20 Things You Somehow Missed In Top Gun

5. Is Maverick Riding That Motorcycle?

Top Gun
Paramount Pictures

In one of the most testosterone-oozing shots in cinema, we see Maverick riding his motorcycle while an F-14 takes off in the background. As the vehicle flies into the air, Maverick gives a fist pump while Kenny Loggin's Danger Zone plays in the background.

Interestingly, Tom Cruise had no experience with motorcycling and only learned during pre-production. Mere weeks before filming this scene, he ventured to the House of Motorcycles in California, where he was taught how to ride in the shop's parking lot. And yet, Tom looks so confident in this scene, you couldn't tell how inexperienced he was.

Oh, wait. You can. If you look in the fender, you can blatantly see a trailer is pulling the motorcycle with tie-down straps, meaning Tom isn't even driving!

In the immortal words of As Tony Stark, "Thought we wouldn't notice... but we did."

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James Egan has been with Whatculture for five years and prominently works on Horror, Film, and Video Games. He's written over 80 books including 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts About James Bond 1000 Facts About TV Shows