The 1969 film Easy Rider used two Captain America choppers for Peter Fonda’s character, Wyatt, alongside two bikes for Dennis Hopper’s Billy. The National Motorcycle Museum credits filmmaker Cliff Vaughs with organizing the builds with chopper builder Ben Hardy. The fate and identity of a surviving Captain America bike remain complicated: the museum identifies the crashed bike as the only known survivor, while conflicting authentication claims reported by the Los Angeles Times leave the provenance disputed.
How many bikes were used in Easy Rider?
The production used four choppers in total: two Captain America bikes and two Billy bikes, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Captain America bikes were built for Wyatt, played by Peter Fonda; they should not be confused with Billy’s motorcycles.
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| Bike group | Number | Associated character |
|---|---|---|
| Captain America choppers | Two | Wyatt, played by Peter Fonda |
| Billy choppers | Two | Billy, played by Dennis Hopper |
The National Motorcycle Museum credits Vaughs with organizing the Captain America builds alongside Hardy. Fonda and Hopper commissioned the bikes. That shared history is more reliable than assigning every design and fabrication detail to a single person.
What did the Captain America bike look like?
The chopper’s best-known visual features include a high handlebar, an American-flag peanut tank, a Panhead motor, an extended fork, a rigid frame, a narrow front tire, a wider rear tire, a stepped seat, and a sissy bar. The chopper style existed before the film; the National Motorcycle Museum says Easy Rider helped popularize it internationally.
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- Artist: FONDA,PETER
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Product Type: Blu-Ray Disc
- Rating: R
- Release Date: 3-MAY-2016
Specifications sometimes repeated online need careful attribution. The National Motorcycle Museum’s published figures—74 cubic inches (1,208 cc), 52 horsepower, and a 95-mph top speed—describe its tribute replica, not independently verified measurements of a screen-used motorcycle.
| Published specification | What it applies to | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 74 cubic inches / 1,208 cc | Museum tribute replica | National Motorcycle Museum, 2016 |
| 52 horsepower | Museum tribute replica | National Motorcycle Museum, 2016 |
| 95 mph top speed | Museum tribute replica | National Motorcycle Museum, 2016 |
What happened to the original Captain America bikes?
The National Motorcycle Museum’s history says one Captain America bike was crashed during the film’s ending and identifies that wrecked machine as the only one known to survive. It says the other Captain America bike and both Billy bikes were stolen and never seen again. The museum’s displayed Captain America motorcycle is a replica, not the screen-used survivor.
The identity and provenance of the surviving Captain America bike have been disputed. In 2014, the Los Angeles Times reported that Dan Haggerty had authenticated two different bikes at different times. Peter Fonda had signed an authentication for the bike then headed to auction, but told the newspaper he had relied on Haggerty and no longer knew which bike, if either, was genuine. Fonda said of his earlier authentication: “That was my mistake.”
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The newspaper reported that the disputed bike sold at auction in 2014 for $1.35 million before fees, or more than $1.6 million including fees. That reported sale price is historical context, not proof of authenticity or a current valuation.
| Claim or object | What the sources establish |
|---|---|
| Known surviving Captain America bike | The museum identifies the crashed bike as the only known survivor. |
| Bike authenticated for auction | The Los Angeles Times reported conflicting authentication claims; its identity remains disputed. |
| Museum display motorcycle | A tribute replica, not the screen-used survivor. |
How to assess a claimed original
A certificate or seller’s claim alone does not settle whether a motorcycle is a screen-used original. The 2014 reporting shows why provenance needs to be assessed with care. Useful questions include:
- Is there a documented chain of custody linking the motorcycle to the film production?
- What specific use is claimed: a hero bike, stunt bike, or the bike used in the crash?
- Who provided the authentication, when was it issued, and has that person later revised or withdrawn the claim?
- Is the motorcycle an original prop or a later tribute replica?
- Are any published specifications tied to that exact motorcycle, or to a replica?
Why the Captain America chopper became an icon
The bike’s flag-painted tank and radical chopper shape made it one of the film’s most recognizable images. The film helped bring an existing custom-motorcycle style to a much wider audience. The machine is both a working motorcycle in the story and a symbol associated with the film’s ideas of freedom and conflict; claims about its precise mechanical details or historical influence should not be confused with what the sources document about its construction and fate.
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- The disk has English audio and subtitles.
FAQ
How many Captain America bikes were built for Easy Rider?
Two Captain America bikes were built. The film used four choppers in all: two Captain America bikes and two Billy bikes, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Who built the Captain America bikes?
The National Motorcycle Museum credits filmmaker Cliff Vaughs with organizing the builds alongside experienced chopper builder Ben Hardy. Fonda and Hopper commissioned the bikes.
Which Captain America chopper is the real film relic?
The museum identifies the crashed bike as the only known survivor, but the identity and provenance of claimed originals have been disputed. The Los Angeles Times reported conflicting authentication claims, and Peter Fonda said he could no longer tell which bike, if either, was genuine.
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Is the National Motorcycle Museum’s Captain America bike original?
No. The museum describes its displayed motorcycle as a tribute replica, not the screen-used survivor.
How much did a claimed Captain America bike sell for?
The Los Angeles Times reported that a disputed bike sold in 2014 for $1.35 million before fees, or more than $1.6 million including fees. The reported price does not resolve whether that motorcycle was authentic.
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