Feb 18, 2015, 06:03 PM
Last edit by: IB Advertising
Motorcycle styles are constantly evolving. The style of choppers have also changed and look different from the original choppers of the 1970's. People will continue to customize motorcycles as long as they have a creative spirit.
Read the full discussion below to find out where all the choppers went.
Read the full discussion below to find out where all the choppers went.
Is the days of the "Chopper" gone?
Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,870
Likes: 499
From: Alberta
The guys that can build stuff by hand are still there, always will be, but media coverage depends on selling advertising. The OCC type stuff was a parody for the marketplace; money will buy you fashion but not style.
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 605
Likes: 2
From: North Dakota
I think it's how you define a chopper. To me a real chopper is not something you buy from a manufacturer. It's something you make your own. You have a bike and a vision of what it is supposed to be. You build it to that vision. When you buy one from someone like OCC it's just a bike.
With that said I have my vision. Already have some of the "paints" on the way and will soon be ordering my "canvas".
With that said I have my vision. Already have some of the "paints" on the way and will soon be ordering my "canvas".
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,749
Likes: 16
From: sand mountain Alabama
How many stretched bikes do you see folks building now? I don't mean pros doing it for a show or big money.
I haven't done a chopper in many many years but I have done some builds.
I'm too old for hard tails and long front ends now.
For me it takes more than bolt on parts to be built, that's just replacing parts.
I do a lot of fab work on my bikes. I do not do complete bikes much now. I do a lot of fab work to make things work.
Believe it or not I went to school to learn fab and be a certified welder just to fab parts for my bikes. School was a blast but doing it at home was and is more enjoyable. If you need any help fabing let me know.
I'm slow though. I do it all by hand.
dd
I haven't done a chopper in many many years but I have done some builds.
I'm too old for hard tails and long front ends now.
For me it takes more than bolt on parts to be built, that's just replacing parts.
I do a lot of fab work on my bikes. I do not do complete bikes much now. I do a lot of fab work to make things work.
Believe it or not I went to school to learn fab and be a certified welder just to fab parts for my bikes. School was a blast but doing it at home was and is more enjoyable. If you need any help fabing let me know.
I'm slow though. I do it all by hand.
dd
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 605
Likes: 2
From: North Dakota
How many stretched bikes do you see folks building now? I don't mean pros doing it for a show or big money.
I haven't done a chopper in many many years but I have done some builds.
I'm too old for hard tails and long front ends now.
For me it takes more than bolt on parts to be built, that's just replacing parts.
I do a lot of fab work on my bikes. I do not do complete bikes much now. I do a lot of fab work to make things work.
Believe it or not I went to school to learn fab and be a certified welder just to fab parts for my bikes. School was a blast but doing it at home was and is more enjoyable. If you need any help fabing let me know.
I'm slow though. I do it all by hand.
dd
I haven't done a chopper in many many years but I have done some builds.
I'm too old for hard tails and long front ends now.
For me it takes more than bolt on parts to be built, that's just replacing parts.
I do a lot of fab work on my bikes. I do not do complete bikes much now. I do a lot of fab work to make things work.
Believe it or not I went to school to learn fab and be a certified welder just to fab parts for my bikes. School was a blast but doing it at home was and is more enjoyable. If you need any help fabing let me know.
I'm slow though. I do it all by hand.
dd
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,181
Likes: 98
From: north of the south pole
Choppers were always about LOOKS. Chop the frame neck, rake it and extend the front. I never like them. They ride like ****. I don't ride to be seen & I don't care who sees me tooling down the blvd. I ride for the thrill & adrenalin rush I get going fast.
I've always liked performance mods for drive trains, suspension & ground clearance. Improving the capabilities of the machine, since the late 60's.
I've always liked performance mods for drive trains, suspension & ground clearance. Improving the capabilities of the machine, since the late 60's.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,217
Likes: 90
From: Detroit
Like Union said, it depends on what you mean by a chopper. It's been many things over the years.
Originally, it was taking some big-ol' Harley (used police bikes purchased at auction were popular) and chopping off as much as you could to make it lighter and faster. Apes started getting popular in the early sixties. Extended front ends, with and without added rake in the late sixties. Then custom frames that mimicked the appearance of a rigid frame, but with some kind of suspension. Frames with added stretch and rise. Extra-wide rear tires. A "pro-street" looking phase, etc.
Now, I guess a chopper is whatever someone wants to call a chopper, except that it's still probably going to look pretty stripped down, and not much like a touring bike.
Dynas a pretty close to the original intent.... a more light and nimble bike, with the larger engine.
Originally, it was taking some big-ol' Harley (used police bikes purchased at auction were popular) and chopping off as much as you could to make it lighter and faster. Apes started getting popular in the early sixties. Extended front ends, with and without added rake in the late sixties. Then custom frames that mimicked the appearance of a rigid frame, but with some kind of suspension. Frames with added stretch and rise. Extra-wide rear tires. A "pro-street" looking phase, etc.
Now, I guess a chopper is whatever someone wants to call a chopper, except that it's still probably going to look pretty stripped down, and not much like a touring bike.
Dynas a pretty close to the original intent.... a more light and nimble bike, with the larger engine.
Last edited by Warp Factor; Jan 11, 2015 at 04:58 AM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,403
Likes: 72
From: North Dakota
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