Danny Lyon’s The Bikeriders is an important contribution to modern photojournalism that immerses viewers in the 1960s American biker subculture. Between 1963 and 1967, Lyon embedded himself within the Chicago Outlaws Motorcycle Club, documenting their lives across locations such as Milwaukee, Long Island, Chicago, New Orleans, and Detroit. As a member of the club himself, Lyon adopted a deeply participatory approach, exemplifying the ethos of New Journalism, where the artist actively engages with the subject rather than remaining a detached observer.
His work captures both the romanticized notions of freedom and rebellion associated with biker culture and its grittier realities, portraying themes of camaraderie, individualism, and marginalization. Set against the backdrop of the countercultural shifts of the 1960s—including the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, and growing anti-establishment sentiments—The Bikeriders offers an alternative vision of the American Dream, one that challenges mainstream ideals of conformity and success.
Lyon’s aesthetic choices, particularly his use of black-and-white photography, reinforce the raw, timeless, and documentary nature of his work. His subjects, often framed in close-up or dynamic action shots, are depicted with an unfiltered honesty that demystifies common stereotypes surrounding biker culture. The interplay of natural lighting, stark contrasts, and atmospheric elements like cigarette smoke enhance the project’s immersive quality.
Lyon employed a Nikon Reflex, a Rolleiflex, and an Exa camera, as well as a portable tape recorder to capture interviews, allowing for a multi-dimensional narrative that combines visual storytelling with firsthand accounts. The resulting photobook, published in 1968, was a significant contribution to documentary photography, weaving together images and oral histories that give voice to a subculture often relegated to the fringes.
Published in 1968, The Bikeriders has circulated widely through books and exhibitions—from an early showing at the Art Institute of Chicago (1966) to the Whitney’s Message to the Future (2016)—with key reissues (Twin Palms, 1997/98; Aperture facsimile, 2014) and placements in major collections (MoMA, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Met). While some critics read the work as romanticizing its subjects, Lyon’s stated aim was authenticity and respect rather than sensationalism. The series has influenced photographers such as Nan Goldin and Larry Clark and is often linked to the broader New Documents current. It also helped shape popular images of biker culture, informing Easy Rider (1969) and, decades later, inspiring Jeff Nichols’s 2024 film adaptation.
