American Chopper

[red_dog]

I know the show has been around for a couple of years, but of recent in the land of OZ it has picked up in popularity a fair bit.
I've seen a few episodes on the Discovery Channel, and I also bought both available 'Tool Boxes'.
For those that haven't seen the show - it's a must (at least once)
There is something about the show that can appeal to every one.
I don't like Motor bikes all that much, but you don't have to, to be able to appreciate what these guys do.

But there is something that has annoyed me about how the shows have been marketed in Australia.
In the US the DVD sells as a 'Season' (13 episodes - 6 discs).
In Australia the first Season has been broken up into 3 'Tool Boxes' (3 or so episodes each - 3 disc box sets)

WTF is with that!!!??

[danv]

For those that haven't seen the show - it's a must (at least once)
There is something about the show that can appeal to every one.
I don't like Motor bikes all that much, but you don't have to, to be able to appreciate what these guys do.

And what is it exactly that these guys do do?

[NCR600]

They make 'motorbikes' that are unrideable, with little or no engineering skill, and behave like professional wrestlers, and get paid shitloads for it.

Top entertainment!

[Rik]

Does anyone else think that we're getting a bit more conservative as people, and that shows like this are the only escape for some middle-aged man stuck in his life path to escape and dream for a bit? It seems it to me.
Not saying that some of the work isn't impressive (for big dumb lumps of metal), but the way it's all pitched really doesn't do anything for me.

[bolzy]

all they do is fight and build choppers.i saw it in wollies

[red_dog]

Keeping in mind that the T.V. show is edited to be entertaining, a lot of smaller facts are left out.
These guys are well off for one reason - they work hard!!!!!!!
The O.C.C. was created because Paul Snr. built an empire from his other business Orange County Iron Works.
Also it seems as tho all that Paul Snr. does is sit around an bitch. But he's made plenty of Bikes of his own.
And I don't imagine that it is that easy to build a bike from scratch, for those who think it is!
I think the designs are well thought out, don't forget these things sell for between $50,000.00 and $150,000.00 US!!
You can't argue with that, no matter you thoughts................

[aday]

Yeh I saw a episode yesterday. It was when they built a chopper for a Nascar team. They sold it to them for $150,000 USD. They only had 3 weeks to do it and they did it. It was really funny when they dropped two bikes of the benches on the ground. I thought it was really good to watch and they dont edit out the fights between each other and it shows how frustrated they can get.

[villy]

I recon that its a preaty cool show. Like im not very into motobikes but i really love to watch the show. Some of the bikes that they make are absolutly crazy.

[nathan floramo]

I don't know if it was the same show or not as I was channel flicking while on holiday a few weeks ago, but saw a perfectly good NASCAR get butchered into a street sweeper. Had to ask myself why, what waste of time but it was mildly entertaining.

[lotec]

I don't know if it was the same show or not as I was channel flicking while on holiday a few weeks ago, but saw a perfectly good NASCAR get butchered into a street sweeper. Had to ask myself why, what waste of time but it was mildly entertaining.
wouldnt have been american chopper, i know the one your thinking of but cant remember the name

[jow]

Monster Garage with Jesse James or somthing like that...

[nathan floramo]

Yeah, thats the one. I remember seeing Jesse James in it. There was an American Chopper promo in it that got me confused I reckon. Its not hard to do.

[blt2ride]

West Coast Chopper is Jesse James' shop. However, there are so many of these shows now, I can't even begin to keep straight. Jesse James is my favorite of these shows...

[johnny]

I would say that they are more sculptures than rideable bikes. I would also say that the blokes on the show are deadset tools, the self proclaimed hero type that are way hung up on their own tough guy biker image.

BTW, old bottles of wine that are now vineagar sell for millions, yet they are worthless when it comes to use value. The point I'm making is that just because some one pays big bucks for something, doesn't mean it's actually worth it.

The phrase " a fool and his maney are soon parted" comes to mind.......

[matty_2004]

The bikes they make are awesome, even if they're not 0-100 in 2sec bikes, they're still an awesome piece of machinery. Not everyone likes sitting on a hard as a rock, rigid, high reving Asian motorbike. My dad and uncle used to ride Yamaha R1's until they realised how bloody uncomfortable they were for cruising reaonsable distances on, they're fun for a whole 2 weeks. Now they have American Ironhorse Choppers (arrived yesterday, possibly the only ones in Australia, they imported them themselves).

I'll try and get some photos once the wheels and engines go in (some dodgy law meant they had to disassemble the bikes before they could go on the shipping containers.

The show itself is fairly funny and good to watch, interesting in some aspects but sometimes very lame in others (espcially the fat curly haired guy).


P.S, they sound awesome !

Cheers, MattyJ.

[johnny]

The bikes they make are awesome, even if they're not 0-100 in 2sec bikes, they're still an awesome piece of machinery. Not everyone likes sitting on a hard as a rock, rigid, high reving Asian motorbike. .

I ride an '81 Sturgis softail limited edition (that's a Harley BTW ;) ).

I wouldn't be caught dead on one of those Yank Wank chopper pieces of image crap.

I don't look down on anyone else who does, it's horses for courses baby. But I can't stand them!

[scottmeister]

The bikes they make are awesome, even if they're not 0-100 in 2sec bikes, they're still an awesome piece of machinery. Not everyone likes sitting on a hard as a rock, rigid, high reving Asian motorbike.

Not all Jap bikes are "rigid", "hard as rock" and constantly revving tons at highway speeds. What about super tourers like my dads Hayabusa...faster than R1s, yet bigger, comfier, and can cruise long distances with gear ratios to suit (1st gear runs to 110km/h). I'd take a big nice Jap tourer over an ugly yank chopper than handles like a dragbike with square-edged slicks and goes like crap anyway. Except for Buell. Mmmm Buell. :D

[matty_2004]

You do realise the massive bars (yes i know this is why they're called choppers), and all the pretty cnc'ed parts are only optional? The bikes my dad and that are getting are basically Harley's on steroids. . .Just wait for the photos and just realise they're not all wank machines.

[johnny]

I think it's the length of the rake that's the issue, not so much the bars. Anyway, aren't most choppers rigid?

As I said, I don't look down on people that like them, I just don't fancy them myself.

Also, I agree with Red Dog's WTF?! concerning the DVD package. Don't you just hate greedy pricks like that! :mad:

[Kookman]

The bikes those guys make are awesome. The Black Widow bike they made was insane. the fabrication and the detail put into them are incredible and all the other shows are just cheap takeoffs.

[matty_2004]

For those of you that like them, here's dad's:

P.S - He's still building it.

[Rik]

What bikes are hard as a rock? Rigid? With a solid unsuspended rear end, hrm...
Looks practical.

[scottmeister]

For those of you that like them, here's dad's:

P.S - He's still building it.

Sissy. :p

[matty_2004]

Nice bikes.

People say that choppers are impractical, but it depends what you're using it for. They're not made for racetracks like an R1/GSX, but for cruising they're laid back and comfortable, where as an R1 sucks for cruising, hence why my uncle and dad have got rid of theirs, because all they did were cruising trips.

Being a young bloke and not an old fart, i still like racey bikes and comfort wouldn't really worry me, but choppers like OCC's and IronHorses have so much bling/wank factor, they look nuts, and sound awesome.

[CHEWY]

So they didnt like their rigid, uncomfortable bad touring R1s so they go buy some HT choppers??
Riiight...

[matty_2004]

I'm telling you now even from the little rides i've had on both, the IronHorse is much more comfortable, especially the seat and riding position.

[NCR600]

The key word here is 'little' rides. While I can't say I've ever ridden a rigid chopper for more than a few minutes myself, I know people who have, and while they love their bikes, there is NO WAY they'd EVER say that they were comfortable! I've seen what these bikes can do to a to a tyre in less than 1000 k's because you have to run it at 10 psi to give it some sort of suspension or else your kidneys explode.

The ergonomics of these bikes are truly a triumph of form over function, all yor weight goes directly through your spine, unlike on a sports bike, where your arms support some of your weight, and unlike a proper tourer, your legs are stuck way out in front, spread out like you were in birthing stirrups. Because of the riding position , at speeds of over about 80 km/h the wind tries to pull you backwards off the bike, resulting in a bike that is crippling to ride for more than about 30 minutes or an hour at a stretch.

Just like to vent a bit over the engineering skill of some of these builders too. The vast majority of these bikes are not true custom bikes, they are catalogue customs, ie, you pick all your parts out of the Custom Chrome, Chrome Specs or Arlen Ness (or any one of the other massive 'custom' parts catalogues) and provided you've been smart enough to pick out compatible parts, you've built yourself a chopper, boy!

No different to what people do here on Farkin... I want this frame, these forks, these brakes, etc, except on Farkin most folks choose parts because of how they work rather than how they look. And MTB parts are cheaper!

And before anyone slags me off about hating choppers and stuff, I used to sell stuff out of those catalogues I mentioned for a living, I appreciate the effort that goes into the bikes, think some look quite cool, and would even think about building one myself one day when I get tired of fiddling about with ancient Italian racing motorcycles, just don't kid yourself that they're more useful, or somehow better than even a basic, box stock Jappa.

Did anyone see the World Biker Build Off show? The Aussie bike should have won, it was the only bike out of the 3 that was actually built, those guys from Uralla built the frame and all the metalwork themselves, out of ally, rather than ordering it out of a book. Now that's a true custom bike. (just don't ask me to ride it further than around the block!)

[Rik]

I think I remember that show, the Aussies were doing their own fabrication all the way up until the night before shipping it, weren't they? Yet the Americans biggest dramas was getting incompatible parts to bolt together. Pfft, "custom" :rolleyes:

[CRS01]

NCR600 is right. in the american chopper shows iv seen they have most of the parts made off site or get them from catalogues and bolt them together in the shop. all the decorative work that goes into the theme of the bike is fabricated at O.C.C and they solve all the little pain in the arse problems which occure as a result of matching different companies components, but non of the real engineering is their work. i could be mistaken as im not a dedicated viewer, but it seems to me that monster garage is the better show if you like innovative fabrication.