Of all places I'm surprised someone would raise that question here. Na! I'm really not surprised now that I think about it.

 

GpysyLady:

That's cheating. Your bike has just the right amount of cool "old school" look.

The choppers I think that are being generally being referenced in this thread are the "outer space" looking bikes from the past while.

Back to the OP: Perhaps some may have gone a bit "too far" for the majority of tastes?

Sort of like some of the concept cars that Detroit used to come up with: Hitting the far reaches of style and performance... but usually way too far out there in regards to looks.

Gotta' admit though, most of the modern choppers I've seen locally do look pretty bad-azz.

 

As much as I love Choppers, the ones you see today generally are eye candy and get loads of attention, however if you have/want to ride 200+ miles with the OL (and her stuff) they just don't cut it.

I had a very custom Fatboy, lovely to look at, but try riding more than 50 miles 1-up or 10 miles with a passenger and you regretted it. My RK might not win anything in the looks department but I know I can get on it and ride 300+ miles (1 or 2 up) with no problem.

 

Me, too. That's a beautiful ride there, Gypsylady.

 

Mine is a "custom" not a "chopper" (a chopper is, and always was, taking a torch to a stock bike.) I built my custom from the frame up in my garage and I don't think you are considering how much joy there is in that. Sure, it's exciting to walk into a dealership and write a check and ride away but it's nothing compared to bringing a bike to life with your own hands. The first time you rode yours you and the bike were strangers. The first time I rode mine we were already good and old friends. I know every nut, bolt and wire on my bike because I put it there. And when it was done I didn't have to spend the next year bolting on doodads as the bike started life exactly the way I wanted it.

On the other hand I've been to the bike shows (I took home a second place trophy at the 2011 Easyriders show in Los Angeles) and I see many bikes I "don't get" either. I've never seen so many gaudy looking bling barges in my entire life, LOL!

I guess what I'm getting at is don't paint what you're calling "choppers" with such a broad brush. Right now this minute throughout the world there are thousands of blue collar guys hammering, cutting, and filing away in their garages fabricating their own parts out of fire and steel. And between sidewalk commando and hardcore biker we all fall into our individual slots and that's cool and the way it should be. I love looking at customs (and never look twice at stockers, LOL) I look to see how an owner/builder solved this or that particular problem. I try to figure out how and why they did this or that, and sometimes I see something that makes me think, damn, why didn't I think of that!

There's been guys building custom bikes in their home garages for over sixty years and as long as there's a drop of oil to sell and boys who still know how to turn a wrench, there always will be . . .

 

If you have to ask you would not understand. Appears so many of you are complaining and criticizing about something you never rode and just assumed they are what you think they are. I have owned a chopper built by a company for over 5 years now , built one from scratch in the mid 70's and have ridden upwards of 300 miles in a day and never had 1 comfort issue at all. Runs great , cool to ride , fast and I feel great whenever I ride it. It is what it is and if folks don't like it , i could care less......maybe I don't like their bike either, again...who cares. Don't knock them till you try them.

Fortunately, I do have the resources to own a touring bike also so I have the best of both worlds. If I had a choice of only one, it would be the touring , just for the record, but I still love my chopper and would not give it up for anything. They have their place just like a touring bike or a cruiser.

 

This is how it should be done!
Got the right stance with just enough old skool looks,

 

The old chop from the jackpine races {sturgis}, and i find it funny, {or more pissed} that Harley don't even make a dirt bike, if they did one would be sitting by my o'l Heritage.

 

A buddy is having a Sportser engine put in an aftermarket softail frame.
He's 72 yrs old and still loves his custom bikes.

He loves to ride and is happy doing it. Who am I to fault him.

 

Chopper like OCC are like everything else....FADS! They come and go and there will always be someone that loves what no one likes any more.

I like a "custom" over a "chopper" any day of the week. I can understand why people like choppers.....it is just that I wouldn't spend my money on one. There has to be a good combo of looks, form and function.

Then again, If I did win the lottery, I'd have Matt Hotch build me a black and graphite Chingon!