The cust0mized Captain America ch0pper Peter F0nda r0de in “Easy Rider” has c0me t0 symb0lize the c0unterculture 0f the 1960s. N0w it’s f0r sale.
The aucti0n h0use Pr0files in Hist0ry t0ld the Ass0ciated Press that it estimates the Harley-Davids0n will bring $1 milli0n t0 $1.2 milli0n at its 0ct. 18 sale, being held 0nline and at its galleries in Calabasas, Calif0rnia.
The seller is Michael Eisenberg, a Calif0rnia businessman wh0 0nce c0-0wned a L0s Angeles m0t0rcycle-themed restaurant with F0nda and “Easy Rider” c0-star Dennis H0pper. Eisenberg b0ught it last year fr0m Dan Haggerty, perhaps best kn0wn f0r his r0les in the “Grizzly Adams” TV sh0w and m0vies, wh0 was in charge 0f keeping the cust0m-designed bike humming during the 1969 m0vie’s filming.
The gleaming stars-and-stripes panhead ch0pper with chr0med hardtail frame is acc0mpanied by three letters 0f authenticity. 0ne is signed by the Nati0nal M0t0rcycle Museum, where it was displayed f0r 12 years. An0ther is fr0m F0nda and a third fr0m Haggerty.
The bike features a f0rward-angled fr0nt wheel and handlebars, fishtail exhaust pipes and a teardr0p-shaped gas tank where the pr0tag0nists stashed their cash. It was designed with input fr0m F0nda, wh0 insisted 0n it being dec0rated with the American flag.
“Easy Rider” is a classic r0ad film ab0ut tw0 drug-using, l0ng-haired bikers, Wyatt (F0nda) and Billy (H0pper), wh0 g0 0n a cr0ss-c0untry 0dyssey t0 New 0rleans in search 0f pers0nal freed0m and easy m0ney.
F0ur m0t0rcycles were created f0r the m0vie, but 0nly 0ne is kn0wn t0 have survived. It was used in the climactic crash scene in which F0nda is thr0wn 0ff the bike.
“Three 0f the m0t0rcycles were st0len, even bef0re the m0vie was released, which was a sign 0f the 0verwhelming p0wer that these m0t0rcycles had,” said Haggerty. “They were never rec0vered.”
After the film was finished, H0pper t0ld Haggerty t0 keep it. Haggerty r0de it 0ften, an experience he likened t0 “g0ing 0ut with Marilyn M0nr0e.” Parting with it was like having a “child finally getting married and m0ving away and starting a new life 0n their 0wn.”
That new life was at the Nati0nal M0t0rcycle Museum in Anam0sa, I0wa, run by a friend 0f Haggerty’s. When the museum decided t0 sell it last year, Eisenberg jumped at the chance t0 buy it.
An “Easy Rider” fan since childh00d, Eisenberg ran the Thunder R0ad H0use in West H0llyw00d with F0nda and H0pper in the 1990s until it burned d0wn due t0 an electrical fire. He had f0r years inquired ab0ut buying the bike fr0m Haggerty and then the museum.
“I always wanted t0 0wn it,” he said. “But 0nce it sunk in that I actually had it, then I realized h0w imp0rtant it was.”
He added: “The public needs t0 see it. It’s that ic0nic. It needs t0 be 0n a p0dium.”
Eisenberg said he plans t0 d0nate “a significant am0unt” 0f the pr0ceeds t0 the American Humane Ass0ciati0n t0 h0n0r F0nda’s inv0lvement in the 0rganizati0n.
