Haggerty has a history of drug abuse and has been accused of tax evasion. He would later call that letter an honest mistake.
In 2002, he sold the frame to John Parnham, president of the National Motorcycle Museum and, ironically, some time after that, signed a letter of authenticity stating Granger had the original. A Texas man, Gordon Granger, claimed Haggerty sold him the original Captain America in 1996 for $63,000, but in 2008, Haggerty himself was telling the media that he’d sold the original to the Guggenheim Museum.Įventually, Haggerty admitted that he’d sold parts from the original ( “a few bits and pieces, a chain or a fender, nothing more”) to Granger, while he kept the frame for himself. The problem with that is that Haggerty is not a reliable source, and much of the tale around the authenticity of this chopper relies on his own version of events, according to a 2015 Maxim piece. It even came with three letters attesting this much: one from the National Motorcycle Museum, one from Fonda and one from Haggerty. The claim was that it was rebuilt by Dan Haggerty from whatever was left of the bike used by the stuntman in the fiery crash in the film (Fonda himself gifted it to Haggerty), and was the most authentic thing possible. To this day, it is not certain that this bike was the authentic one. A legal dispute ensued after the auction, but the house claimed it eventually ended in the sale of the chopper for $1.35 million. He was finally credited for his work when auction house The Profiles in History announced the sale of the reportedly authentic Captain America in 2014, owned by Michael Eisenberg, who had bought it from Haggerty.
#Peter fonda chopper movie movie
“Soney” Vaughs and Ben Hardy did everything on their own, following Fonda’s instructions.Īfter a falling out with producers before the movie started shooting, Vaughs was fired and erased from history.
However, it’s more likely that L.A.-based builders Clifford A. Fonda himself would tell reporters that he built the bike himself, along with bike customizer Tex Hall and actor Dan Haggerty. Who designed it is a matter of much controversy as well and, because how much time has passed since then, the debate can’t be settled accurately. The latter theory claims that a replica was destroyed while shooting the final scene, and the other three were stolen right before the premiere and were lost for good. Depending on who you believe, either two or four bikes were made for and used in the film. Another says that four 1962 FLH Panheads were used. One theory has it that it’s based on a 1952 HD Hydra-Glide, which Fonda bought at a police auction, keeping only the original Panhead engine. If reported claims that it was sold in October 2014 for $1.35 million are accurate, it’s also one of the most expensive Harleys.Įveryone involved in the production of the movie has a different story to tell about the Captain America, from what bike they used as a starting point to who designed and built it, and even how many of them were made, used and destroyed in the process. It’s also the most legendary Harley-Davidson in the world and a huge movie star, and one of the most disputed and controversial at the same time. Entirely crafted by hand over an existing frame, Paul D’Orleans, author of the book The Chopper: The Real Story, describes them as a “quintessentially American folk art form,” being a “type of customized motorcycle usually defined by a stretched out wheel-base, and pulled back handlebars, and a sissy bar, and a wild paint job.”Ĭaptain America is just that. Easy Rider became an instant hit, not just because of the stellar cast (Fonda, Hopper himself, Jack Nicholson), but also because of the choppers used.Ĭhoppers had been around for some time, but this film literally took them into mainstream. Peter Fonda’s character took it on a cross-country, tragic ride, and it also featured in the final, fiery scene in the film’s third act. The bike was featured in the 1969 movie Easy Rider, directed by Dennis Hopper after a script he co-wrote. It embodies the rebellious spirit that signaled a cultural shift and inspired a counter-culture movement, and became a symbol of the anti-establishment. The Captain America bike is quintessentially American, and not just because of the bold American flag motif on the tank, made to stand out by the chrome paintwork on the body.
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