Post-Listing Update: This Triumph was pulled off of eBay as the bike is no longer available – looks like it’s been consigned to Mecum for the upcoming auction in Chicago.
Bud Ekins built 3 silver Triumph Trophy 500s for Arthur Fonzarelli’s character in the show Happy Days – when filming ended Bud kept the last remaining example for himself. There’s a great story to share about this bikes travels post filming, but for now you just need to know: it’s for sale, for a cool $100k!
Around 1990, Ekins sold the Triumph to Mean Marshall Ehlers, with a conversation that went something like this:
The phone rings at Mean Marshall’s Motorcycles, a dealership in Oakland, California. It’s Bud Ekins calling from North Hollywood, where he has several hundred motorcycles stashed in a couple of dirt-floor Quonset huts. “Marshall,” he barks, “go empty your bank account.” “Why?” fires back Marshall, standing behind his grease-stained parts counter. “Because you’re coming down here and buying my bikes,” Ekins roars.
Ehlers bought the bikes – and Ekins made no mention that this was the bike that Fonzie used! In 2000, Wendy F. Black tracked the bike down for a story in Cycle World, and it was only then when Ehlers found out what he had. I’ve been unable to track down a digital copy of that article, but by all accoutns it’s an excellent, well-researched read.
Long story short, the bike stayed in Ehlers care until 2011, when it sold for $87,500 at a Bonhams auction at the Petersen Museum. For more on the story of this bike, check out this short article on Cycle World.
Today, the bike looks like it’s just been sitting since 2011, and the seller says it’s “sold in its unrestored ‘as filmed condition’ with all its studio scars and its almost 70 years of age.” For 6 digits I was hoping for better photos, but we’ll see if the seller decides to change that with time. Either way, find Fonzie’s Triumph for sale in Beverly Hills, California with a BIN of $100,000 or best offer