Happy Days: What Motorcycle Did Fonzie Ride, And Where Is It Today?

"Happy Days" follows a Wisconsin family's life in the 1950s, back when diners had jukeboxes, teenagers fell in love with milkshakes in their hands, and greasers terrorized the streets. While the Cunninghams are meant to represent a middle-class, working family in those days, it was really Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli, played by Henry Winkler, who stood out to viewers at home. With plenty of testosterone and bravado, Fonzie's leather jacket and motorcycle became an iconic symbol of the time. 

For the majority of "Happy Days," The Fonz rode a 1949 Triumph Trophy 500, now one of the most iconic Triumph motorcycles on TV. As "Happy Days" was filmed in the 1970s, the show was quite dedicated to accurately representing the '50s, including the Triumph Trophy 500. Motorcycle racer and stuntman Bud Ekins, who did a lot of the stunt driving in "Bullitt," was commissioned to build the custom bike to ensure its authenticity to the times. 

With "Happy Days" grounded in the reality of life in the 1950s, the type of bike that Fonzie drove was quite important since it would appear on screen quite a bit. A high school dropout who was no stranger to fist fights and hanging out in diner bathrooms, it made sense that Fonzie would have an affordable, used bike. However, Fonzie started off riding a 1947 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead since Winkler was not experienced with riding. After the first season, Winkler felt the Knucklehead was too large, and Fonzie was given another cheap, modded bike — the affordable older Triumph. 

Fonzie's custom Triumph had higher buckhorn-style handlebars, a custom seat, and its front fender was removed. These modifications were intended to make the bike look straight out of the '50s. Three identical bikes were created and used interchangeably throughout the series. At the time of filming, the bikes were owned by Ekins and rented out to the "Happy Days" production company. When the show ended, all three bikes disappeared. However, Fonzie's original Knucklehead and one Triumph have since emerged.

Fonzie's original bike, the Knucklehead, was used on other shows once Winkler switched to the smaller Triumph, including "M.A.S.H." The bike is now owned by George Roeder in Ohio. The former flat-track racer restored the bike and brought it to a show in 2023, the first time it had been seen in decades. Apparently, Roeder heard a racing engine builder had Fonzie's OG bike and got it through a trade — a "real good deal," he told OnMilwaukee. "I just happened to be in the right spot at the right time." Roeder added that he's not a "Happy Days" fan, but is a fan of the bike, which he does ride in the summer. 

Back in 2011, one of the three Triumphs that Fonzie rode in later seasons showed up at an auction. Bonhams called it a "lost and found" bike, noting that the other two had been stolen, but this one had been in Paramount Studios' hands, then was stored at Mean Marshall's Motorcycles until the 1990s. The shop owner had purchased the bike from Ekins because he liked the stylishly designed Triumph motorcycle. It was eventually displayed at the Petersen Automotive Museum until it was sold at auction in 2021 for over $230,000.