The Impressive Motorcycle Collection of Keanu Reeves

It really comes as no surprise that Hollywood film star Keanu Reeves has a deep and abiding love for motorcycles. What took us aback is the fact that the versatile icon of the silver screen doesn’t just love them, he creates them. He took the time out of his busy schedule in the entertainment industry to actually start up his own motorcycle company. He’s taken his passion for motorcycles to the next level.

Partnering with a builder

Reeves teamed up with Gard Hollinger, a bike builder from California to build the new KRGT-1, Keanu’s brainchild and first original design. He met Hollinger when he was visiting a custom bike shop in Los Angeles about 8 years ago, to look for a sissy bar. The two struck up a conversation and over time, decided to throw in together to form the Arch Motorcycle Company. Gard has yeas of experience as a motorcycle builder and Keanu has a deep and abiding love for motorcycles with years of riding experience so it seemed like a natural progression for the two of them.

The birth of the KRTT-1

Shortly after meeting, Reeves commissioned Hollinger to build a custom motorcycle for him. This would become the Arch Motorcycle Company’s first production bike. In describing the machine, it’s a combination of different design elements including the chopper, sport bike and some other interesting features. The KRGT-1 is powered with a huge 2,032 cc V-twin engine and it generates 121 horse power.

Reeves prefers bikes to cars

We were surprised to learn that the Canadian actor has only owned two cars in his life. At the age of 50, this tells us that a car is not his preferred form of transportation. For daily runs, you’re most likely to see him riding a motorcyle

How he got into motorcycles

Keanu’s preference for motorcycles began when he was just 22 years old. He first learned to ride when filming on location in Munich, Germany. A girl riding a Kawasaki Enduro caught his attention. He asked her to teach him how to ride it and she gave him his first riding lessons. From that point on, he was hooked. When he arrived back in L.A. he found a similar bike and made it his own.

The Bike’s he’s owned

Keanu Reeves has owned a variety of different motorcycles through the years. His second bike was a 1971 Norton Commando in a canary yellow, followed by a 1973 edition of the bike, which he still owns and rides around. This tells us he’s a fan of Norton, but he’s also owned Harley-Davidson cruisers and Suzuki sport bikes, and now the chopper inspired KRGT-1. He’s logged a lot of miles on motorcycles and is about as experienced a rider as they come. He shared the reason why he prefers riding motorcycles to driving a car in an interview where he stated, “Riding your bike is one of the greatest things you can do to clear your head and just feel the speed and the motion.”

The real Keanu is different from his film characters

We’ve come to know Keanu Reeves through the various characters he’s played in his film roles, but those who know him well, see a different person. He’s really a down to earth kind of guy. Sure, he’s gone through a need for speed stage, but has matured into a sensible rider that doesn’t feel a need to ride insanely fast. He’s had his share of accidents and he knows what it is to experience road rash. He was involved in one incident that resulted in a more serious injury when he suffered a ruptured spleen. He knows the dangers involved in riding and as he gets older, he takes it a lot easier than he used to.

Pursuing a passion

Reeves has been a man who has consistently followed his dreams and he’s been successful in his acting career. He’s a versatile guy with a good head on his shoulders, and with his amazing ability to move between comedic roles where he appears to be mentally deficient and clueless to brilliantly serious characters, convincingly, it’s obvious that he has a lot going on upstairs. His latest venture will no doubt be as successful as everything else he’s attempted in his life. We wish him the greatest success in his new motorcycle company venture. Who doesn’t love Keanu Reeves?