54 years ago, Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda, and a relatively unknown, Jack Nicholson, redefined American cinema forever in the decade defining, cultural landmark, Easy Rider. It sparked an ocean of imitators, from the hairstyles, to the leather jackets, and even the word “dude”, but perhaps most of all, it sparked the undying love for the the Captain America Panhead Chopper motorcycle. And you can now buy it for the estimated price of AED 730K – 1.4 million.
Propstore, one of the world’s leading film and TV memorabilia companies, announced its first Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction of 2024 will be held this march, and the offered items are expected to fetch over AED 29 million.
“Captain America” Wyatt’s (Peter Fonda) Panhead chopper motorcycle from Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider, is part of the over 1,700 rare and iconic lots due to be sold during Propstore’s Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction over three days from Tuesday 12th to Thursday 14th March, 2024 from 9PM GST each day. Registration and bidding are now open at https://propstore.com/liveauction. In-room bidding will be open to the public at The Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles on March 12th, 2024. Online and telephone bids can be placed across the whole event.
Wyatt’s (Peter Fonda) motorcycle was originally designed by Cliff Vaughs and Ben Hardy of Watts, CA with design input from FOnda. Two bikes were customised 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 Dennis Hopper’s motorcycles) was stolen from stuntman Tex Hall’s home. Hall gifted the other Captain America chopper – this specific bike, with VIN ’53FL5070′ – to Grizzly Adams star Dan Haggerty, who helped maintain the bikes during production, following its destruction in the crash sequence.
This motorcycle is understood to be the sole remaining Captain America from Easy Rider, with a gas-tank autographed and dated ‘2003’ by Peter Fonda himself.
If you haven’t already, do yourself a favour and watch Easy Rider. It not only made a star of Jack Nicholson, but it ignited what would become the greatest decade of film ever, America in the 1970s. And with Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda no longer with us, this piece of cinema history is one for the ages.
Get on your bike, put on some Steppenwolf, and just ride off into the desert, man.
