‘Tom Cruise knows what he wants…’
How ex-motocross champion Rob Herring conquered Hollywood
Not many motorcyclists become multiple British champions let alone gold medallists at world level. But one who’s done just that also now mixes with Hollywood’s elite, has worked on all the recent James Bond films and is today regarded as a world leader in his specialist field – Rob Herring.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Rob was one of a ‘golden generation’ of British motocrossers alongside Paul Malin, Kurt Nicoll and Jamie Dobb. He’d returned to Britain from South Africa where he’d started racing, at 17 in 1986, and immediately made an impact in the UK. Over the next decade he amassed 11 British championships, was a GP winner and famously a member of the victorious 1994 British Motocross des Nations team. Then, after retiring due to injury followed by a period of coaching, he “fell into” movies, mostly under the direction of ex-MXer and respected stunt coordinator Lee Morrison and quickly developed a reputation as an elite precision rider/driver, particularly of the heavy and cumbersome, cameracarrying ‘tracking’ bikes that are used to film some of Hollywood’s greatest bike stunts.
In Quantum of Solace and Skyfall,
Rob was the camera-bike rider who recorded not just the famous bike jump into a boat but also the rooftop motorcycle chase. In Mission: Impossible Fallout, he was one of the riders who filmed Tom Cruise’s bike chase around Paris. While most recently he’s been working on the new Bond film, No Time to Die. He’s now renown as the best tracking bike rider in the business.
“When I was nine I started racing in South Africa,” says Rob today. “It started off as a hobby but I got to the top at a very young age. I was just enjoying myself, riding every day. I didn’t have many goals until I got back to the UK. Then it was simply to ride in the world championships and do as well as I possibly could.” That he certainly did. His UK debut in 1986 on a private, stock Kawasaki was simply dazzling, winning from the outset and leading to a works ride with Yamaha.
“I was a very rare talent at such a young age,” Rob says in all modesty. “I think it came from growing up in South Africa where I’d come home from school and just go straight off riding on my bike. It was so open. That’s all I did: I just rode and rode and rode... so when I came over here I was so in tune with the bike my speed was already there – and I had a helluva lot of raw speed...” Further works rides followed along with multiple GP wins while another highlight was his win as part of the British team at the 1994 Motocross des Nations in Switzerland. Then, after retiring and turning to coaching and other ventures, he was invited to join the stunt team for Casino Royale – and hasn’t looked
‘Skyfall was really good to be involved in – but challenging’
‘I was a very rare talent at such a young age’
back, using his bike skills, size and strength to specialise in bike ‘tracking’ – riding the motorcycles he himself has developed and that carry the camera (or camera operator) in action sequences.
“I’ve done some ‘front of camera’ stuff. On SPECTRE
I was one of the bad guys driving the Land Rovers, but I don’t enjoy that as much as the behind-the-scenes cameratracking stuff.
“The satisfaction comes from a combination of my skill sets. And, because I did so much coaching, I became very thorough at looking at what people were doing, dissecting it and trying to figure out how I could make it better. It doesn’t matter how good I am on a bike, all that matters is putting a camera in the right place at the right time so they can get the shot they need.”
And with that, he’s off again – this time to a job in Malta. Be sure to check Rob’s work out in the new Bond in April.