Why Perry Mason's Harley-Davidson Was Polarizing To Cast And Crew
HBO's "Perry Mason" is in many ways a collision of modern and classic sensibilities. It's a 1930s-set series that has the pulp and murky ethics of a late-40s noir and carries all the glossy prestige of a 2010s premium cable show. It's no surprise, then, that the vehicle at the center of the law procedural reboot also smashes together the modern and the classic in the form of Mason's (Matthew Rhys) souped-up motorcycle, a Harley Davidson that got some major updates on set despite being nearly a century old.
In an interview with Collider, Rhys gave the inside scoop on the motorcycle, which Mason crashes during a particularly memorable scene in the season 2 premiere in which he's haunted by the memory of a client whose life he didn't save. The actor revealed that the crew of the often painstakingly period-accurate show originally brought a Harley from the era to set with the intention of using it as-is, but quickly realized that wasn't possible. "The first day, they brought out that motorcycle and it was operating as a 1930s Harley-Davidson," Rhys recalled. "They started it, and it took so many weird things and it made so much noise that they went, 'Okay, forget using it as a real motorcycle.'"
The actor says that the motorcycle was handed over to "the action car guys" to be refitted as an electric motorcycle in just two weeks, presumably to cut down on sound and performance issues. "God bless them, it almost killed them, but it was a very souped-up, very fast, electric bike," Rhys says of the final version of the motorcycle used for the shoot. He also calls riding the bike, one of several stunts "The Americans" actor was able to perform during the action-packed second season, "a dream come true."
Some thought the bike's revamp was 'an abomination'
Not everyone involved in the production was happy with the motorcycle, though, and not for a reason you might expect like possible stunt safety concerns. Instead, it turns out there were a few Harley Davidson fans on the crew, and the bike's modern upgrade was a polarizing one. "It split the camps of men who, when we were on location, would come and look at it and go, 'Is this an original bike?'" Rhys recalled. He says when he told them it was indeed an original, "half of them would go, 'Oh, my God, that's amazing.' And the other half would go, 'They've turned it into an electric bike. It's an abomination and a true crime that they've ripped out the guts of an original Harley-Davidson.'"
While I'm not enough of a bike enthusiast to have any strong opinions on this matter, I do think there's something delightful about the mental image of Rhys and other actors standing around in full 1930s garb while two groups of motorheads air grievances related to the ethics of rebuilding a classic model from the inside. Still, the end result of the auto team's work is a bike that rides like it's new, or at least looks that way on screen. "Perry Mason" season 2 is a far cry from the classic courtroom drama of the 1950s, but it still feels like a classic thanks in large part to the sets, props, and costumes that make its Depression-era setting come to life.
"Perry Mason" airs new episodes Mondays at 9 PM ET on HBO and HBO Max.