CIO
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CIO: How did you get involved with the new Indian Motorcycle group?
Peter Fonda: I got to know Ray and Rich [Sotelo] and the team at CMC when they built Limited Edition 30th Anniversary [Easy Rider] Captain America cycles in 1999. Now they?ve given me a bike to ride and tinker with and I get an appearance fee. I get the bike for a couple of years and I give it back and they auction it off for some charity.
I don?t feel like I owe some allegiance to Harley ? I think probably Harley owes some allegiance to me (chuckle). I know the guys over there and like them too. They make a good motorcycle. So does Ducatti. It?s not like one is better than the other; they each have their own values for me.
I like Harley-Davidson. In fact, I think they?ve improved that bike tremendously. When I did ?Easy Rider,? we called ?em `Hardleys? ?cause they hardly ever started and they would just leak all over the damn place. Now with the new evolution engines, they don?t leak, they don?t drop oil.
How many motorcycles do you have?
Two Indians?one old and one new?a Harley Davidson, a ?Fonda? custom bike, an old BMW, and a Ducatti Monster. I enjoy all kinds of motorcycles, have all my life.
How does the new Indian chief compare to the vintage one you own?
Well, it?s harder to work on the engine [of the new one]. With the older ones you can open it up, get in and adjust the valves and in 15 minutes you?ve got everything adjusted. If you like to tinker with old engines that?s kinda fun.
Now, they?re like the Harley engine. They?re very dependable. And their gear box is great. It?s easy to find neutral, you don?t have to screw around with it. On the Harley?s, you have to break it in a bit and then you get to where it?s easy to find neutral, which is an essential part that a lot of people don?t understand in motorcycling, knowing how to hit neutral. I?m a purist. I don?t want to turn it off by that little off/on, run/start button.
How?s the ride on the new Indian? Do you ever go out on one and just let it rip?
Oh, of course! Absolutely! It?s smooth riding. The center of gravity is so low that you can get a real smooth ride. And you know, with the right bars, you?re just sitting back in there; it?s just a real, easy, smooth ride.
