Iconic motorcycle that featured in cult classic Jack Nicholson film sells for £235k at auction
THE iconic motorcycle that featured in a cult classic Jack Nicholson film is set to sell for half a million pounds at auction.
The bike, one of a pair of Harley Davidson choppers used for the legendary drama.
Released in 1969, Easy Rider tells the story of a pair of bikers, played by Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper, who travel across the US to New Orleans with the money they made from smuggling drugs into LA.
The duo spent much of the movie on striking, heavily customised Harleys, including their travels with alcoholic lawyer George Hanson, played by Jack Nicholson.
The exact models are not known since they both varied from stock, but they made use of the iconic Panhead engine that the manufacturer produced between 1948 and 1965.
Now, the ‘Captain America‘ bike, so named for its stars-and-stripes paintjob and ridden by Fonda, has sold for just the third time ever.
The machine was designed in California by Cliff Vaughs and Ben Hardy to a design drawn up by Fonda himself.
Its petrol tank is signed by the star and the bike is also accompanied by a letter of authenticity he wrote in 2003.
The bike was gifted to fellow actor Dan Haggerty in the ’70s and was meticulously restored, before being sold to a private collector in 2002.
It was then displayed in the US National Motorcycle Museum until, 2013 before being sold at auction the following year.
The listing read: Considered the iconic counterculture film of the 1960s, Easy Rider was nominated for two Academy Awards, won a Cannes Film Festival award for Best First Work, and was inducted into the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry for its impact on global culture.
“Two bikes were customized with the “Captain America” (Wyatt’s nickname in the film) stars and stripes for the production to prevent filming delays.
“Following production, one of these motorcycles (along with Hopper’s motorcycles) was stolen from stuntman Tex Hall’s home.
“Hall gifted the other Captain America chopper… to Grizzly Adams star Dan Haggerty, who helped maintain the bikes during production.
“This motorcycle is understood to be the sole remaining Captain America from Easy Rider.”
The bike attracted ten bids in the Propstore Auctions sale, which concluded on March 12.
The winning bid clocked in at a whopping £235,000 ($300,000).
10 Most expensive classic motorycles
10. 1951 Vincent White Shadow – £339,060
9. 1926 Brough Superior SS100 Alpine grand Sports – £353,903
8. 1939 BMW Type 255 Kompressor – £374,997
7. 1930 Brough Superior SS100 – £423,825
6. 1939 Crocker Big Tank – £549,996
5. 1907 Harley-Davidson ‘Strap Tank’ – £558,590
4. 1936 Crocker Small Tank – £644,527
3. 1915 Cyclone Board Track Racer – £665,620
2. 1951 Vincent Black Lightning – £725,776
1. 1908 Harley-Davidson Strap Tank – £730,464
However, that’s a bargain compared to the last time it went under the hammer, selling for just over £1 million back in 2014.
It comes after the “first in history” bike made in collaboration with Aston Martin went up for sale for £200,000 – even though it can’t take you anywhere.
