Let’s be real. If you grew up in the early 2000s, there is a specific kind of cinematic chaos that lives rent-free in your brain. For many, that chaos is Furia en dos ruedas—better known to English speakers as Torque.
It’s fast. It’s loud. It’s objectively ridiculous.
When Joseph Kahn dropped this movie in 2004, the critics basically lined up to set it on fire. They called it a "Fast and Furious" clone on bikes. They mocked the physics. They hated the bright, music-video aesthetic. But here’s the thing: twenty years later, the movie has survived as a cult classic while "prestige" films from the same year have been totally forgotten. People still search for the bikes, the stunts, and that infamous Pepsi-vs-Mountain Dew product placement fight.
Why? Because it never tried to be "The Godfather." It tried to be a comic book on wheels.
The truth about the Furia en dos ruedas bikes
Most people watch the movie and assume every bike is a plastic prop. That's wrong. While the CGI in the climax—the Y2K jet bike scene—is definitely dated, the actual machinery on set was the real deal.
Take the MTT Turbine SUPERBIKE. That wasn’t just a movie creation. Powered by a Rolls-Royce Allison 250-C18 gas turbine engine, it was actually recognized by Guinness World Records as the most powerful production motorcycle. When you hear that high-pitched scream in the film, it’s not just a sound effect; it’s the sound of a literal jet engine.
Martin Henderson’s character, Ford, rides an Aprilia RSV Mille. It’s a gorgeous Italian machine. For the sportbike community in 2004, seeing an Aprilia get lead billing instead of just the usual Japanese "Big Four" was a huge deal. It gave the movie a certain European flair that the early Fast & Furious movies lacked.
Then you’ve got the villains. The Hellions, led by Henry James (played with peak villain energy by Matt Schulze), mostly stuck to Harley-Davidsons and custom choppers. This created a visual "class war" between the sleek, high-tech sportbikes and the raw, heavy American iron. It was a cliché, sure, but it looked incredible on screen.
Joseph Kahn and the music video aesthetic
You can't talk about Furia en dos ruedas without talking about Joseph Kahn. Before this, he was the king of music videos. He’d worked with Eminem, Britney Spears, and U2.
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He didn't want to make a gritty documentary about biker life.
Kahn intentionally used oversaturated colors and physics-defying camera moves. Remember the scene where the bikes are racing on top of a moving train? Or the "fight" where the women use their bikes as weapons while leaning at impossible angles? That wasn’t a mistake by the VFX team. It was a stylistic choice.
Kahn has gone on record saying he wanted to make a "live-action anime." When you view it through that lens, the movie stops being a "bad" action film and starts being a brilliant piece of pop art. It’s supposed to be loud. It’s supposed to be impossible. If you’re looking for realism, you’re in the wrong garage.
The cast that actually grew up
It’s kinda wild to look back at who was in this. You had Martin Henderson, who would eventually become a massive star on Grey’s Anatomy and Virgin River. You had Ice Cube doing what Ice Cube does best—looking perpetually annoyed and ready to punch someone.
And then there’s Adam Scott.
Yes, Ben Wyatt from Parks and Recreation is in this movie as an FBI agent. Seeing him play a tough-guy fed before he became the internet’s favorite "nerdy husband" is a trip. It adds a layer of unintentional comedy to the rewatch experience.
Why the "Fast and Furious" comparison is lazy
Critics love to say Torque was just a response to the success of The Fast and the Furious (2001). Honestly, that’s only half true. While Warner Bros. definitely wanted that sweet, sweet tuner-culture money, the movies are fundamentally different.
The Fast and the Furious tried to have a "street" heart. It was about family and BBQ and heist mechanics. Furia en dos ruedas is a satire. It’s poking fun at the very genre it belongs to. There’s a scene where a character literally says, "I live my life a quarter-mile at a time," and someone else tells them how stupid that sounds.
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It was self-aware before "meta" was a buzzword.
The stunts were also handled differently. While Fast relied on street racing tropes, Torque leaned into the stunt-bike subculture. Wheelies, endos, and "stoppies" were the currency here. It captured a moment in time when "Streetfighter" bikes—stripped-down sportbikes with no fairings—were becoming the ultimate symbol of urban rebellion.
The Y2K Turbine: Fact vs. Fiction
Let's break down that final chase because it's the part people talk about most. Ford hops on the MTT Y2K to chase Henry James through the streets of LA.
- The Speed: In the movie, the bike looks like it’s hitting 300 mph. In reality, the Y2K was clocked at around 227 mph. Still terrifyingly fast, but not "warp speed" fast.
- The Heat: One thing the movie got right was the exhaust. The real Y2K has been known to melt the bumpers of cars sitting too close behind it at stoplights.
- The Sound: That whistle is real. It’s a helicopter engine. You don't rev it; you engage it.
Watching that chase today, the CGI looks like a PlayStation 2 cutscene. There’s no getting around that. But the spirit of it—the idea of a man on a jet engine flying through gridlock traffic—is pure cinematic adrenaline.
Real-world impact on bike culture
Believe it or not, Furia en dos ruedas actually influenced what people bought. In the mid-2000s, there was a massive spike in interest for the Triumph Daytona 955i and the Honda CBR series because of how they were framed in the film.
It also brought "biker" fashion into the mainstream. The heavy leather jackets with sponsors, the aggressive helmet designs—this movie turned that look into a lifestyle brand.
But it wasn't all positive. Professional riders often criticized the film for showing characters riding without gloves or proper gear in certain scenes. In the real world, "clapping back" at a rival biker usually ends in a sliding crash, not a cool mid-air kick.
How to watch it today
If you’re going to revisit this, you have to do it with the right mindset. Don't look for plot holes. You’ll find hundreds. Instead, look at the cinematography. Look at the way Kahn uses transitions.
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The movie is currently a staple on streaming services like Tubi or as a budget rental on Amazon. It’s the perfect "pizza and beer" movie. It doesn't demand your respect, but it absolutely demands your attention.
Actionable steps for fans and collectors
If the movie has sparked a sudden urge to get into the world of sportbikes or cinema history, here’s how to do it without crashing (literally or figuratively):
1. Research the real machines
Don't just look at the movie posters. Look up the history of the Aprilia RSV Mille and the Triumph Daytona. These are legendary bikes that you can actually find on the used market today for relatively reasonable prices. They are much better "beginner" enthusiast bikes than a jet-powered turbine.
2. Follow the creators
If you liked the visual style, check out Joseph Kahn’s later work, like the movie Detention (2011) or his music video for Taylor Swift’s "Bad Blood." You’ll see the same DNA—the fast cuts, the high contrast, and the "cool factor" turned up to eleven.
3. Understand the gear
If you’re inspired by the aesthetic, invest in real gear. Brands like Icon and Alpinestars were huge during the era of the film’s release. You can get that "movie look" while still having actual CE-rated protection. Leather is better than road rash every single time.
4. Check out the soundtrack
The music in the film is a time capsule of 2004. With tracks from Hoobastank, Static-X, and Nickelback, it’s a high-energy mix that perfectly complements the "fury" on screen. It’s available on most music platforms and is great for a gym playlist.
Furia en dos ruedas isn't a masterpiece of storytelling, but it is a masterpiece of energy. It’s a reminder that sometimes, movies are just supposed to be fun. They don't have to be "important" to be memorable. Next time someone tells you it’s a bad movie, just ask them if they remember any other film that features a jet-bike chase through Los Angeles. Usually, the silence is your answer.
To truly appreciate the era, look for "behind the scenes" featurettes on the original DVD release. They show how many of the practical stunts—before the CGI took over—involved world-class riders doing things most people wouldn't dream of attempting. Understanding the physical risk those riders took makes the over-the-top final product feel a little more grounded in reality. Also, keep an eye out for the cameo by the real designer of the Y2K bike, Christian Travert; it’s a nice nod to the engineering community that actually made the "impossible" bike exist.