NOT SO EASY

The fantastic 70s title drawing of Not So Easy (1973)

For the past 6 months Ive been intensively researching the history of choppers for my upcoming book Chopper: the True Story, with the publisher Gestalten, for whom I wrote The Ride in association with Chris Hunter, Gary Inman, and Dave Edwards.  The Ride is still the #1 motorcycle book on Amazon.com, and 40,000 copies are in print...lets hope Chopper: the True Story will be as successful!

Evel Knievel was under contract with Harley-Davidson in 1973, so H-Ds permission was required to film him at his Anaheim stadium jump in 1973.  Here Cliff Vaughs pats Evel on the back, as he tests the ramp, and his Sportster, the day before the big jump

One of my research projects was to dig a little deeper into the story behind Easy Rider, and specifically the creation of the Captain America and Billy choppers.  Ive reported previously that it was the combination of Cliff Vaughs and Ben Hardy which produced these machines, and spending time with Cliff last week, plus interviews with o thers who were witnesses to the building of the bikes, has actually deepened the mystery for me, rather than clarifying the story!  This will all be explained in the book...  Ive certainly learned a lot more about the importance of black and Latino influences on the creation of the motorcycle style we call chopper from my research, and the relationship of hot rod/custom culture to the evolution from the bob-job to the chopper.

Cliffs wife Wendy Vaughs rides an Aermacchi/Harley two stroke in an evasive move

After discovering that the last re maining Captain America chopper now resides in the Los Angeles area (previously it was on display at the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa), it seemed appropriate to reunite Cliff Vaughs with the motorcycle he organized for Easy Rider.  That reunion happened last week in Los Angeles, and the story will be published in print around the time Chopper is published in September (sorry to make you wait, but its worth it, and part of the deal I worked out with Gestalten).

Luckily, Evels jump was a success, and Vaughs shot of him airborne, in slow motion, is a thing of beaut y

Cliff Vaughs continued his relationship with Peter Fonda after after Easy Rider was finished, and in 1973 Vaughs directed Not So Easy, a motorcycle safety film featuring Fonda and Evel Kneivel, as well as Cliff and his then-wife Wendy as rider/examples in the film.  Harley-Davidson provided an example of each bike in their range for the film, from Aermacchi two-strokes to big twin, all of which are used.

Peter Fonda addresses the audience at the beginning and end of the film, in his usual laconic style

Pat de Turk, Vaughs h ouse-mate at the time, recalls: "In 1974, I found myself living with Cliff again in Venice, where he had a huge collection of new Harley Davidsons in his backyard.  I worked with (assisted) him on the making of "Its Not So Easy", his motorcycle safety film. I was with the filming of Fonda, Knievel, Billy Smith, and Otis Young (Cliff told me he cut Otiss scene). Then I once took out one of the full dress hogs for a ride, and then watched as over the next few weeks/months all the bikes just seemed to disappear."

Cliff Vaughs riding on the Pacific Coast Highway during N ot So Easy

Not So Easy disappeared from the Net a few years ago, but has reappeared via a safety film website: its a fabulous period piece, and the title logo alone deserves some kind of award for 70s chopperland coolness. Stay tuned for more news of my Chopper book.