider

You know him. You know the silly commentary and the snarky delivery. It’s Ryan Reynolds, the businessman and actor behind the mask in the popular Deadpool films. However, long before he joined the lineup of the most famous celebrities, he was a motorcycle rider.

In fact, when Reynolds first moved to Los Angeles, his only means of transportation was a Jeep Wrangler YJ. A Wrangler YJ, which, as almost too perfect a summation of the LA experience, was stolen within moments of his arrival. However, he recovered his YJ to find his doors missing, per an old Top Gear interview.

He said he’d arrive at interviews after winter showers “nipples akimbo.” I’ll let you picture that one for yourself. However, Reynolds wasn’t long separated from his affinity for motorcycles. In a short film by director Bryan Rowland, Invite the Unexpected, Rowland details Ryan Reynold’s long love affair with the Zen of two wheels.

“When I’m in a car, I can’t wait to get there. When I’m on a bike, I can’t wait to not get there,” Reynolds said of his love for motorcycle riding. “There’s a spiritual connection with riding a bike. You can’t do anything on a bike but ride the bike. And breathe.” 

His first bike was a Honda CB750. A “pile of crap,” as he calls it. I can hear you two-stroke fanatics stewing about the ‘crap’ label. “I feel like riding a bike in Los Angeles as a young actor exposed to a great deal of sensory overload which is what I think Hollywood can kind of be– I know it sounds like a hyperbolic to say it, but the bikes sort of saved my life.”

It’s a beautiful sentiment from the same comedian you expect to deliver the bluest of blue jokes. “That was my outlet and that was [the] kind of place I would go anytime I [was] at a crossroads in my life somehow some way I can if I get on a bike I can kind of figure it all out”

Fast-forward to today, and Reynolds owns many motorcycles. A custom Triumph Thruxton by Dustin Kott, a gleaming Ducati PaulSmart, and a custom Honda CB750 are among his most noteworthy mounts. As a cafe racer fan myself, I can’t fault his choices in the slightest.

Check out Bryan Rowland’s short film about Reynolds and the meditative nature of motorcycle riding below!

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Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman joined the MotorBiscuit team as an Autos Writer in 2022. An admitted petrolhead and an avid motorcyclist, Erik has owned everything from classic cars to motorcycles to modern driver’s cars. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and M-ATVs. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with experience covering everything from sports cars to pontoon boats and jet skis.

Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations (IRG) from the University of Texas at Austin and has studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC).