The Bikeriders, starring Austin Butler and Tom Hardy, was inspired by a true story. Directed by Jeff Nichols and based on the non-fiction novel of the same name by Danny Lyon, The Bikeriders trailer revealed that the film chronicles the life of a fictional Chicago motorcycle gang’s rise to power and subsequent downfall in the 1960s. Apart from Butler and Hardy, the cast of The Bikeriders includes Norman Reedus, Jodie Comer, Mike Faist, and Michael Shannon.

The Bikeriders experienced a few obstacles since Nichols announced the project. The movie was screened at the 50th Telluride Film in August 2023, with a theatrical release date set for December 1, 2023. However, The Bikeriders was pulled from Disney and 20th Century’s release schedule during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Disney later dropped The Bikeriders, but it was picked up by Focus Features.

The Bikeriders Is Based On Danny Lyon’s Book

Danny Lyon Spent Four Years Photographing The Chicago Outlaws Motorcycle Club

The Bikeriders was inspired by photojournalist Danny Lyon’s 1968 The Bikeriders, a non-fictional book. In 1963, Lyon joined the Chicago Outlaws Motorcycle Club to better understand the subjects of his research. Lyon fully immersed himself in the bike riders’ lifestyle and spent four years traveling with them, attending informal gatherings, and going to field meetings while recording everything. Although his approach to documenting his subjects was unconventional at the time, the fact that he observed his subjects from the inside out helped his book shed more light on the bike rider culture (via San Antonio Museum of Art).

During his time with the Outlaws, Lyon interviewed several members of the motorcycle club and took pictures to document their everyday life. What resulted was a carefully curated picture novel that featured a collection of black and white photographs and interviews with the members of the Chicago Outlaws Motorcycle Club from 1963 to 1967. The Bikeriders director, Jeff Nichols, came across Lyon’s book two decades ago (via NBC) and was inspired to create a movie that captured the biker experience and how he felt about Lyon’s novel.

The Bikeriders Tells The True Story Of Chicago Outlaw Motorcycle Club

The Vandals Were Not A Real Motorcycle Club

The Vandals in The Bikeriders were not a real motorcycle club, but they were instead inspired by the Chicago Outlaw Motorcycle Club. The Chicago Outlaw Motorcycle Club, also known as the Outlaws, was founded in 1935 but later disbanded in the 1950s when most of its members became police officers (via HuffPost). The Outlaws were not only the oldest motorcycle club in Chicago, but they were also the first recognized “one-percent” Motorcycle club in Illinois.

Although The Bikeriders draws heavily from the history and life of the midwestern motorcycle club, it is worth noting that Nichols made some creative changes to Lyon’s book. However, Nichol tried to stay true to the motorcycle subculture in his adaptation of The Bikeriders. The director used Lyon’s recorded monologs to capture the experiences of the Outlaws and create the fictional film script that later became the movie (via A Rabbit’s Foot).

Which The Bikeriders Characters Are Based On Real People

The Bikeriders Features A Star-Studded Cast

The Bikeriders might be a fictionalized portrayal of the Chicago Motorcycle Outlaws, but it still features some characters who are based on real people. Mike Faist took on the role of Danny Lyon, the author of The Bikeriders novel. In the film, Danny serves as the narrator of the Outlaw’s story. Another character based on a real person is Jodie Comer, who plays Kathy, Benny’s love interest in The Bikeriders.

Despite The Vandals being a fictional motorcycle club, some of the characters in the movie were inspired by the people in Lyon’s novel. These include Johnny (played by Tom Hardy), Benny (played by Austin Butler), Zipcon (played by Michael Shannon), and Coackroach, who is played by Emory Cohen. The Bikeriders combines fictional elements with Lyon’s research, bringing the original book to life in a unique way.

Sources: San Antonio Museum of Art, NBC, HuffPost, A Rabbit’s Foot