The "Freedom" of the Road
"Girl on a Motorcycle" is clearly not a liberating film for women. The main character DOES get to be the driver of a very masculine piece of machinery, and in a very basic sense she is "in control" on the road. She gets to control her speed, her destination - problem is, the bike was given to her by a man. A man who voyeuristically chose her as his prey, raped her, bound her to him physically and psychologically, and treated her with no respect in return for the personal sacrifices she was making of her body and her marriage. The motorcycle superficially gave her the phallus, but it was really only loaned to her by her lover Daniel and her control was limited.
One thing I found interesting stylistically about the film was the difference in camera shots ('the Male gaze') when compared to Easy Rider. When the two men, Billy and Wyatt, were on their bikes, the shots were large panning views of the wild west and the nature around them, with the men looking very manly and powerful on their bikes. When Rebecca took to the road, the shots were of her rear end, bound tightly in leather and perched on the seat. There were also fewer shots of her from the side; most of the camera work was done of her face, with her glazed-over eyes, the "I'm so in love and thinking about my lover" look plastered on her face. There were many not-so-subtle shots representing the phallus in its sexual act - the gas station attendant slowly sliding the gas spout into the motorcycle, the apparatus itself extending from between her legs when she drove, etc.
Also not liberating about this film: 1) though she was 'in control' and behaving like a 'rebel,' Rebecca wore a helmet. She was constrained from total freedom even while on top of her own bike.
2) Rebecca constantly had to fear that the border guards would inappropriately touch her or make comments to her - and relied on her husband to pay for the gas.