American Chopper

[bennylaird]

What is it with the success of this show? (Foxtel)

I have every episode and can't wait for the next.

Is it the workmanship, akin to woodworking in a sense?

The bikes?

The (staged I'm sure) arguments between the Pauls?

Mickeys antics?

Their lack of respect for most things except bikes?

[craigb]

I didn't vote 'cause you don't have an option for "what a waste of money".

I've watched the show a few times but I've got to say that I don't get it.

They spend heaps of dough making these ridiculous looking bikes that must be absolute pigs to ride.

What ever floats your boat I suppose but it doesn't work for me.

Same with American Hot Rod. I don't see the point. If I was going to spend the hundreds of thousands of dollars these things cost I'd sooner buy a Ferrari.

[bennylaird]

Often wonder the same sort of thing. They are more a display item. When they leave off a front brake I start to wonder. Guess I just like the arty side.

Give me a nice handling nostalgic bike anyday, a Vincent preferably.

[HappyHammer]

You guys sound like a pair of old farts.....

Craig, One mans chopper is another mans Planer....

It's about the skill involved in creating the bikes and the personalities of the people involved that has made it a success. Ewen McGregor stopped in on them on his "Long Way Round" trip and rode the bikes and said they were surprisingly comfortable.

HH.

[redwood]

Often wonder the same sort of thing. They are more a display item. When they leave off a front brake I start to wonder. Guess I just like the arty side.

Give me a nice handling nostalgic bike anyday, a Vincent preferably.

Benny just stick with that magnificent F1 of yours... better than any chopper crap. 15 years ago i had a 354 in mint condition. small but what caracter back those days i done the kew boulavarde heaps.... ooooh what fun ... hear their is speed humps their now:mad:

[bennylaird]

I think they thought speed bumps would either slow bikes down or kill more riders?

It's just fun getting the front wheel up as you get close then power on over..............

[bennylaird]

You guys sound like a pair of old farts.....

HH.

Don't get me wrong I love them

Just like to see them ridden as well, seeing how most braking comes from the front wheel you would have to take it a bit easier in traffic?

[craigb]

You guys sound like a pair of old farts.....

Yes, and your point is?

I'm not disparaging their skill, especially the blokes who make the hot rods. They are terrific metalworkers.

They just don't appeal to me because I think they are crass and ridiculous wastes of money.

Loud, overbearing and in your face. That's probably why they are American choppers/hot rods.

If others like them though that's fine by me too.

[redwood]

Yes, and your point is?

I'm not disparaging their skill, especially the blokes who make the hot rods. They are terrific metalworkers.

They just don't appeal to me because I think they are crass and ridiculous wastes of money.

Loud, overbearing and in your face. That's probably why they are American choppers/hot rods.

If others like them though that's fine by me too.

The American chopper/hot rod thing is like french louis the wat ever furniture. very very skillfull workmanship but very tasteless at the same time. i go back to bennys honda f1, now that is an object of motor cycle beauty

[bennylaird]

Not actually mine this one but identical apart from the bars.

[redwood]

Not actually mine this one but identical apart from the bars.

do you have a pic of yours:confused: that was an era for bikes that had class, just look at the kwaka 9, when the katana and cb1100 (it was a beautifull bike but sporned all the race bike look we have now) came out that was the start of the decline in style

[bennylaird]

Will chase a pic up.

Loved the Orange K900 (a friends) even if it high sided me once.

Both the Katana and CB1100 had great style, rememering the days you had to add your own before the multitude of factory finished cafe racers hit.

Even enjoyed a terrifying time on an original Kwaka 500 Triple, rubber frame and helium in the front wheel. Nothing like burbling past a car at 65MPH then powering on and screaming past front wheel in the air.

Or the Dunstall Norton on the Taxiways at RAAF Base East Sale, no way you could get the pedals to scrape on that one. The F1 exhaust was bad for scraping, had to keep welding on patches.......

[redwood]

Will chase a pic up.

Loved the Orange K900 (a friends) even if it high sided me once.

remember Stone and the kwaka 9`s

Both the Katana and CB1100 had great style, rememering the days you had to add your own before the multitude of factory finished cafe racers hit.

They did have style especialy the second CB1100RD and the same time yamaha brought out the RD-LC bikes that went onto the RZ. but it was the begining of the end

Even enjoyed a terrifying time on an original Kwaka 500 Triple, rubber frame and helium in the front wheel. Nothing like burbling past a car at 65MPH then powering on and screaming past front wheel in the air.

:eek: i was pillioned as a kid on a 750 tripple as was scared shi&^*ss. greg hansford was getting 300 clicks in the late 70`s on conrod on one of them and warren willing got 320 on the TZ750 in 1979 which was the demise of the 2 strokes in the super bikes ... to fast Ahhhh the good ol days

[bennylaird]

remember Stone and the kwaka 9`s

I have the soundtrack record still somewhere.

They did have style especialy the second CB1100RD and the same time yamaha brought out the RD-LC bikes that went onto the RZ. but it was the begining of the end

Only prob was the cost of a new exhaust on the CB1100

:eek: i was pillioned as a kid on a 750 tripple as was scared shi&^*ss. greg hansford was getting 300 clicks in the late 70`s on conrod on one of them and warren willing got 320 on the TZ750 which was the demise of the 2 strokes in the super bikes ... to fast Ahhhh the good ol days

Used to love Hansford, and Ray Quincy before his accident. Out at Calder sitting near the esses.

Used to get long arms with every gearchange on the triples and had to have the taillight surgically removed from pillions

[bitingmidge]

It's about the skill involved in creating the bikes

Ohhh yes, let me see, the muffler dude is late delivering the pipe, the pedal guy is nowhere to be seen, but at least we have got stuff from the engine shop, the spoke shop has finished the wheels, has that mudguard arrived yet? The tank is out being painted at the tank paint shop, the upholstery dude/shop is on holidays........... The design bit is fun, but the "skill" bit is really overblown.. the chopper build-off show gave a great example of that when our mate Scotty working from his shed in Uralla actually did make every part, made the other blokes look a bit like the mail order jockeys they are!

and the personalities of the people involved that has made it a success..

It's a pity when possessing the lowest denominator of human manners and communication skills makes one a "personality". Perhaps I should shout profanities at my kids, that might be good for my career.

Ewen McGregor stopped in on them on his "Long Way Round" trip and rode the bikes and said they were surprisingly comfortable.

Notice he wasn't surprised about the way they handled or

Having ridden a few of the old generation, I can tell you, they are "surprisingly" comfortable. The sort of surprise one gets while urinating on a fence one didn't know was electrified. Or perhaps accidentally sitting on ones own testicles. :eek:

"Surprising", yes that'll please the sponsors.

Much of the culture is about masochism and manliness, and the sort of surprising comfort that comes from getting one of your willy-studs caught in the kitchen garbage grinder...

.... But as an "art" form, along with rods and custom cars, they have a place, some are exquisitely detailed pieces of sculpture (see scotty's link above) and I like 'em.:eek:

Cheers,

P