Trends that have come and gone.
#41
11-20-2010, 03:30 PM
Road Master
A agree that the two wheel boats are the thing right now (see sig pic). I do think there is a niche growing for the Sucker Punch Sally group (I could ride one of them). I also think the MoCo is correct in expanding the Sportster line. My 05 883 was nothing like what they have coming out now with the Iron and Nightster. Bobers are the "personality bikes" today.
#42
11-20-2010, 03:35 PM
They give me way too much to work with , it's too easy .
It's kinda like who is a biker or what is one kinda thing all over again . 20 - 30 yr ago if you wanted a chopper you either got started on the project yourself with some buddies or you went to local custom shop and worked with those guys to shape the bike the way you wanted it . You buy stacks of chopper mag's , haunt the swap meets , pour over parts catalogs the few we had then you got the hacksaw and the welder out .
Now it's all about throwing down the Master Card , I want that one do you have it in blue ? Everybody is all about instant gratification today gotta have it now . You put nothing into something and you'll never get anything back , kinda shallow isn't it ? Ok that was cool for while , now what do I do ? Oh I need a new toy , what about .......... .
Sounds adult ADHD to me .
It's kinda like who is a biker or what is one kinda thing all over again . 20 - 30 yr ago if you wanted a chopper you either got started on the project yourself with some buddies or you went to local custom shop and worked with those guys to shape the bike the way you wanted it . You buy stacks of chopper mag's , haunt the swap meets , pour over parts catalogs the few we had then you got the hacksaw and the welder out .
Now it's all about throwing down the Master Card , I want that one do you have it in blue ? Everybody is all about instant gratification today gotta have it now . You put nothing into something and you'll never get anything back , kinda shallow isn't it ? Ok that was cool for while , now what do I do ? Oh I need a new toy , what about .......... .
Sounds adult ADHD to me .
and everyone is getting so damn spoiled by their cages and they gotta have all that crap on their fancy bikes too !!!
It's pretty sad how soft the Motorcycling community has become as a whole...
In my totally unprofessional opinion ...
#43
11-20-2010, 03:57 PM
Road Master
If I win the lottery tonight, Indian Larry's shop starts work on my new bike tomorrow. I'll take a rigid pan/shiovel with a springer, scalloped tank, baker kicker, twisted downtube, apes with none of those messy controls/levers, typical Larry velocity stacks, jockey shift, rootbeer metalflake.
Something like this with maybe a little less chrome and rake:
Something like this with maybe a little less chrome and rake:
#44
11-20-2010, 05:24 PM
Cruiser
I know all about the floor falling out of the chopper market. I traded my 06' GSXR 1000
for an 09' Big Bear Venom Chopper
The PO handed me a clean pink and receipts for $40K from the the build. 117" S&S, Shorty carb, TONS of WCC parts, it was nice, but I'll take my Bagger over it any day.
for an 09' Big Bear Venom Chopper
The PO handed me a clean pink and receipts for $40K from the the build. 117" S&S, Shorty carb, TONS of WCC parts, it was nice, but I'll take my Bagger over it any day.
#46
11-20-2010, 05:48 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
I think choppers are cool. However, who needs a 9 to 11 foot long bike? I could see a few inches more wheelbase to my FatBoy but that's about it. I also like HORIZONTAL, not almost VERTICAL gas tanks that you can hardly see over. What's with that?
#47
11-20-2010, 07:30 PM
I know all about the floor falling out of the chopper market. I traded my 06' GSXR 1000
for an 09' Big Bear Venom Chopper
The PO handed me a clean pink and receipts for $40K from the the build. 117" S&S, Shorty carb, TONS of WCC parts, it was nice, but I'll take my Bagger over it any day.
for an 09' Big Bear Venom Chopper
The PO handed me a clean pink and receipts for $40K from the the build. 117" S&S, Shorty carb, TONS of WCC parts, it was nice, but I'll take my Bagger over it any day.
That's a heck of a trade. Maybe it seems better to me because I hate sport bikes so much, but still...
I saw a guy complete the entire MSF Experienced Rider Course riding a chopper just that size.
#48
11-20-2010, 07:38 PM
Cruiser
Hate em or not, at the most you can pull $9,000 for the GSXR, I sold the chopper for $17,500 in 2 days..
#49
11-20-2010, 08:05 PM
Grand HDF Member
The recent chopper "craze" can best be described as ostentatious; especially if you were around in the "real" days.....
#50
11-20-2010, 08:18 PM
With choppers it's always cyclical, it seems. They come and go. They come back, and then when they start getting a little too ridiculous, they go. I loved 'em in the '60s, then they got goofy with 40"over front ends, teeny little front wheels, humped back K&Q seats with backrests 6 feet high, etc. In the 90s, they started out as clean, stripped machines with hot-rodded mills...so far so good. Then 300 rear tires, those stupid Headwinds headlights, splashy paint jobs and more crap being bolted on.
It seems like choppers kind of fade when they get too excessive...the very thing a chopper is NOT supposed to be. Some of those wide-tired monstrosities look like they don't even need a kick stand. Choppers will come back in a big way again and then over-indulgence will kill 'em again.
Old stock bikes and bobbers never seem to go out of style, though.
It seems like choppers kind of fade when they get too excessive...the very thing a chopper is NOT supposed to be. Some of those wide-tired monstrosities look like they don't even need a kick stand. Choppers will come back in a big way again and then over-indulgence will kill 'em again.
Old stock bikes and bobbers never seem to go out of style, though.