I don't think you can completly discount easy rider as just being boring... no it's not F&F/torque.. it's from a completly different time. Plus I don't believe it was meant to be a action movie anyway.
Before anybody ever even thought about .. "hey, lets make a motorcycle just for speed/performance" it was just to get out and ride...
If you can watch easy rider and not take something away from it.. you need to watch it again.
Especially the conversation with Jack Nickalson, and the Dennis Hopper about bikers/bikes/hippies representing freedom.
I can't quote exactly.. but something like this..
Why do they dislike us so much.?
You represent freedom..
Well yeah,, ain't that the whole point of this country?
Yeah, but they aren't free. Don't tell them that though cuz they'll kill, maim, and destroy to show you that they are.
They've all been bought and sold into the status quo where they have freedom, but nobody uses it.
Ironic that about 10 seconds later he gets beat to death.. for the very thing they were talking about and he wasn't even really a biker.. but anyway.. thats hollywood.
Can you say you haven't walked into a gas station/bar/wherever in your leather and got those looks where you know they are stereotyping you with the squid that cranked a big stoppie/wheelie right in front of them.. or went by at 150 on double solid lines.. same thing, just different times.
It's on TMC all the time.. watch it again.
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Personally I think any "biker" can identify albeit on a much tamer, friendlier level with Easy Rider if they care to take the time to.
Not that much has changed.. "the man" still singles bikes out, mothers still don't want their daughters around em, and the only reason people respect bikers now is because it's a much more affluent crowd riding them now (mostly) and that means money.
Easy Riders was a "worst case scenario" all rolled into one.. I'm sure if you talk to some guys that were serious riders back in the day they could tell you that it's not as far off the mark as you might think. Especially if you rode, and looked like a hippie.
