Is it a western movie with bikes replacing horses or just a male-bonding LSD joy ride across the USA? It doesn’t matter. the way you see or live it. Today, the road movie Easy Rider turns 40 and the quite simple story of 2 bikers traveling the country and enjoying their freedom has be deemed “culturally, historically and aesthetically significant” enough to deserve to belong to the U.S. National Film Registry. Just a reminder that Peter Fonda as “Captain America” rides a custom chopper created from a Harley-Davidson FLH police model.
As a matter of fact, 2 “Captain America” were built. One was crashed during the filming for the final scene, the other mysteriously disappeared from the movie set. Many replicas have been made by individuals and custom builders, but only one is considered “period exact”, and was created for the movie 30th Anniversary 10 years ago. It is permanently displayed at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee. Will this 40th Anniversary stimulate the resurgence of the American flag tank and of the ultra-high-back sissy bar seat on new bikes to be built?
Actually, at the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Ia, we have the one that was crashed and rebuilt by Dan Haggerty ( Grizzley Adams) and then restored again to it’s present state. It has been verified by Peter Fonda himself as the bike that came for the movies crash scene. Check it out at http://www.nationalmcmuseum.org . There is alot of mystery around this and another person claims to have this bike also, so I guess we will never know the whole story. The is also a replica of the “Billy Bike” to check out while your there.
40 years later and it is Fondas only claim to fame…………….now that is talent!
Over & Out,
Jeff
In 1998 & 1999 we were building frames for a company called California Motorcycle company, It was owned by a guy named Ray Sotello later bought out by Indian motorcycle of Gilroy, Anyhow we built them about 50 billy bike and 100 captain America frames. As far as I know they were the only ones to make a production bike out of those models calling them by name. It was my understanding at the time that Peter Fonda was involved. I still have pictures of them being built in Gilroy in a line up. I can remember the day it came out in 1969 and myself and a couple of riding buddies went to see it….seems like just yesterday.
Jeff.
Peter Fonda had another claim to fame, He is the brother to “Hanoi Jane”
FUJI ,
You just ruined my day by mentioning that BITCH
Thanks !
FUJI,
….and to think I was just starting to like you and then you had to go mention that traitor mother $#%^&@#)*@#%#$%#%^#&@#*@*!*(@#%^#%#&%#&%^&#&@*@*! which has screwed up my whole day! ……
Over & Out,
Jeff
And to think back then we all thought the crazy dude with the chicken wing flutter move, riding bitch was just a mere support actor never to be heard of again. Probably quite a few on this blog do not even know who Dennis and Jack are as recognizable from those roles as pictured above and as those comments above acknowledge Peter was pretty much just an after thought after the show as far as major roles go but rode the wave nicely, noting his daddy was one of the best well liked early actors.
Jane was something else, kinda like a modern day progressive with a bleeding heart full of change and apologistic for the sins of America; not in the interest of America then and still holds true today and her visit to the Nam can never be forgotten or forgiven.
James Dean, The Easy Riders Trio above and Donald Sutherland, daddy of Kiefer in if I remember right “The Losers” was the thing back in the day. Those that weren’t chopping their rides before were after the run of the biker shows. The freedoms on and off of the road meant something in those years past and can again.
Grayhawk
This movie changed my life forever.
God Bless these men for helping along the Biker freedom lifestyle.
BikerMarc
That movie was a waste of time then and has no value now.
Peter Fonda … Who….???
Jane “Barbarella” Fonda and Marxist husband Tom Hayden were a waste of time then and still are a waste of time now.
And that isn’t just an opinion.
-nicker-
I have to tell you a story about Hanoi Jane .
She wanted to come into our area for a one night program several years back ” avg age well over 50 ” thinking that because of her popularity years back as a fitness guru and singer maybe singing a song about her boots walking over some one.
Well she forgot one other deatail. Many of the people in this area are military vets including myself . Guess who got the boot in the end.
The bitch never made it due to the protest from the flood of calls from the true Americans protesting her performance. She declined to come , conflick of schedule.
FUJI,
Bravo brother, Bravo!
Over & Out,
Jeff
Hanoi Jane was suppose to speak at the “march to the wall” but canclled when 40,000 of us Vets showed up for the “Gathering of Egales”. Its Cowardice not convictions. Peter is a stand up guy, who is a friend of all bikers, who wore the Flag when It was popular to burn it.
Howard,
I have heard Peter Fonda DEFEND his sister and her stance on the Viet Nam War as well as her “right” to display her defiance of that war by sitting atop on a AAA gun in Hanoi, on many occassions therefore, in my mind he is a no good trader C*&#sucker just like his sister …. biker friendly or not. Just my opinion …. and if the 58,000 + Americans who died in that “conflict” could talk, I would bet it would be their opinion as well.
Over & Out,
Jeff
Think it’s time to move on ladies…
jeff.
If you get a chance , ride up to the Wall – Mart and put a quarter or two in the little motorcycle merry go round for the kids ” jeff& marty ” they get bored with past history. We wouldn’t want them to become bored.
I would almost bet that they have a Jane work out tape and wear leotards.
I’am hoping that Jane would make a tape on how to eat s#$t and die and her followers would follow !
Fuji,
Come on give Jeff & Robbie (hopefully one of them is a female) a break ….. more than likely they are under 30 years old and part of the group that elected the Idiot now in the White House and they both own a t-shirt that says “Can’t we all just get along?” and “Give Peace a Chance”.
Over & Out,
Jeff
Jeff,
I would stand up for my Brother in a Bar fight-even if he was dead wrong. I grew up at that time and chose to serve, others did not.
Howard,
I likewise served …. two tours in scenic Viet Nam as a matter of fact ….. and I would whip your “Brothers” ass and his Sisters if I had the opportunity in a bar fight! I would stand up for you back to back but not Fonda’s. Sorry, that is the way it is.
Over & Out,
Jeff