Christian Bale wasn't allowed to ride the Batpod when he was Batman because it was way too dangerous
Published on Sep 07, 2025 at 10:07 PM (UTC+4)
by Jack Marsh
Last updated on Sep 04, 2025 at 11:04 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Jack Marsh
Although it’s arguably the coolest bike ever seen in Hollywood, the Batpod was strictly off limits for Christian Bale during his Batman stint because it was way too ‘dangerous’.
Imagine telling Batman ‘no’. It seems unfathomable unless you want a world of pain.
But that’s what the Warner Bros team told Christian Bale.
During his three stints as Batman between 2005 and 2012, Bale was never allowed to ride the famous Batpod.
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Christian Bale regrets not riding the Batpod
There’s been some wild vehicles in the Batman series and the famed celebrity actors have – mostly – been allowed behind the wheel.
Ben Affleck, for example, piloted this car for the Justice League.
But Christian Bale was warned off the Batpod motorbike as it was one step too far.
Speaking to GQ, he said, “Well, there’s the Bat Pod – essentially a steamroller combined with a superbike combined with an atomic missile. Embarrassingly, I didn’t get to ride it.”
“There are other motorbikes in the film that I got to burn about on, but not the Bat Pod – it was deemed too dangerous; they needed me in one piece to finish the damn movie.”
He also promised his wife to stay off bikes after the birth of his first child.
So, who drove the Batpod?
Christian Bale wasn’t the only celeb to mount the Batpod, as Anne Hathaway (playing Catwoman) also crossed tails with the motorbike.
So could she drive it? Well, to little surprise, Hathaway was also ruled out of putting the beastly vehicle in full flow.
Not everyone is a daredevil like Tom Cruise, it seems.
In the case of Bale’s appearance in The Dark Knight trilogy, it was stuntman Jean-Pierre Goy who rode the famed vehicle.
Despite her extensive training to do as many stunts as possible, Hathaway also had to pass the Batpod over to her double, Jolene Van Vugt.
Bale, despite his spousal promises, regrets not getting on the bike for at least one spin.
“You can’t be Batman and not have been on the bloody Bat bike!” he added.
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Jack Marsh is a journalist who started his media career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from the University of Chester. As an avid supercar and racing enthusiast, he has a passion for everything from Formula 1 to NASCAR. Whether it's highlighting the intricacies of McLaren’s anti-dive suspension revelations or recognizing celebrities’ multi-million-dollar rides, he has a keen eye for the faster things in life.
