I always wanted a chopper, heres one being sold locally....
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/mcy/305590177.html

nothing against harleys in general, but if i was going to spend 13K on a bike, i always thought i would just get a chopper instead. What are some of the negative aspects of getting a chopper like the one above....other than the high price.....is it hard to find parts for them when they break down? Are they high performance machines that need alot of care? What are some of the things someone should look for when buying one? Not that i have the money now, i barely had enough to get aused sportster, but someday i would like to get one.

 

I think it would be neat to have one but only as a second bike. I like to travel too much and you don't dress out a chopper.Good around town and bar hopper.

 

Good Bar Hoppers, Not good on the long trips.

 

Before I 'retired' my 1949 Panhead chopper (hardtail) it was my main form of transportation for a number of years back in the 1970's.

They aren't any more difficult to maintain than any Harley, but of course it depends on how well it was built, engine and tranny used, etc. Mine was a Panhead engine, and of course they are going to require more maintenance than if a modern big twin TC engine was in the same bike.

As far as the 'comfort thing', no doubt a hardtail chopper isn't going to ride as smoothly as a Harley with a rear suspension. Many newer choppers are built on a Softail type frame, so they still 'look' like a hardtail, but still have an operational rear suspension.

I use to ride my Panhead (hardtail) chopper all around the country, and it didn't bother me that much.

But some people require more comfort than others, and would not even consider taking a long distance bike ride on anything less than a full blown touring model.

 

The chopper shown on the link is a soft tail not a hardtail. It could be ridden for hours at a time without rider discomfort.

 

how do you know the difference between a hardtail and a softtail?

 

Well the most obvious way to tell is that it says softail in the description of the bike on that link.

 

how do you know the difference between a hardtail and a softtail?
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Well the most obvious way to tell is that it says softail in the description of the bike on that link.
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The description for one as PigInaBlanket stated andsecondly just by looking at the frame.

 

Ground clearance can be a problem with choppers. They don't handle nearly as well as a bike with a normal rake. Those big wide tires are expensive. They're usually a lot heavier than a Sportster. The one in the ad has a rev tech 100" motor. Those are not American made. I think they're Korean. My mechanic swears by them. It might be fun for a little while, but in the end I see this chopper craze fading out. Besides, RUBs love them.

 

RUBS love harleys more ha ha. Thanks for the help guys.