Racing Mister Fahrenheit

Michael Rowley’s Racing Mister Fahrenheit follows Bobby Haas, a veteran motorcycle photographer who takes his bike, Mister Fahrenheit, on one last run. As he approaches death, the elderly 74-year-old seeks to gain a “pinch of immortality” by attempting to break a world speed record on his custom-built motorcycle.

Bobby is a veteran of the photography industry. He began his career in 1994 when, despite having no experience, he taught himself how to use $2,000 worth of camera equipment. He worked with National Geographic for ten years and shot aerial photography in Africa and Latin America.

After Bobby’s death in September 2021, his friend, a custom motorcycle builder named Craig Rodsmith, decides to construct an exact replica of Mister Fahrenheit and race it in Bobby’s honor. The new bike’s name is HRS. Reaching a top speed of 118 mph, the bike’s engine problems cause the rear wheel to lock up. After a momentary loss of control, Craig manages to steer to safety, but one thing is clear: the HRS has made its final run.

The motorcycle is a metaphor for Bobby himself, a fast-living machine who ultimately dies and is dearly missed by his wife and friends. Poignant scenes show them eulogizing their deceased comrade inside the beautiful Haas Moto Museum.

“…the elderly 74-year-old attempts to break a world speed record…”

Not particularly inspired or well-edited, Racing Mister Fahrenheit is a mediocre movie. Full of downtime, most scenes and dialogue are painfully boring to watch. Despite an interesting topic, the movie’s presentation does little to entice the viewer. If you are supposed to “sell the sizzle, not the steak,” then this movie is all steak and no sizzle.

There is far too much emphasis on Bobby himself, and not enough on the fast-paced, exciting world of motorcycles. Apart from a few scenes inside the museum and on the tracks, we are left tantalizingly unsatisfied by the lack of motorcycle action.

Only at the end do we finally get some motorcycle action. This part of the film is done very well, and the cinematography looks and feels good. Shots of Craig’s shiny black motorcycle helmet and his lightning-fast bike racing across the road are extremely satisfying. This final race scene is action-packed, lively, and dynamic—giving much-needed breath to this otherwise dull film.

The movie takes an interesting topic but presents it in a very uninteresting, almost mundane way. It feels more like a “life of Bobby” than an actual documentary about motorcycles. If you are not a motorcycle enthusiast or industry expert, you might have to pass on this one.