I'm too young to remember those days. I came around in the late, late sixties. But I like the movie simply because it has some good riding scenes in it and it really warms me up in the winter here in PA when the riding is few and far between.

 

I started riding bikes about 1967. It was a 305 Superhawk. Even on that little bike, I had some "experiences". Once, as I was riding home from college classes, a 1st Lieutenant from the local Air Force Base crowded me into a steady oncoming lane of traffic. I had to ride the center line to keep from being killed. After I got in behind the guy, I followed him down the road and at the first available stop light I came up beside him. He was driving a Triumph TR3 with the top down. I looked down at him from the bike and challenged him to pull over to the side of the road so I could whip his ***. He never even looked at me, but kept staring straight ahaed. I called him a ***** and rode off. I can remember the whole thing like it was yesterday. Another time, I was riding through town and one of our city councilmen was walking down the street as I rode by. He looked at me and screamed "Go Home". There were a few other things too, but mainly looks and stares.

By the time I was in my senior year in college (1969), I was student teaching. The fact that I rode a bike increased my rapport with the kids. I never tried to be their friend, but rather a teacher. It did however, give me a little instant respect. Classroom discipline was actually easier. Easy Rider was in the movie theaters that spring. The kids loved it. I did too. I still do. I think the hatred for bikers portrayed in the film may have been a little overblown. Wyatt and Billy were not always the typical bikers in those days either. I never took drugs and I almost never drank alchohol. I knew a lot of other riders who were the same as me and some who were closer to Wyatt and Billy. No matter what our personal behaviors were, I think bikes were a way of expressing our rebellious attitude in a time of great social turbulence. It was a feeling of brotherhood that I think still pervades motorcycling today. The 60's were when I first became aware of the "wave" For a while it was the two fingered peace symbol. Later it was the clenched fist. No matter how it was expressed, it was an expression of community.

After a brief time in the Army (drafted right after graduation from college) I got a job teaching and spent the nest 30 years at the same school in the same community. All that time, when I would ride to school, kids would always admire my bike. I had a 14 year period when I didn't ride (accident that it took my wife a long time to get up the courage to get back on with me), but when I started riding again, the kids loved the bike then too. By then, I was an old fart by their standards, but at least I was a cool old fart.

When I view Easy Rider, it brings back a flood of memories, mostly good, but some not so good. I think, in a somewhat strange way, I was lucky to grow up and be a young man in a time like the 60's. True, they were turbulent years, but they were also wonderful, sometimes wild, and creative. I still think our music is the yardstick by which other rock music is measured. I'm proud of that. Easy Rider is a good example of a cheaply made film that even today is worth watching. How many of the films made today cheaply made or otherwise will be that good 37 years later? Some will, but most will not.

 

Thank you ENZO for your kind words on the Fattie. About the paint, I got lucky, in 1999 they painted 700 softails (between Heritage Softail, Softail Standard and Fat Boy). They were painted in "diamond ice" a color which was not available for Fat Boys until 2000 or 2001 I think. Also they created a different logo a "more sober one" this bikes were made this way for the 15th Softail anniversary and they were sent to Germany. Only a few of the "Silver Edition" softails remained in America and mine is one of 'em. Thats the bike's history, the after-market parts... well any of you guys know that road very well .

It is very interesting to hear the different stories about riding back in those days... I guess it really took more than a bike and the riding to be a real biker, I respect that. I guess you guys cleared the path a little bit for the "newer" enthusiasts.

Stay healthy.

Mimo.

 

"They got them fancy bike's out there....them some yankee queers...check the flag on that bike"...lol that line make me pee in my boots.....lol

 

Was at Best Buy last night, they had the soundtrack to Easy Rider.....couldn't resist.

I wasn't born to follow

 

THE MAMA wanted some chick flick awhile back. I ordered it and to "save money" (yeah, right ) I added a DVD of Easy Riders to get the free shipping. Guess I'm gonna have to rip it open and watch it this weekend. THE MAMA's down with them thar monthly wimmens illness, and is either sleeping or being like a grizzly sow protecting her cub. I'm playing on here, doing the laundry, and working on homework, so it'll be good background.

 

I rode around the farming communities in rural western NY back in the mid sixties. Everyone knew me and I had no problems, but there were a few clubs that the police would always hassle. I always showed them the respect that I do everyone and they never bothered me either.
The went into the Air Force for 20 years so my hair never got long. Now I'm out of the AF and don't have enough hair to grow long!!!
I did grow a beard to compensate....
Stogie

 

Hey pococj. I love the shovelhead in your sig. Also, my CMA # is 83204, if we are talking about the same thing. But what's the other #

As far as the way things were back then, the movie is pretty much right on. It wasn't just motorcycles though. When I got back from Viet Nam people didn't want to have much to do with me and then when I grew my hair long it only got worse. I think people didn't trust others if they were different or if they didn't understand them. I am 57 years old now and my hair is still long. It just turned a differnt color now. It got white! Some people still look at me a little differently now. They just aren't as vocal about it. But people still think I'm a little "different" OK, maybe I am!! LOL!!
But you have to admit, those were some cool bikes! Especially the "Billy Bike" And the soundtrack was awesome!

 

I'm too young for Easy Riders to fully understand the social context that generated the flick. The first time I saw it, I thought it was stupid. I watched it again, gained a little more appreciation I guess. A couple of guys, drifting down to Mardi Gras smoking a lot of pot on the way. There were some funny parts- that commune they stopped at struck me as hilarious. That whole section in the cemetary was bizarre. I liked the scenery of them riding across the country- made me want to take a road trip. There's something great about hitting the road without any plans, reservations, etc. I did a cross country trip a few years back on my softail deuce and crossed paths with a guy on Sportser somewhere in Nebraska. I had a T-bag and saddle bags, both were pretty much loaded up. This guy had a little shaving kit tied to his seat with a bungee cord. That's it. No change of clothes, no rain gear, no windshield, no touring seat. We got to talking about where we were headed- he had started in Seattle and planned to make it to Florida. This guy was really hard core or stupid...I don't know which, but there's something to be said for just saying f***it and hitting the road.

 

When that movie came out I was 4 yrs away from my first street bike ( 450 honda).( My Dad made me drive it on the gravel road behind the house until I was old enough to get a motorcyle licsence.)
It seemed to me back then that there were more trouble with the gangs .
The county cops vowed to run then out of the state parks in our county for the trouble they caused on the weekends.
Well I got faster bikes and sure did a fair amount of horsen around , backroads mostly ,( very rural back then) could have gotten dozens of tickets . Same cops never bothered me , well once they said to slow it down a little.
Point being I wasn't causing trouble for anyone else.
Cagers yah a few a** holes , ended up carrying a long knife after that . Had to show it a few times to get my point across , luckely no more than that.
I suspect that movie didn't help the public perception of bikers.
I liked the TV show Then came bronson ( 69/70 ) don't know why they ever cancelled it.