Fueled by heart-stopping race stunts and mind-blowing action, DreamWorks’ Biker Boyz roars on to VHS and DVD in July 2003. Starring Academy Award®-nominee Laurence Fishburne, this electrifying story of modern-day daredevils in the ultimate race to win also features turbo charged performances by some of Hollywood’s hottest talents including Derek Luke, Orlando Jones, Tyson Beckford, Lisa Bonet, Djimon Hounsou, and rock star Kid Rock. The Biker Boyz DVD takes viewers on a thrill ride with a behind-the-scenes look at the film’s exhilarating racing stunts. The DVD also includes eleven action-packed deleted scenes loaded with never-before-seen footage, production notes and more. Biker Boyz is available to rent on VHS.

The Daredevils

Fortunately for the filmmakers, several members of the Biker Boyz cast were already seasoned motorcycle riders, including Laurence Fishburne, Kid Rock, Djimon Hounsou, Orlando Jones, Tyson Beckford and Salli Richardson-Whitfield.

“I’ve been riding since I was a kid,” says Kid Rock. In fact, Kid Rock’s prowess with the bike was something of a surprise to technical advisor Anthony “Zeke” Settle. “He came on set and I was supposed to evaluate his riding ability. He flew past me to the point where I had to go grab a helmet, jump on a motorcycle, catch up with him and bring him back, saying, ‘Hey, man, calm it down,’” Settle laughs.

Laurence Fishburne’s bike in the film, a 1300cc monster of a sport bike, is a different animal from the bikes in his personal collection, which include a “Captain America,” an Indian and a Ducati. Smoke’s custom bike is lighter than any of the cruisers owned by Fishburne and accelerates at a rocket-like clip. “But once he got some time on the bike, it was like second nature,” Settle offers.

Despite the actors’ training, the filmmakers needed a team of riders who could accomplish some of the more hair-raising motorcycle stunts seen in Biker Boyz. Rather than using traditional stuntmen, they relied on real-life riders who routinely challenge themselves, constantly upping the ante on these types of amazing stunts for their own satisfaction.

“Our guys did a chase through a series of cars doing rolling endos, which is taking the bike and putting it on the front wheel and going at 80 miles an hour,” says executive producer Don Kurt. “So it’s some of the most extreme riding you’ll ever see by the actual guys who did it. They’re not stunt men. These are all real people.”

Although the more death-defying stunts were obviously performed by these expert riders, the cast did have the opportunity to show off some of their newly acquired riding skills. “They actually got to do some cool stunts, like the burnouts,” notes producer Gina Prince-Bythewood. ”And to see that it’s really them on the bike makes a huge difference for the audience. This movie would have been impossible if these guys couldn’t ride, because you’d have to double them all the time.”

“I was concerned that people would see some of these stunts and think they were done with visual effects, but it’s real,” director Reggie Rock Bythewood declares. “There are some things in this film that I don’t think have ever been done on film before. The way guys are riding motorcycles now defies the way you’re supposed to be able to ride a motorcycle. And to put that on film on a purely action level was really, really exciting.”