Hard Copy

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HARD COPY

American FLYERS

Easy Rider redone...again

IT'S BEEN CALLED THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS motorcycle, flash point for an exploding chopper movement that eventually led to the popularity of today's cruiser-style bikes, but the only place Peter Fonda's "Captain America" Panhead exists is on celluloid. The actual bike was stolen before the debut of the movie Easy Rider, then broken up, its various pieces scattered like so many dandelion seeds throughout the Harley-Davidson swapmeet circuit. But what Hollywood can make, man can remake,

especially if that man is Jim Grafius, a San Bernardino, California, Harley mechanic who helped with a mirror-image recreation for the Otis Chandler Vintage Museum. That bike became one of the showstoppers in the Guggenheim Museum’s acclaimed “Art of the Motorcycle” exhibition, splashed across gift-shop posters, calendars, T-shirts, playing cards and even refrigerator magnets. In fact, so endeared was the Goog of the copycat Captain that it made multimillionaire Chandler an offer he couldn’t refuse-some feat!-and purchased the chopper for its permanent collection.

Meanwhile, with spare parts and acquired knowledge on his hands, Grafius constructed a second replica of Captain America, now part of the official Harley-Davidson Archives, awaiting the build of a new showcase museum in Milwaukee.

Two duplicates, two museum placings. Not a bad track record.

This is where Sam Lewis, a 54-year-old San Diego electronics executive, enters the picture. In search of a “museumpiece I could ride,” Lewis was directed to Grafius’ backstreet shop in San Berdoo, a deal was done, and seven months later a third reproduction in stars & stripes, shown here, was delivered.

“Certain bikes are just etched into our memories,” explains Lewis of his fascination with the moveable movie prop. “Captain America is an icon-expressive of what was going on in the late ’60s, the freedom of the open road, all that. It’s more than just a motorcycle.” Also less than a motorcycle, apparently, when it comes to actually riding the thing.

“Oh, it’s terrible!” Lewis relates. “Sixty or 70 miles, you’re ready to get off.” So far, he’s endured about 500 miles on the bike, matching Bell cinched down, grin plastered in place the whole time.

When its riding days are done, Lewis plans on donating the bike for display, maybe to the San Diego Automotive Museum. Unless, of course, the Louvre comes calling... -David Edwards