What Motorcycle Did Carrie-Anne Moss Ride In The Matrix Reloaded?

"The Matrix" by the Wachowski sisters launched in 1999 and quickly became one of the most influential films of its time, with box office revenue and critical acclaim to boot. It didn't take long for a sequel to come around, with "The Matrix Reloaded" premiering in 2003. The sequel may not have reached the same heights as its predecessor, but that's not to say that it didn't bring its own set of iconic moments. Take, for instance, Trinity's (Carrie-Anne Moss) motorcycle escape with the ever-important Keymaker (Randall Duk Kim) by her side.

To make their getaway, Trinity and the Keymaker hop on a pretty nice bike, specifically a Ducati 996 — a motorcycle that was very much of the era the "Matrix" movies released in. The bike was only in production between 1999 and 2002, with different trim types being the 996 Biposto, 996S, 996SPS, and the 996R. There was also a single-seater version released, the 996 Monoposto. Regardless of the style, though, there's certainly an argument to be made that the 996 is among the best-looking Ducati models on the road today. While Moss' stunt double reportedly loved the bike, Moss herself didn't necessarily enjoy the experience of driving it. 

There's a lot of intersection between the motorcycle world and Hollywood, with some actors owning some truly gorgeous motorcycles that they ride in their personal lives. One would imagine that anyone on the set of "The Matrix Reloaded" would have a blast with a Ducati 996, given its V2, four-stroke engine, 112 horsepower, and a top speed of well over 160 mph. Unfortunately, Carrie-Anne Moss didn't exactly have a ton of fun while riding it for the film's highway chase, telling Entertainment Weekly it was a major stressor for her.

"A passenger whose life depended on me being impeccable and perfect because I knew that if I allowed my mind one moment of doubt that I could hurt another human being," the Trinity actor shared, recalling that the pressure to keep Randall Duk Kim safe and ride without a helmet on, was exhausting. As an inexperienced motorcycle rider, she rode a few bikes of varying sizes for practice first before hopping on the 996 in front of the camera. Despite the anxiety, getting through the scene and succeeding in keeping her co-star safe became a great source of pride in the end.

Of course, Trinity's epic motorcycle scene wasn't all a result of Moss' hard work. She had a stunt double to share the load with, and she enjoyed the 996 far more.

The highway chase scene in "The Matrix Reloaded" hosts some of the most impressive motorcycle stunts in movies ever seen. While visual effects very much existed in the early 2000s when the film debuted, the Wachowskis didn't opt for loads of CGI to make the high-octane scene a reality. There were extensive stunts involved that didn't involve Carrie-Anne Moss putting herself in these extreme situations. That's where experienced stunt driver Debbie Evans came in, using her stunt background to really bring the chase to life and put the Ducati 996 through its paces.

During a 2017 interview with Revzilla, Evans expressed fondness over working on "The Matrix Reloaded" and driving the 996, as well as a Cadillac CTS. "I drove the Cadillac CTS and rode the Ducati 996 on that one. And it was a lot of fun. A lot of hard work, and very dangerous work," she said, going on to share that "Reloaded" led to her getting her very own 996, which she called her favorite motorcycle that she owns. It stemmed from a conversation with the Wachowskis, where she asked them where she might be able to get a deal on such a bike. Instead of a recommendation, they bought her a red one flat out: "The last night of the shoot, somebody came riding up on the Ducati, and there was a big red bow on it, and it was mine. So I have the license plate 'MATRX2.'"

The Ducati 996 is a special bike with plenty of speed and power to make it stand out. Even though Carrie-Anne Moss didn't have much love for it, it remains beloved by Debbie Evans and countless "Matrix" and motorcycle fans alike.