‘EASY RIDER RIDES WITH GHOST RIDER

Peter Fonda rides the hell cycle as the devil Mephistopheles in Ghost Rider.

The irony of the Easy Rider star riding like the devil Mephistopheles in Ghost Rider was not lost on Peter Fonda. As the comic book story goes motorcycle stunt rider Johnny Blaze played by Nicolas Cage maKe a deal with the devil to protect his loved ones and now the Devil has come for his due.

Fonda who was a last minute hire when Tom Waits couldn’t do it talks about taking joy rides while filming.

“No they wouldn’t let Nic ride except on that little motorcycle but they were in such a rush to make a deal with me they forgot to put it in my contract that I couldn’t ride motorcycles. So I went out in Melbourne and I bought the fastest motorcycle built, the MV Augusta and rode it right to the set. I established myself quite early, don’t screw with me.”

As Captain America in Easy Rider Fonda became the quintessential motorcycle icon inspiring Cage to get his own bike and ride.

“There’s nothing I can do about that except ride faster bikes. It’s hard to miss that irony between Easy Rider and Ghost Rider and the bikes that they built for Nic to ride was a little like the bike I built in Easy Rider. I have a great time when I first come up to him as the older Johnny Blaze. I say hi to him as I go by and say, ‘nice bike.’ I do it like a biker would. ‘Nice bike, man.’ For Nic to say I got him bike riding, that was very cool.”

Peter Fonda has had some wild ride in the movies. Ghost Rider marks the 67 year-old’s 70th film.