What is the Motorcycle in The Hitman’s Bodyguard?

Motorcycle in Hitmans Bodyguard

The Hitman’s Bodyguard stars Ryan Reynolds as a bodyguard hired to protect infamous hitman Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson), who is scheduled to testify at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. The film also stars Gary Oldman as the dictatorial president of Belarus and Salma Hayek as Kincaid’s wife.

Hitmans Bodyguard Motorcycle

The film offers some serious gunplay and chase scenes along the narrow streets and canals of Amsterdam, featuring boats, cars, and motorcycles. Interestingly, the film has no CGI — instead, the action scenes were coordinated by veteran stunt coordinator Greg Powell, who eschews the dazzle of CGI stunts for practical effects.

 

Motorcycle in Hitmans Bodyguard

In our favorite scene, hitman Darius Kincaid (Jackson) flees through the Amsterdam canals in a speedboat while his bodyguard (Reynolds) intercepts the bad guys on a motorcycle. The live action scene is show in real-time — a goal of stunt coordinator Greg Powell, who’s happy to see a return to practical effects in action movies. Of Reynolds, he says:

“He can certainly drive a car and motorbike, no problem there which helps.”

Ryan Reynolds’s motorcycle in the scene is a Triumph Speed Triple — one of our favorite production bikes.

Triumph Speed Triple: Hitman’s Bodyguard

Motorcycle in Hitmans Bodyguard

The Speed Triple was introduced in 1994 as one of the first “factory streetfighters.” A streetfighter is a sport bike or race replica stripped of the aerodynamic fairings. You can learn more here about the history of streetfighter motorcycles. The newest version of the Triumph Speed Triple has a 1050cc, 140-hp inline three (“triple”), as well as ride-by-wire, 5-mode traction control, ABS, and a dry weight of 423 lb.

Motorcycle in Hitmans Bodyguard

The action scenes are a combination of Ryan — a well-known motorcycle enthusiast — and a stunt double riding the Triumph through the streets of Amsterdam. Said director Patrick Hughes:

“We would get these wafts of marijuana from these shops and these super-stoned people would walk out of these cafes. It was like, ‘Holy cow, is that Samuel Jackson in a speedboat getting chased by six SUVs?'”

Motorcycle in Hitmans Bodyguard

The Triumph Speed Triple, which also played a starring role in Mission: Impossible II, is the perfect mount for the hitman’s bodyguard, with the upright riding position, plentiful power, and it looks cool as hell. The only visible modification on Reynold’s motorcycle in the movie appears to be the addition of “bark busters” like those mounted on enduro and off-road bikes — meant to save the rider’s hands in the event of a collision with a tree or other impediment.

Motorcycle Chase Scene Video

Here’s a full video of the chase scene, with Ryan Reynolds on the Speed Triple following Samuel L. Jackson on a speedboat.

4 Comments

  1. It has an liw-mounted, single Arrow exhaust aswell.

  2. How do you know its a Speed and not a Street? After all that type of exhaust is standard on the Street Triple 675/765

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*