Gasoline is banned, motorcycles are illegal to ride, and autonomous vehicles are on the rise. The premiere episode of “The Last Motorcycle on Earth” was released today on Amazon Prime and Vimeo on Demand. Directed by Eric W. Ristau, produced by Geneva Ristau and Ron Ridenour and starring custom motorcycle builder Neil “Morto” Olson, “The Last Motorcycle on Earth” was crowdfunded on Indiegogo through the support of 154 individual backers.
The pilot episode follows vintage motorcycle collector Conrad Mendel as the Supreme Court of the United States rules that petroleum-powered, human-operated vehicles can be banned from public streets and highways, clearing the way for a complete transition to autonomous transportation. Claiming motorcycles are a hazard to public safety and a hinderance to the transition to self-driving technology, the government bans them first, beginning a one-year countdown before it becomes illegal to ride.
“The Last Motorcycle on Earth” features a cast of real-life motorcyclists and custom bike builders; a group of passionate riders for whom the end of petroleum-powered vehicles equals the end of a life, lifestyle and passion. As we contemplate a future transition away from gasoline, the series asks “What happens to the culture of motorcycling, custom bike building and the livelihoods that go along with it?”
Viewers in North American and the U.K. can stream via Amazon Prime. Viewers anywhere in the world can stream via Vimeo on Demand. Links to the pilot episode can be found at lastmotorcycle.com.
“The Last Motorcycle on Earth” was made possible in part by the Montana Big Sky Film Grant.