Unlike other long-running British soaps, Emmerdale is set in a relatively isolated place. The Yorkshire Dales are a large, rural area consisting of smaller towns, villages and farmsteads, meaning local inhabitants on both the show and in reality are more dependent on private vehicles for working, socialising and general travel than the average Brit is.
Beyond the day-to-day role of cars and motorbikes in the Emmerdale universe, they also serve as physical catalysts for the show's more dramatic moments. Fatal road accidents, passionate affairs, and even criminal escapades often rely on vehicles to propel the show’s narrative forwar
By combining licensing data from the Department for Transport with television scenes highlighted in the Internet Movie Car Database (IMCDb), researchers at Bikesure, a specialist bike insurance broker, can reveal which motorbike and car models have memorably starred during the show’s history.
Emmerdale’s starring motorbikes
The BSA A7 Shooting Star makes multiple appearances in Emmerdale, including in episode 1843 (1994) and episode 2257 (1997). The latter is perhaps best known for the character of Eric Pollard mistakenly taking pills from a container that was meant for pig steroids.
This classic BSA model was manufactured in the 1950s and ‘60s, which was a peak era for the brand’s success — approximately one in four bikes sold globally were BSA-branded during the ‘50s.
Bikesure’s research into the Department for Transport data shows no version of this BSA model registered under ownership in the United Kingdom, meaning they will mostly live in the showrooms and garages of British collectors in 2025.
Overall, though, the BSA brand is making a comeback on British roads. Since being resurrected from extinction and releasing new models, Bikesure’s analysis shows BSA ownership grew by more than 1,500% year-on-year.
Also making appearances on the Dales are Harley Davidson motorcycles. Notably, the Ultra Classic Electra Glide and Harley-Davidson XL 1200 C Sportster, which can be found in episodes that aired in the 1990s and 2010s.
The XL 1200 C Sportster was memorably ridden by character Megan Macey (played by Gaynor Faye) in episode 8229, where she attempts to serenade her ex Frank on a Harley Davidson model while singing Bruce Springsteen’s Born To Run. Unfortunately for Megan, Frank reveals he was on his way to another date before jumping into a car with another woman.
Yamaha models have also starred in Emmerdale, including the SR 125 (1992) in episode 2213 and XT 225 Serow (1990) in episode 2257. Bikesure’s analysis shows just two models of the SR 125 have been registered to a UK owner in any 12 month period of the past decade, while the XT 225 is considerably rare too with 116 current owners.
Emmerdale’s starring cars
One of the UK’s best-selling car brands is also the most common to appear in Emmerdale — more than one in 10 car appearances in the soap are from Ford, while Mercedes-Benz and Land-Rover rank in second and third place on scenes starred in.
Bikesure notes that IMCDb users have recorded more than 180 vehicle brands appearing in Emmerdale, while certain car models have had more prominent screen time than others.
One notable car belongs to longtime character Cain Dingle, who was nearly run over by his own BMW 5-series in October 2016 while Charity (his cousin) was behind the wheel.
Much more recently is the memorable (and unique appearance) of two Lincoln Town Car Limousines. In February of this year, viewers were left on tenterhooks as to which characters would meet a fatal end from episode 10217’s crash, which plunged many of the show’s favourite cast members into an icy lake.
As part of Bikesure's research, their team also identified which of all motorbike models are the closest to extinction in the UK.