Billy Bike Replica

[51FL]

Robert if your intention was not to get me to leave , i apologize for the way it played out . I def read it as that , as far as everyone that suppourts this i appirciate it . THANKS to all , Now lets dig out those pics and any info we have on this bike i want to do it the right way . Dont worry guys , im not ruining really nice stuff im taking stuff that is in need of repair and chroming it , or buyin aftermarket or good already chromed parts

[indianut]

I tried looking at the movie. "Easy Rider" remains the only movie I've ever left before the ending.

That just means it went over your head. It wasn't even a "Motorcycle Movie". They could have been in a Car! Or Hitch Hiking!

[sirhrmechanic]

There are still parts of the South where people think Easyrider had a happy ending.

[exeric]

There are still parts of the South where people think Easyrider had a happy ending.

That's funny ! Even more amusing is that Southern rednecks now look just like Capt. America, and Billy with the addition of the ubiquitous goatee. I haven't seen Easyrider for a number of years but the few times I saw it, I wasn't very impressed. I thought it was a lousy motorcycle movie and it was another, in a long line of bad Hollywood interpretations of the South. Hollywood still uses authors like Margret Mitchell, Tennessee Williams, William Faulkner, and Harper Lee as their cultural compass of the South. The good motorcycle movies that Hollywood made were the Hells Angels movies in the mid 60s.

[Robert Luland]

There are still parts of the South where people think Easyrider had a happy ending.

They were useless dope dealers. I thought the ending was fabulous and I live in New Jersey. They dealt death and they got what was coming to them. On another note, I thought the movie was pure crap.

[sirhrmechanic]

I do post that in jest...

Funny thing is that I loved the movie when I was 16.

When I was 22, my best friend and I from when we were kids made the trip, following the original route as best we could figure it out. It was one of those trips of a lifetime. We did it because, as kids, we watched Easyriders and said: "someday, we going to make that ride..." And we did. I was AMAZING! Of course we did it w.out the fringe jackets and riding Evo's and we avoided the communes. We had more Japanese tourists taking pictures of us than anything else. And we missed the House of the Rising Sun, so to speak. But we had a hell of a dinner at Commanders Palace.

But as I have grown older, I appreciate the movie more for what it is... a snapshot of the '60s as people believed it was, probably not so much as it really was. I was too young to remember it. But I come away from the last time I saw the movie looking saying to myself... all the rejection and bad vibe Capt. America and Billy got on their trip... they brought on themselves.

Any way you slice it... I play with vintage Harley's now in part because of Easy Rider. So it does have some redeeming qualities.

But it does remind me (and no offense to anyone here who wears the moniker proudly -- to each their own) I utterly reject being called a 'biker.' I am a motorcycle enthusiast. Pure and simple. I choose not to dress up like some Sonny Barger wanna-be and pretend to be an outlaw biker. My leather jacket is brown... not black. No patches or pins. But that's just me. The nice thing about motorcycles is that there is room for everyone and, for the most part, everyone accepts enthusiasts, whatever their preferences.

My favorite motorcycle movie... Black Rain. The cops win in the end. ;-)

Cheers,

Sirhr

[LouieMCman]

"There are still parts of the South where people think Easyrider had a happy ending."

That sounds like yankee queer talk for sure............LOL

[D.Mac]

When Easy Rider first came out, my girl wanted to see it, so we jumped on the 'ol Pan and headed to the local drive-in. They said we couldn't go in on a bike, we went in anyway. We thought the movie was silly, nuthin' like anyone we knew. A few good riding scenes, and some good tunes.
Doug.

[sirhrmechanic]

Louie:

Let me guess, you were 16 years old before you found out that "damn" and "Yankee" were two separate words?

I lived in NC for 7 years... loved it there!

Cheers,

Sirhr

[c.o.]

Robert if your intention was not to get me to leave , i apologize for the way it played out . I def read it as that , as far as everyone that suppourts this i appirciate it . THANKS to all , Now lets dig out those pics and any info we have on this bike i want to do it the right way . Dont worry guys , im not ruining really nice stuff im taking stuff that is in need of repair and chroming it , or buyin aftermarket or good already chromed parts

I doubt Bob meant anything by his comments regarding the Billy Bike and that his direction to the hydra-glide forum was indeed well intended. From my experience I've found Bob to be well.. in a word "blunt" but if you give him a chance he's got a pile of knowledge and is a very helpful fella with a good sense of humor. In fact I've had to wipe tears from my eyes laughing at some of his smart alec antics. It's all about how you interpret the written word.

Everybody will sleep a little easier knowing your not butcherin' up good stuff. Most of us are still reeling at what went on in the 60's and 70's... If you do a google images search a ton of pics will pop up. I also recall seeing a Billy Bike in the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa the last time I was there. I can't speak for the accuracy of that particular machine though. I think the idea of getting a copy of the movie and working your way through it may be the best way to go. On that note when I was a kid I couldn't wait to see the film even though it was quite a few years old by then. I was inspired when I saw it. Years later when I watched it again, I was wondering, what am I watching this for.... ???

[pisten-bully]

Here's a link to some pretty nice drawings of the bike:http://3d-files.co.il/Easy_Rider_Billy_Bike.htm

and a sample:Billy_Bike_Easy_Rider_126.jpg

[LouieMCman]

Just a line from the movie....I was born and raised in Ohio just stuck down here in Jawja......

[Milrite]

I do post that in jest...
I utterly reject being called a 'biker.' I am a motorcycle enthusiast. Pure and simple. I choose not to dress up like some Sonny Barger wanna-be and pretend to be an outlaw biker.

Sirhr

Whats really funny is the guys who call themselves "bikers" are the doctors and lawyers and accountants and such on the nice new cycles and leathers, when the real "bikers" are in suits and ties and doing the "respectable" citizen schtick and keeping their "hogs" out of site and out of mind! Locally, president of a chapter recently bought a really nice penthouse condo, everybody thought he was a fine upstanding gent, till he parked his bike in the garage and then the condo committee tried to turf the guy! I think when they realized his affiliation, and the fact that he has the best lawyers in town, they backed right off!!!

[51FL]

Ok guys i am new to the amca, And as a young member im 22 , i feel like some of you are very ignorant of your postings . This is in attempt to build a really cool bike ,that isnt all that chopped for christ sake it still has sidecar loops and tank mounts . Im looking for infomation on the bike . Not on whether you like what the movie portrayed , its a goddam movie . Im not gonna got out fill my gas tank with drug money and make a run across the states . It looks like a fun bike . So if you have any infomation on the bike i would and do appriciatte it . Other than that BEAT IT. To the few that offered help THANK YOU . I ride motorcycles call me whatever you want Biker,motorcycle entusiast WHAT EVER it dont matter . This isnt a pipe dream Ive already started the collecting parts and its going to be made a roller as soon as my tank comes in . Any one that wants to see a build thread on it lmk

[Chris Haynes]

[/QUOTE]

When I was working on Waterworld I had Dennis Hopper sign a huge photo from Easyrider. Peter, Dennis and Jack riding together. As he signed it he said seeing that photo reminded him of one thing about riding cross country. He signed it "Suck Diesel, Dennis Hopper"