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American Chopper

4K views 67 replies 44 participants last post by  Adam 
#1 ·
This about wrenching.

I don't watch much TV, when this does happen it is between 10-11pm and I click around like a maniac. I discovered I like the speed channel and discovery when they cover motorcycles. So I'm giving American Chopper a 10 minute shot. This show has a father and son custon motorcycle shop where they weld original frames on whim an run into all kind of chainline, bolt alignment, and welding issues. This nite they forgot to put on or otherwise messed up a front brake caliper and then snapped the front axle in disassembly to correct the problem. The doof was using an adjustable wrench. Adjustable Wrench?

Part 2. These guys want frames unlie anyone else's. They draw up the lines and weld away like an art studio. Adjust the frame tubes to accept an art-deco exhaust, longer fork rake, anything. Then they drop 150hp motor in and drive like hell. No stress testing, no industrial product engineering, no crash test dummies. Just $30G's.

what excentric wants the exhaust pipes shooting straight up in FRONT of the seat, anyway?

I'll stick to pedaling and using the correct sized tools. And I would never call them doofs to their faces.
 
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#2 ·
let me guess...

they were stressed out because they might not get the bike done on time and the dad yelled at the son for some reason.

I occasionally get sucked into that show but man oh man EVERY episode is exactly the same. It's really amazing to me that there are tons of other "reality-mechanic-TV" shows that follow the same format. Unusual product (cycle, airplane inspired furniture, car, truck, house, etc) has to be built, time is short, tempers flare, it all turns out fine in the end.
 
#3 ·
I watch the show occasionally. I really can't believe how big that company has grown over the last year. They are making bajillions $$ off the chopper fad and that is evident in the new shop they moved into and all the fancy new machines they use. I've noticed several other prominent chopper builders are also doing quite well. Are there that many people really buying these death traps? I mean come on, these things can't be safe to ride, they basically just assemble them and pray they stay together.

Only in America could the chopper fad become this big. I hear OCC makes more money off selling their T-shirts and baseball hats than they do off selling bikes. I saw the damn T-Shirts at JC Penney the other day. Who buys this $hit?!??!?!??!
 
#5 ·
I'll admit it...even though I would NEVER ride a motorcycle again, I am definitely addicted to American Chopper, although I've never seen them chop up a frame. They have all their frames built somewhere else, and they're shipped to OCC.

I think I'm just addicted to watching Pauly Sr. get pissed and go off on a 5 minute rant with the vocabulary of a 12 yr. old.
 
#6 ·
They Have Jumped the Shark...

...in my opinion. It was funny watching them yell at each other the first season or two but now it's gotten pretty lame.

Besides, they are a bunch of hacks. If you want to see some talented builders and nice bikes watch the Biker Buildoff series.
 
#7 ·
A.C. is ssooooo yesterday.....

I use to watch it every week but I finally got bored with it. Like the above posters said: Dad is stressed out, son is chilling out and for the most part their choppers look the same to me. Just changing out decorative features. ie: gas tank is build differently, some stuff added on like the wrenches on the Snap-On bike, different paint job...... They all look like the same bike for the most part. But is sure was funny as hell watching Dad take a couple wrenches to a high end Trek road bike during the Lance bike episode. :D
 
#10 ·
ajoc_prez said:
I kinda prefer that new show called "Southern Steel". These guys (Milwaukee Iron) are true craftsmen, whereas I see the OCC boys as just bike assemblers.
Ironically, OCC buys a bunch of their parts from Milwaukee Iron.

I have to admit that I got sucked into the show at first as well. Lame as it is, I still watch it when schedule allows. It's like a soap opera for guys.

So sue me...

Now Mythbusters...THAT'S a show...
 
#15 ·
that one guy was right the "great biker build off" series is by far a better series they actually build and create bikes....OCC is just a bolt on thing...with a few of there own ****.....and alot of the "great biker build off" bikes are proven "safe" because they make em drive em for a long distance to the event where they are showing them at....and those guys put alot into there bikes..
 
#18 ·
Mthbusters made me mad. I only have regular TV< but over the new year I got to see this at my dad's house. They were testing whether coke cans would explode in a hot car. Their hot day was only like 80 degrees (that's cold in TX). They didn't explode, of course, so they put them in a kiln and said the heat it took was beyond what any car could possibly reach.

Now I personally thought I had been shot one day when a Dr Pepper my wife left in the car exploded. The sound was enormous and it splattered on the dash. I was so scared I thought it was my gits flying out. I know, I know, it is really stupid that I thought I was getting shot, but there was this guy in front of my house who looked a little shady. Anyway, it was 102-103 that day in the shade, and cans can definitely explode. They were wrong, flat out wrong.
 
#19 ·
The thing I can't stand is that...

... in every single episode they ALWAYS say at the end, " Honestly,..I didn't think we were going to be able to get it finished. But everything just sorta came together and I'm really happy with the way it turned out."
And another thing, if you assembled your own mtb would you put your name on it?To me thats what they do. :rolleyes:
 
#20 ·
24601 said:
Now I personally thought I had been shot one day when a Dr Pepper my wife left in the car exploded.
I know the feeling! My buddy opened up a beer can (maybe this should go in one of the other threads) that sat in the truck during a day of snowboarding last spring. F--- I thought a tire blew out, we both almost crapped our pants. I have no idea how hot it was in the truck - sure didn't seem too hot.
 
#21 ·
...father and son custon motorcycle shop where they weld original frames on whim ...
Wow! Are they actually fabricating sutff other than bolt-on motorcycle-jewelry now? Man- I'm in the wrong business. I have to hand it to them; they are either very clever or very lucky to be able to pick out and order a bunch of off the shelf parts, maybe fabricate a few non-functional decorations and dew-dads of their own if it isn't too hard, struggle and swear while bolting the mess together, hire sombody to paint it, and still sell it at a healthy profit. And they do this while stressing out and yelling at each other the whole time. This is especially astounding when you consider many of their bikes appear as though they are targeted to the 9-13 year old demographic (e.g. fire truck bike, spiderman bike, helicopter bike with little pretend pop out missiles, etc.). Where do they find 10 year olds who can afford $60,000 bikes?

It was funny- I actually saw one episode where the dad took the kids to an engine shop so they could learn how an engine works and is put together! Does anybody else see a problem with that?

What a bunch of lucky hacks!

This subject comes up every 4 months or so, so do a search for more opinions about OCC and WCC.
 
#22 ·
In the right place at the right time.

Discovery Channel was looking for an East coast shop and the Teutels were friends of a friend.

Paul Sr. rides a full stock Road King, not exactly an endorsement of what he sells which are all off-the-rack frames and components by other maunfacturers with your choice of two colors. Their lowest level hardtail starts at $39,999. Any decent custom shop can have you rolling for about 15 grand with pretty much the same set-up.

R.I.P. Indian Larry
 
#24 ·
I stopped watching it too, but I saw an ad for it a few weeks ago, and they did buy their own frame jig, and have started fabricating their own frames. I also noticed they they don't show as much of Sr and Jr yelling at each other. But I agree they will never be able to create some of the really wild stuff you see on Biker Buildoff.

Let's face it, the real bike fabricators will never be seen on tv. They don't want the disruption, make big enough cash and don't need or want some producer telling them to "say that line again, but this time say it like this..." with a camera in their face.
 
#25 ·
Probably a prop for the show...

JohnnyTooBad said:
I stopped watching it too, but I saw an ad for it a few weeks ago, and they did buy their own frame jig, and have started fabricating their own frames.
...more than anything else. Unless you're looking to spend 75 grand (or better) with these guys, you 're still gonna get off - the - rack, assembled by some employee in the shop.

I miss the days when bikers rode choppers and yuppies played golf. (No disrespect to the golfers intended.)
 
#26 ·
Lance Armstrong's chopper

The Doofs were building a chopper for Lance Armstrong last night. They made the gas tank like the Giro aerodynamic helmet with the long tail. I couldn't watch for the painted finished version. The doofs are just unwatchable. Braizing without goggles, getting a hand caught in a drill press, ordering ill fitting parts, overcompressing the quickreleaser on Lance's road bike so the front wheel wouldn't spin, arguing.
 
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