1951 FL Chopper Is a Real ’70s Survivor
Still Stuck in the Swingin’ Seventies? This 1951 FL Chopper Modified in the ’70s Has All the Retro Style You’re Looking For
There’s just something about the 1970s, the decade that brought us disco and bell bottom pants. But despite the sometimes horrible fashion and musical choices, the ’70s gave us some good stuff. Included, of course, are choppers, which are still just as cool today as they were 40 years ago. The 1951 FL Chopper featured here was built in the Seventies and is proof that notion. The classic chopper has it all — from a custom airbrushed tank to a sea of chrome. It is everything you would want in a real chopper. Thus, it’s no wonder it recently generated a lot of attention online when it went up for sale on eBay for $20,000.
Choppers actually surfaced in the ’60s but really gained traction in the ’70s. Considered among the most extreme of custom bikes, they are undeniably cool. Choppers vary greatly but they all feature lengthened forks and wildly modified steering angles.
Along with those long front ends and crazy rake angles, a few other visual cues are common on choppers. They include larger wheels, stretched frames, and extended sissy bars. The wild looks that resulted from these modifications made choppers into stars. Perhaps the most famous of all was “Billy Bike” from the film Easy Rider.
The success of Easy Rider instantly legitimized choppers. And thanks to TV shows like American Chopper and Motorcycle Mania, that popularity lives on today. But while there are plenty of companies that will build you a new chopper, how often do you see a ’70s original?
