American chopper

[MelvinsArmy]

So glad I don't have tv. I saw one or two episodes in the first season at my parents' house and thought it was about the dumbest thing I've ever seen. A bunch of whiny crybabies who build ugly motorcycles.

[Y'ernat Al]

So glad I don't have tv...

Toche, but you miss some good things too. The episode of Overhaulin' when Chip Foose gets his '56 Ford F100 done is a great example. Likely staged to an extent (like he didn't stop and think where the thing might be when it went missing ) but an awesome, even heart-string-tugging episode. Score one for the nice guys in the world. Too bad that the "come off like a jerk" formula (Sr. Tuttle, Boyd Coddington RIP, etc) has had so much traction. But it may have finally "jumped the shark" as they say.

[drbelleville]

Its a sad story, seems the old man got caught up in the fame, and like everyone knows, treats the family like crap. If I remember correct the Grandma lives in an Old Folks home ?????? He treated everyone like crap, and regardless how many drugs he did and his sons as well, he should at least have their best interest at heart. He should not talk negatively of his son(s) - he set the bad example! I feel bad for Mikey at times, although he is "Special" he brings something to the plate that senior just does not recognize. I wrote the show off years ago, although admittedly i still watch (just to see what the sons are up too). OCC just tried to copy everyone - Billy Lane, Russell Mitchell, Hank Young, Roger Goldammer etc. I wish the best of luck to the Sons!

[treehugger]

i agree money cant buy you the love and respect of you family he will end up old and alone his trophy partner will have left for the next ride .
i remember the early shows ,the old man made a big thing about being filmed visting his mother and you could tell by her reaction that this was not the norm

Paul

[Johnboy72]

The thing is, as the show evolves, they are changed. They become actors. I don't care if they put a "reality" title on their show. Fact is, show biz is show biz. Also, they can do some amazing stuff even when the cameras are off! I was on VH1's Military Diaries back in 2001. With all the footage we shot, after editing, I seem like a whiny little ____. Why? Because I guess they thought the one hour worth of footage I had on me "complaining" about being deployed away from my wife and newborn baby got more ratings then a month of day to day worklife!

[PBR Allstar]

So glad I don't have tv. I saw one or two episodes in the first season at my parents' house and thought it was about the dumbest thing I've ever seen. A bunch of whiny crybabies who build ugly motorcycles.

I don't think that "getting a frame from the frame shop, pulling a powerhead out of an s&s box, getting the airbrush guy from down the street" and assembling said pieces constitutes "building a motorcycle" and for the record, yes,, all are ugly

So many good builders out there that are constantly resetting the bar that get no credit.


Trevelen
Zero Inc (insane japanese shop)
Falcon
Wrench Monkees
Rico Fodrey
Jason Jessee
Cole Foster
Max Schaff (one of my artistic heros)
Jesse Rooke (even though his style is not my personal taste)
Caleb Owens (cro customs, the sporty with symetrical 23" wheels he built is one of my faves)

Lastly I'm going to throw in Tim Conder who is a good friend of mine, one of the most incredible underground chopper builders and metal flake artists to ever walk the earth.

[MelvinsArmy]

So glad I don't have tv. I saw one or two episodes in the first season at my parents' house and thought it was about the dumbest thing I've ever seen. A bunch of whiny crybabies who build ugly motorcycles.

I don't think that "getting a frame from the frame shop, pulling a powerhead out of an s&s box, getting the airbrush guy from down the street" and assembling said pieces constitutes "building a motorcycle" and for the record, yes,, all are ugly

Interesting. What would you call the process then, if it is not building a motorcycle?

[shodog]

I don't think that "getting a frame from the frame shop, pulling a powerhead out of an s&s box, getting the airbrush guy from down the street" and assembling said pieces constitutes "building a motorcycle" and for the record, yes,, all are ugly

So many good builders out there that are constantly resetting the bar that get no credit.

I would agree and disagree to an extent. While the frame is made somewhere else, it has to be designed by them to fit whatever scheme their doing. Are the bikes over the top, out of the norm of what a real rider would ride?, yes of course but there are over the top things in every genre of motorsports.

As for other talented builders not getting recognition, the same can be said for Musical artists. I've heard bands at clubs that are ten times better than the $hit they play on the radios. It all boils down to who you know and who you blow.

[PBR Allstar]

So glad I don't have tv. I saw one or two episodes in the first season at my parents' house and thought it was about the dumbest thing I've ever seen. A bunch of whiny crybabies who build ugly motorcycles.

I don't think that "getting a frame from the frame shop, pulling a powerhead out of an s&s box, getting the airbrush guy from down the street" and assembling said pieces constitutes "building a motorcycle" and for the record, yes,, all are ugly

Interesting. What would you call the process then, if it is not building a motorcycle?

Assembly.


I know my reply seemed a bit biased, I mean those guys were on the map long before TLC made a show about them. I certainly do not think the program shows the artistic and mechanical talent it takes to "build" a custom machine. I always think back to the countless times I've seen on of the guys on the show beating a gearbox into its mounts with a B.F. deadblow hammers, or watching someone drill a half inch hole in a bracket thats clamped in a vise with an electric drill while in the back of the screen there is a wall of drill presses. I often think it's the goal of the editors to make these guys look 50% jackass!

As stated before, I think most of the builds are over the top, ugly to my taste, and all kinda look the same with different bells and whistles, but show me the guy laying down perfect tig beads over in the frame shop, show me the guy wheeling and planishing those fenders and gas tanks so smooth the filler doesn't come out of the cabinet, lets go see the guy's shop that always comes in at the zero hour with beautiful paintwork on the tins! Those guys are the "BUILDERS" not the pauly family circus.....


Also agreed on the music thing, radio of just about all genre's makes me throw up in my mouth a little bit 99% of the time.

[Dirtdiver]

After watching this show a couple of times, why would anyone spend their cash for one of these bikes? I know if I was paying six figures for a bike, I would expect a craftsman to actually design and build it rather than assembling outsourced components. And those crude assembly techniques (let's hope they are only for shock factor on tv) make me want to puke.

[Y'ernat Al]

...if I was paying six figures for a bike, I would expect a craftsman to actually design and build it rather than assembling outsourced components. And those crude assembly techniques (let's hope they are only for shock factor on tv) make me want to puke.

And you should be able to actually get on it and ride somewhere of significant distance. I'm not a biker, but I heard the OCC come with "free" trailers. Speaking of X country rides, there was that hilarious episode of Biker Build off when one of the artists, Billy Lane I think, put the exhaust out under a tubular rear fender and literally fried his A%# trying to ride it!

[fastang]

The whole chopper thing jumped the shark years ago, but of all of the "reality" chopper builders that were ever featured on Discovery, I still follow the artwork created by Billy Lane at Choppers, Inc. I love his style. I can't stand OCCs bikes, but I do like watching people make things with their hands.


For people who enjoy the same types of things, there is a relatively new show on HDtheater called American Craftsmen with the second host from This Old House, Steve Thomas. The last one I watched was about vintage wood boat builders, Van Dam Custom Boats. Awesome stuff.

I agree about Billy Lane. I was at his shop in FL a few years back and he couldn't have been nicer to us. He got in trouble with the law not long after we met him and im not sure he is even out of jail yet?

He is a master at his trade for sure.

[MelvinsArmy]

I get where you're coming from PBR, couldn't agree more. I always thought their bikes were hideous.

Here in Brooklyn lived a builder who I haven't seen mentioned yet, Indian Larry. His style of bike might not be totally my taste, but if you've ever seen one of his machines in the flesh (as I have) it truly is a work of art. I mean, masterfully crafted and just pure class. One of the bikes I saw had it's entire frame made out of chain, that I could not believe.

To me the whole chopper thing is a bit played out at this point. But, I do have a super soft spot for real choppers. Bikes that are built in the tradition of those made in the 60s and 70s. Maybe a bit of flash, but mostly made to scoot. OCC is pretty much the anti thesis to what I'm into when it comes to motorcycles.

[Lowgear]

I was going to mention Indian Larry. I remember he was on that show (Biker Build-Off?) right before he died and the bike he built with Rat Fink on it won.

[treehugger]

i dont know much about bike builders but i like the britt with all the tats he makes some nice old but new build,s real basic leaver shifts lots of mat black white wall,s i just cant remeber his name?
He was on a couple of build offs

Paul