It took a meandering route to get back its “home,” but the authentic 1947 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead that Fonzie rode in the very first period of “Happy Days” is on its way to Milwaukee.

The bobber, now owned by George Roeder, Jr. of Monroeville, Ohio, is coming to town for its first bike show appearance this Saturday and Sunday at Mama Tried. Roeder, himself a former flat-track racer, restored Fonzie’s bike and is placing it on screen at the party, which takes place at the Eagles Ballroom all weekend extensive.

Astute viewers may perhaps be considering that Fonzie rode a Triumph bike in “Happy Days,” but he did not in the initially time. Actor Henry Winkler, who did not know how to ride a bike, uncovered the first Knucklehead to be much too large, so established designers swapped it for more compact bikes in the 2nd as a result of 11th seasons.



In addition, the prop workforce modified the bike from a hand-shifter to a foot-shifter. “I’m certain Henry Winkler would’ve been been way out left field with a hand shift,” claims Roeder. 

Soon after Fonzie was accomplished with this particular product, the bike located its way on to other Television demonstrates and motion pictures, such as “M.A.S.H.” and “Every Which Way But Free.”

So how did it get to Ohio?

Roeder experienced listened to for decades about the “Fonzie” bicycle in the possession of a racing motor builder, and following inquiring about it, the operator experienced supplied it to him for sale. Roeder completely vetted the bike by means of a chain of custody equipped to him by the previous owner. Ultimately, through a collection of trades, it wound up in his arms.

“I received a true fantastic offer on it,” says Roeder, who watched outdated “Happy Days” episodes to prep himself for the restoration. “I just occurred to be in the proper location at the appropriate time.”


Roeder says he doesn’t contemplate himself a “Happy Days” tremendous lover, nor does he consider Winkler is informed of the bike’s restoration, but he admits he did look at the present rising up, and as a everyday living-extensive racer, he and his dad frequented the Harley manufacturing unit in Milwaukee as a kid.

So, he’s excited to deliver the Knucklehead again to its “home,” and will display off the motorcycle for the 1st time, complete with a cardboard cutout of Arthur Fonzarelli.



But Roeder doesn’t restore bikes just to appear at them. Even although he a short while ago obtained the motorbike (when he acquired it, it resembled the edition in “Every Which Way But Loose), he did get it out on the highway last summer season and ideas to once again when the climate warms up.

“I’m quite fired up about it,” suggests Roeder. “I created it to journey.”

Mama Tried Motorbike Exhibit is an indoor invitational that has become the major wintertime motorbike rally in the state. Retaining the fireplace stoked all winter extended, the exhibit attributes much more than 100 motorcycles (of all brands) from builders from all over the world — flat-tracker, hill climber, chopper and bar hopper.

In addition to the “Fonzie bicycle,” the show will show the Danger Dans world-traversing Pan American, and Japanese Builder Masao Inoue’s 1941 Harley Davidson Knucklehead. The curated invitational showcases the commonality in street, race, chopper, stunt and all-all around abnormal tailor made builds. Tickets are available at mamatriedshow.com.


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