MOTORCYCLE MAN is a short documentary about a man who has pursued a single passion in life: motorcycle racing. Dave Roper has raced every year since 1972, competing at racetracks around the world and winning a reputation as a folk hero of the sport.

MOTORCYCLE MAN premiered at the 2019 Newburyport Documentary Film Festival, where it won Best Short Film, and is currently airing on public television in the United States.

“THE BEST DOCS ARE ONES THAT EXPAND BEYOND
THEIR SOMETIMES NICHE AUDIENCE TO BECOME RELATABLE
TO THE MASSES, AND HERE IS AN IDEAL EXAMPLE.”

— New Haven Documentary Film Festival

WINNER - Best Short Film - Newburyport Documentary Film Festival 2019
WINNER - Best Short Documentary - MotoTematica - Rome Motorcycle Film Festival 2019
WINNER - Bronze Remi Award - WorldFest Houston International Film Festival 2019
WINNER - Best Feature - Santa Cruz Moto Film Festival 2020
SEMI-FINALIST - Lake Travis Film Festival 2020
OFFICIAL SELECTION - Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival 2020
OFFICIAL SELECTION - Sarasota Film Festival 2020
OFFICIAL SELECTION - French Riviera Motorcycle Film Festival 2020
OFFICIAL SELECTION - Toronto Motorcycle Film Festival 2019
OFFICIAL SELECTION - Portland International Motorcycle Film Festival 2020
OFFICIAL SELECTION - NHdocs (New Haven Documentary Film Festival) 2020
OFFICIAL SELECTION - Lisbon Motorcycle Film Fest 2021

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About the film

MOTORCYCLE MAN is a short documentary about a man who has pursued a single passion in life: motorcycle racing. Dave Roper has raced every year since 1972, competing on exotic vintage bikes at racetracks around the world and winning a reputation as a folk hero of the sport.

But Roper is hardly an adrenaline addict. He takes a philosophical approach to racing, viewing it as a test of mental and physical abilities. As he enters his twilight years, Roper reflects on the unconventional path he has followed in life, the dangers he has faced and the choices he has made.

MOTORCYCLE MAN follows Roper from a workshop in Brooklyn to his home on Long Island to a racetrack in Canada. Along the way he encounters autograph-seeking admirers, old friends and fellow racers eager to test their skills on the track. It also delves into Roper's past, including his victory at the UK’s Isle of Man Tourist Trophy in 1984, when he became the first American to win the notoriously dangerous race.

MOTORCYCLE MAN celebrates the speed, sweat and thrill of motorcycle racing, while offering a meditation on craft, obsession and what it takes to pursue your dreams.

a superb 32 minutes which gets to the heart not just of dave Roper, or even racers in general, but why human beings choose to pursue apparently risky activities.

Motorcycle Rider, the British Motorcyclists Federation magazine

Whether or not our particular passion is racing motorcycles, this film gifts its viewers the opportunity to see passion, that human drive, up close.

Adventure Rider

I was happy to know that someone had recognized the amazing life of Dave Roper through film. I was even more happy when I watched the film and saw just what a fine job the filmmakers had done.

Peter Starr, Director, TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT

the best docs are ones that expand beyond their sometimes niche audience to become relatable to the masses, and here is an ideal example. … If we could all obtain some of Dave's internal gumption, we would all be a happier lot of people.

Tony Sudol, New Haven Documentary Film Festival (NHdocs)

MOTORCYCLE MAN portrays the quiet commitment of a man who has pursued motorcycle racing for his entire life. … The film is a study of Roper’s lifelong passion and devotion to this sport. Lots of exciting racing footage.

Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival

What an excellent film, really well done!

Dave Minnett, Vice President, Vintage Road Racing Association (Canada)

Masterfully captures Dave's personality
and outlook on life.

Stephen Nichols, Motorcycle Enthusiast

The filmmakers

Daniel Lovering is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and writer. He is the founder and creative director of Bagamor Media, a production company, and has worked as a cinematographer on independent documentaries and television series. His first feature-length documentary, “Through the Place,” won the Best Architecture Film award at the 2016 New Urbanism Film Festival in Los Angeles and the Festival Director’s Award at the Queen City Film Festival in Cumberland, Maryland. An experienced journalist, Daniel has reported from more than a dozen countries. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Economist and Foreign Policy, among other publications. Daniel worked for eight years as a staff writer for The Associated Press in Asia and the United States, reporting on subjects ranging from business and politics to war and natural disasters. He began his career in film and television production, working as an intern on the children’s television series “Bill Nye, the Science Guy.” 

Chi-Ho Lee is a film and television editor with more than 15 years’ experience in broadcast television, fictional and documentary feature films, as well as museum films. His broadcast work has aired on PBS, BBC, Smithsonian Channel, TV One, MTV, Animal Planet and NESN. Chi-Ho has also edited award-winning documentaries that have screened at film festivals throughout the country and abroad. In addition to his broadcast and feature work, Chi-Ho has edited numerous museum films for the Sant Ocean Hall at The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, The National WWII Museum, The Peabody Essex Museum, and New England Aquarium. He has also edited a collection of video guitar lessons for the legendary musician James Taylor.

SCREENINGS

9/14/19 Newburyport Documentary Film Festival Newburyport, Mass.

10/4/19 Toronto Motorcycle Film Festival Toronto, Canada

10/5/19 Barber Vintage Festival Birmingham, Alabama

11/15/19 MotoTematica-Rome Motorcycle Film Festival Rome, Italy

01/24/20 Portland International Motorcycle Film Festival Portland, Oregon

02/22/20 French Riviera Motorcycle Film Festival Nice, France

02/27/20 Lake Travis Film Festival Bee Cave, Texas

03/28/20 Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival ONLINE Sebastopol, California

03/28/20 Sarasota Film Festival ONLINE Sarasota, Florida

05/02/20 Santa Cruz Moto Film Festival CANCELLED Santa Cruz, California

08/23/20 NHdocs (New Haven Documentary Film Festival) New Haven, Connecticut

03/13/21 Vintage Road Racing Association (Virtual) Ontario, Canada

03/23/21 Larz Anderson Auto Museum (Virtual) Brookline, Massachusetts

03/26/21 Time Warp Vintage Motorcycle Club (Virtual) Knoxville, Tennessee

04/09/21 Vintage Iron Riders (Virtual) Springfield, Illinois

05/06/21 British Motorcyclists Federation (Virtual) Leicester, UK

05/27/21 Lisbon Motorcycle Film Fest Lisbon, Portugal

06/12/21 FIM N.A. Vintage Road Racing Championships Loudon, New Hampshire

08/20/21 Splittin’ Lanes Motorcycle Show CANCELLED Asbury, New Jersey

09/17/21 Pure & Crafted Festival Berlin, Germany

11/11/21 US broadcast premiere: Vermont PBS Vermont, Mass., New York

10/10/22 PBS broadcast: Connecticut Public Connecticut

11/17/22 PBS broadcast: GBH Boston, Massachusetts

06/12/23 PBS broadcast: WNET New York & New Jersey

PRESS

Motorcycles & Misfits Podcast

(Interview starts around 6:20)

Supporters

Adam Silverman

Alan Sutherland

Andrew Capone

Andrew Innes

Andrew Surwilo

Anne-Marie Lubenau

Austin de Besche

Ben Schmitt

Ben Thorner

Bill Irwin

Bill Ramon

Bob Ones

Brian Conner

Bud Clauer

Butch Sprain

Carla Nierlich

Charles Weeks

Charlie Gauthier

Charlie Mahoney

Christian Amendola

Christian E. Jensen

Christian Kelleher

Christopher Owens

Curtis Wheat

Dale Miner

Daniel Kiefer

Dave Roper Fan Club
North American
Chapter

David Case

David Dickerson

David Greenwood

David Spencer

David Swanson

Donald Ruff

Douglas Brown

Elspeth Slayter & Murat Recevik

Emily Lovering

Eric Haessler

Ethan Mutschler

Evan Hause

Gary DiPietro

Gary Nurnberger

George Fern

Greg Wallack

Harriett DeLong

Herm Narciso

High Society
Motorcycle Club,
New England

James Philip Johnson

Jay Richardson

Jeff Buick

Jeff Law

Jeff Wilmington

Jeffrey Boyd

Jeri Simmons

Jerrett Martin

Jerrold Wood

Jim Doyle

John Bowe

John McCoy

John Norton

Jonathan Glaefke

Jonathan Nikkels

Karamagi Rujumba

Katy Osterloth

Kevin Burns

Kim Martineau

Liam O’Connor,
Aileen Tiro &
the LadyO’s

Marian G. Michaels

Marilyn Mellowes

Mark B. French

Mark Morrison

Mark Patti

Matthew Pennington

Matthew Weaver

Maureen O'Reilly

Meghan Lytton

Michael Newbill

Mike Brenneman

Mike Daecher

Mike Greenblatt

Mike Lewis

Moto Patois

Motorcycles &
Misfits Podcast

Nancy Baxter

Ned Heidel

Osh Minelian

Pamela Handleman

Patrick Barta

Patrick FitzGerald

Paul E. Ruimerman

Paul Millichip

Paul & Peggy Outon

Perry Feuster

Phillip Daulton

Rakesh Surampudi

Razee Motorcycle
Center

Retsu Takahashi

Richard Marshall

Rick Newman

Robert Fox

Robert J. Giroux

Sam Lovering

Scott Dell

Scott Young

Shaul Perry

Spiro Manouselis

Stephanie Stanley

Steve Kiener

Steve Craddock

T.D. Lovering

Team Ministry of
Transportation

Theodore Page

Todd Trumbore

Tom D. Fowler

Tini Tran

Tracy Bienen

Walridge Motors Ltd.