american chopper

[Pat Kelly]

I'm reading the replies here and thinking back on "Big Island Deuce".
There were 30 XS1100's there (plus a couple of other bikes too). No two looked alike but that was because of 'bolt-on parts'. Choice of Vetter or Pacifico fairing, some had differing sizes of National Cycle windscreens (I admit, the big-bubble cafe fairing was unique). Pacifico, Vetter, or Bates hard bags. Trunks had a little more variety as they can be pretty much universal. Same for the soft saddlebags.
Still no two looked alike but all because of 'bolt-on pieces'. Denny's was probably the most divergent from the basic stock XS1100 but that was still bolting on custom made pieces.
The "chopper" is the easiest and most recognized "custom" bike in the USA. Look to Europe and the "Cafe" and "Street-Fighter" for sportier customs.
The style of bikes in Europe and USA follow the horse. In Europe the (horse) riding style is "posting", feet under the rider so they can stand in the saddle for jumping. Ducati, Aprilla, Triumph, etc. all follow this style. Old west cowboys had their stirrup farther forward as they lived all day in the saddle. Harley and Indian (along with the other US manufatcurers long-gone) followed this, What is today's "cruiser".
Yes, their bikes are "bolt together kits" but aren't ours too?

[dpotter58]

My 11 year old daughter loves the show. I explained that most of the fussin' at each other was for the show and not real. Then I told her she should be glad I'm not like senior...
I watched it with her a couple of nights ago and they were fabricating a gas tank that would only hold a gallon. She looked at me, rolled her eyes and said "right, one gallon, they must not like to ride".
I think that said it all.

[81xsproject]

prometheus578 has the best idea of all. Cancel your cable. Throw away the antenna (cuz you'll resort to it if it's there) and give it 3 months. You will love your life w/o TV. Sure, keep the thing around for movies, but movies end. After a fews months w/o the the boob tube, when you catch it at someone elses house, or the gas pump, or everywhere else they have TV's now, you will see it for what it really is. The greatest perk of all... Your XS will probably look and run better than ever with all that free time on your hands!

[strom]

Originally posted by dpotter58
My 11 year old daughter loves the show. I explained that most of the fussin' at each other was for the show and not real. Then I told her she should be glad I'm not like senior...
I watched it with her a couple of nights ago and they were fabricating a gas tank that would only hold a gallon. She looked at me, rolled her eyes and said "right, one gallon, they must not like to ride".
I think that said it all.

Yep... but who the hell would want to ride those things? Every time they take a bike for a test ride, I fear one would fall off trying to keep the bike upright. C'mon, you cant lean the thing! Do they even put sidestands on those? Looks like 2 inches of space when the bike is upright!
Gimme all those workshops and tools, maybe a new guy or two and something could get done! But you can bet your ass it wouldnt be a "chopper".
I almost got killed the other day when they were building the lawnmower bike. One of them puts his hand on the seat when they first started it and is suprised by the lack of vibration! I really tried just to catch my breath from laughing for an hour or so. Almost as long as when they tried to put the exhaust on that thing. Banged on it for half an hour, then as they were watching it, it fell into place by itself. Thats using your brainpower!
Another goodie was when walrus bought melonhead a goldwing copy. What, they don't know anyone that can do fairings? Screamin eagle too expencive? I wonder what they would say if someone brought them a nice 1976 moto guzzi le mans 850 with lafranconi comp. pipes, 40 dellortos and K&Ns. Just for a spin.
I saw another show... they had a bike builder... buildoff or something. Liked the australian thing. Nice and clean, maybe one could even ride it.
But I must be honest with you... they have to do something right to get all the dough!
And to tell you the truth... cant wait for the next time they screw something up.

LP

[xswilly]

hummm
I hear alot of comments, some good some bad
but 1 thing is the same
all the people who have had comments, have watched the show
can't be all that bad, can it
I watch it every monday night
I enjoy it, it shows what can be done, by the average person,
without a huge amount of engeneering skills, or special machinery
most of what they use is a small right angle grinder and a mig welder.
I never considered building a chopper until i watched the show
I work in a machine shop, and i do alot of the same things they do.
just not to a motorcycle. but i weld, braze, cut.
I fabracate things, design things.
i would like to try, but i don't have the money behiond me to do this, i had a book on parts, priced out a chopper, piece by piece and the total was around 30 grand, course thats not including labor and paint and chrome
for what its worth, it entertainment. pure and simple
like watching a monster movie.

[prometheus578]

Oh yea of the limited imaginations....
Walk out to the garage right now and stare at your bike. You'll find that there are a thousand places that you can put your personal touch.
How about a nice set of "spiked wrist bracelets" around your fork seal dust covers? $4 from a flea market. (If I hit a deer... I hope it hurts!)
As I mentioned in a post last year... when you take your tach apart, why not put a skull sticker or a photo of your dog behind the tach needle? $...?
What about that big, shiney aluminum plate... the one with the two screws that covers the clutch housing? Anyone take it to a trophy and engraving shop yet to have something engraved or laser etched onto it? (like a cross for the Paster, or the Topcat logo for Topcat, or the name of their bike?)
Anything wrong with backing out all those allen head bolts one at a time and and painting them to match your tank color with those little bottles of touch up paint? (actually, what's wrong with it is that the paint eventually wears off, but they do sell colored ones that you can order from any bike shop)(Bolt-on)
Great bikes I have seen: One covered with shag carpet, one covered with fur, and at a rest-stop in Wyoming, I gave ten bucks gas money to a down on his luck travelling rodeo rider that had steer horns mounted to his forks, and was using his saddle as a seat!
Never take yourself too seriously, for you'll be the only person who cares!

[superdave]

prometheus and pat kelly

Hey Pat, A lot of parts are bolt on's but the fun is that there aren't a lot of options for these old wheels. And how about the xs guy who was going chain drive and was going to cut and weld 2 swing arms together, and looking for a place to mount a tensioner sprocket ! Now thats going for it. No off the shelf of "kit" here... I see a differance. Prometheus I might weld a cultivator to my fork tubes. I can ride and bring in the crops in the same afternoon. The 2 people I would like to meet Billy lane and Arlen Ness. Or Brook Burk and heather Locklear. In birthday suits.

[dmac82]

people to meet....

I am so bummed about Sandra and Jesse........

[prometheus578]

"... and while the team finishes up the suspension, Jesse welds up a set of headers."

"...and now with the engine in, Jesse welds up a set of headers."

"...as the crew takes a break, Jesse welds up a set of headers."

"...as the midget dances to the live band, Jesse welds up a set of headers."

Have we really sunk this low as a society that this passes for entertainment? Did the show actually need a garage band and a gyrating gnome to get ratings? But that's the industry's idea of entertainment. And if that's all they offer us, we soon "become' entertained by it.
"If they can't shut off the shower, they at least will soon get used to getting wet" (anonymous TV exec.)

Back on topic... anyone recall where that photo is of the bike with the modified suspension and the exposed drive shaft? That was sharp.

[superdave]

prometheus

looks like pggg has it going on on the hp vs. money thread. Is that what your looking for ?

[prometheus578]

Thanks, SuperDave. I mistakenly had stopped reading that thread. (for shame!)
No, he's converting to chaindrive.
What I saw was an open drive shaft, u-joints and all, nicely chromed, I believe. Was either here, or on the jap chopper site. That'd be a real neat look... but then again, what's the opinion worth of the guy with the Walmat enamel spraypaint Flame job?

[gaffer77]

Hi English view on occ is great to see a bike building programme

seen them go from a small out fit to a big time outfit over a couple of years

hate the commercial bit but what can you or they do if theres demand !!

Indian larry to me was the best of the best

Billy lane good

russ mitchell does his thing and sticks to it got to admire that!!

chica is perfectionist

arlen ness commercialist

all the others do good job and some individual touches

but indian larry is best

occ at least they are man enough to let you see a glimpse of
thier life and they seemed like joe bloggs (sort of ) and made thier own fortune

alright i dont know who made the first fire bike Arlen or them??

but hey what they do is real and its better than watching the **** my missus watches!!

actually she loves american chopper!!

and hot rod as well

that brough was awfull!! by the way!!

would love to see one of you on there !!

i am thinking of getting an old brit triumph frame and a bolt on rear end off ebay for$ 200.00 buy now

scouring the bike jumbles and doing a cheap chop to emulate an indian larry

[superdave]

gaffer77

who does the best paint in your opinion ? I saw Arlen Ness do a paint over paint over paint thing , on a build off and that was cool. I would like to hang with a real paint guy, learn the tricks than I can go to Walmart and start hanging with Prometheus and paint the town ! or tank...

[gaffer77]

in my opinion there was a bloke who looks like chica with long hair and smokes allot i got him mixed up when i was on about chica ,he is the best ,to me anyway

he built a bike which sank to its frame instead of having a stand of any sort

his paint was best ive ever seen as was his bike!!

Dave Perewitz is good

THEY ALL SEEM GOOD

Martin brothers didnt do it for me although they arnt bad

(my own opinion) only seen on tv but there it is

I just had a real good job done on an old triumph 2 tone

tank and mudguards with stripes and gold outlines $800.00 (cheap over here)

i can smell the oil when i see choppers being built on tv

so will watch anything to do with bikes

not sure on harley, V jap, V brit bike yet!!

sometimes feel jap are too smooth

like look of a v twin

like seperate gearbox

like chrome

only ridden jap so far so will find out

Indians are my favorite bike

[prometheus578]

paint scheme

SuperDave,
My new paint project.
Remember that old easter egg stuff? Not the colored dye, but.... You'd fill a bowl with water, and then pour in different colored paints or something and swirl it around. (They wouldn't mix, but remained separate). Then you'd dip the egg through it , (through the swirled mess), and pull out something like a '60's drug induced, hallucinogenic nightmare! I've got the spare tanks and a 55 gallon drum for dipping...... just need the stuff.
Found a site from a guy in Nevada that does guitars and such, but my 'puter keeps freezing everytime I open the site. Has directions and all, but all I can read before it crashes is to use urethane paints.
Man, that'd be the tank from hell!