The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

As voted by Planet Rock listeners

Judas Priest's Rob Halford on a motorcycle
Author: Scott ColothanPublished 4th Oct 2024
Last updated 4th Oct 2024

Following thousands of votes in recent weeks, we can now proudly reveal The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time as voted by Planet Rock listeners.

Planet Rock joined forces with The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show and Classic Bike Magazine to ask you just one simple question – 'What is the ultimate motorcycle song?'

More than 1,800 songs were suggested, and The Top 20 was counted down on air on Sunday 29th September in a special two-hour show hosted by Hairy Biker Si King, who rejoined Planet Rock for the occasion.

The Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Steppenwolf’s biker anthem ‘Born to be Wild’, lifted from the soundtrack to zeitgeist-defining Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper movie Easy Rider, took the coveted Number 1 spot in our poll.

Opening with the firing up of a motorcycle engine, the turbo-charged 1968 rock anthem ‘Born to be Wild’ has become synonymous with the rebellious attitude of biker culture.

The list also featured songs from Motörhead, Bon Jovi, Judas Priest, Hawkwind, Deep Purple, AC/DC, Saxon, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Meat Loaf and many more rock greats, plus there is a novelty song or two that has made the countdown.

You can listen back to Si King’s show HERE and check out the full countdown below!

The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show takes place at Stafford Showground on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th October 2024. Tickets are on sale RIGHT HERE.

The 20 Greatest Motorcycle Songs of All Time:

20) Bon Jovi – ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ (1986)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

19) Jimi Hendrix – ‘Ezy Rider’ (1970)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

18) Motörhead – ‘Ace of Spades’ (1980)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

17) Jasper Carrott – ‘Funky Moped’ (1975)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

16) Judas Priest – ‘Hell Bent for Leather’ (1978)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

15) Saxon – ‘Wheels of Steel’ (1980)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

14) Bruce Springsteen – ‘Born To Run’ (1975)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

13) Deep Purple – ‘Highway Star’ (1972)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

12) Montrose – ‘Bad Motor Scooter’ (1973)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

11) Hawkwind – ‘Silver Machine’ (1972)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

10) Manic Street Preachers – ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’ (1992)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

9) Motörhead – ‘Iron Horse / Born To Lose’ (1977)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

8) AC/DC – ‘Thunderstruck’ (1990)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

7) Golden Earring – ‘Radar Love’ (1993)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

6) Lynyrd Skynyrd – ‘Free Bird’ (1973)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

5) Chris Spedding – ‘Motorbikin’ (1975)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

4) AC/DC – ‘Highway to Hell’ (1979)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

3) Saxon – ‘Motorcycle Man’ (1980)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

2) Meat Loaf – ‘Bat Out of Hell’ (1977)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

1) Steppenwolf – ‘Born to be Wild’ (1968)

The 20 Greatest Motorbike Songs of All Time

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