Chopped
The Real Captain America
I was first introduced to the idea of the ‘chopper’ as a motorcycle when I watched the iconic movie ‘Easy Rider’.
Denis Hopper and Peter Fonda starred as Billy and Wyatt, two motorcycling free spirits who, having done quite well as a result of their foray into the cocaine business, take to the road. They did so in the American South heading for New Orleans in time for Mardi Gras. The movie was shot in a particular time in American cultural evolution there’s even a suggestion that some of the other drugs featured in the movie, such as weed, were the real thing.
Pure Americana
1969, it would appear, was the time to make movies! Jack Nicholson co-starred as drunk lawyer who was up for an adventure and joined the duo on the road.
The bikes they rode were, and still are, iconic. A pair of Hydra-Glide hardtail machines with Harley-Davidson engines that were ‘old’ by the time the movie was shot have become legendary since the film was released.
When Wyatts bike gets a puncture they stop off at a hippie commune, get laid and score some LSD. Sometime later they end up in jail for taking part in a parade without permission. Counter culture was still quite unpopular with the police in the deep south! They end up sharing a cell with a lawyer called George Hanson, played by Nicholson, who had been thrown in a cell to sleep off one of his boozy binges.
Sounds As Good As It Looks
George helps them get out of jail, they ride on to the Mardi Gras, get laid loads, take a whole lot of psychedelic drugs, get laid even more and continue to live their best lives. Or maybe not. You’ll have to watch the movie to find out.
Meanwhile the chopper genre continues. As Harley don’t make them, each one is a one off custom build. This one is built by Iron Horse, themselves an icon in the custom bike building world. The bikes paint job makes it stand out from other choppers and the long forks confirm the bikes pedigree and build quality. At its heart is a 124″ S&S Motor married to a Vance&Hines exhaust. So it sounds as good as it looks.
While the bike dates from 2005 it has only covered 6520 miles from new.
If you want to own something this cool you’ll need €15,750 and speak nicely to one of the team at Waterford Harley-Davidson on 051 844200. Do not, under any circumstances attempt to ride it away while wearing a full face helmet!
A Classic Road Movie
Easy rider is available to watch on a choice of streaming services. If you’ve yet to see it you need to do so promptly or risk being known as a culturally inept drain on society.