Choppers Biker
History Of Choppers As I See It
No one knows who exactly built the first choppers, but it is generally agreed upon that they were built by soldiers returning home from WWII. Soldiers who had ridden bikes in Europe found that the Harleys being produced in the US were slow and bulky, something that is still true today. In an effort to lighten these bikes up the riders started to remove unnecessary parts and “bob” the fenders. Had the European motorcycles been readily available in America I believe that these bikers might have abandoned Harley right then and we would have a completely different biker scene than what we have today.
These early modified bikes were called Bobbers and the term Choppers actually didn’t get popular until the sixties and early seventies. Most sources reference the movie Easy Rider as the start of the cultural phenomena, but national news about the antics of the Hells Angels certainly had the image of the biker outlaw already fixed in the public’s eye, a much badder version than we saw in the movie The Wild One from 1953.
The new generation that was chopping bikes made their own style by not just bobbing the bikes but by adding additional rake and longer front ends and of course the obligatory sissy bar. The bikes we know as choppers were born. I think it’s interesting that even though the two terms “bobber” and “chopper” became distinct 40 years ago they are now being used interchangeably, mostly by people who don’t really understand the terms at all.
The choppers of the late sixties went from just being bobbed Harleys with no turn signals and mirrors to being also modified bikes with ape hanger handle bars, like Sonny Barger was using back in the late 50′s, skinny front tires and the already mentioned sissy bar. Now we were no longer just removing unnecessary parts but were also adding a few touches of our own. Back then there were no “custom bike builders” and most of the work was being done in the rider’s own garage. As we went into the seventies, builders began to get really creative and the bike as a form of art was born.
Artist David Mann captured the entire chopper lifestyle in his work, and builders actually tried to now build bikes based on Mann’s more extreme artistic interpretations of what choppers could look like. The bikes that Dave imagined soon came into actually being. The seventies were definitely made for custom bikes.
Interest in motorcycles kind of fizzled out around during the 80′s when young people were more interested in building muscle cars out of models from the late sixties and seventies than they were in motorcycles. At the same time a lot of riders were converting to Japanese sport bikes and moving away from the Harley scene and any choppers you did see just seemed like relics from a bygone era. The biker scene didn’t go away by any means, but it definitely went underground as far as the general population was concerned.
Of course, everything we know today about custom motorcycle building as been brought about by cable TV trying to fill the dead air with stories about anything they could and the first show done about Jesse James was never intended to turn into a new television genre, but it did. The well-to-do suddenly decided they needed a custom bike and not knowing any of the history of motorcycles they immediately started calling every custom motorcycle a chopper, even though by definition it wasn’t. In fact the bikes made popular by builders not on TV were usually more in the style of Pro Street motorcycles that were run on the drag tracks then by anything that resembled a true chopper, with a few notable exceptions.
As the desire for custom bikes and motorcycles in general bloomed in more middle class citizens, these new riders were more likely to take the time and understand their bikes, many of which had to learn to work on them out of pure necessity, like the original bikers did. Motorcycles and custom bikes became an acceptable form of fun for everyone and the image of the outlaw biker as been converted into the lawyer or plumber biker.
Even though we still have some real choppers being built, the true meaning of the word has probably been lost forever, but not the spirit of those that built them. As custom bikes go out of style we’re left with a very large core group of new riders who will now ride the rest of their lives, and many of them will be also building choppers.
About the Author
For more great stories visit Choppers
Building A Chopper Bobber Part 4 — Wiring Tips
Choppers Biker
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Choppers Bikers Men Sunglasses – Brown C24 $8.98 |
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Choppers Biker Style Motorcycle Sports New Sunglasses 3027B $8.88 |
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MEN CHOPPERS SUNGLASSES Black CHOLO BIKER DARK LENS L $7.95 |
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Choppers Mens Motorcycle Biker Sunglasses – White C11 B $8.98 |
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Live To Ride Motorcycle Biker Chopper Hoodie Sweatshirt $23.95 |
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Live To Ride Motorcycle Biker Chopper Hoodie Sweatshirt $23.95 |
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Live To Ride Motorcycle Biker Chopper Hoodie Sweatshirt $23.95 |
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Live To Ride Motorcycle Biker Chopper Hoodie Sweatshirt $23.95 |
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Live To Ride Motorcycle Biker Chopper Hoodie Sweatshirt $23.95 |
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Live To Ride Motorcycle Biker Chopper Hoodie Sweatshirt $23.95 |
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Harley Davidson Cake Topper – PopTop $0.85 This will give your cake a professional look. Just lay this on the cake. Great for any motorcycle or Harley Davidson them party…. |
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One 2.75 Harley Davidson Logo Candle $6.95 One 2.75″ Harley Davidson Logo Candle. Great cake topper for your biker!!… |
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Apron : CHOPPER SKULL – RHINESTONES CHOPPER SKULL – RHINESTONES Print dimensions approximately 5″ x 4″.PORT AUTHORITY FULL-LENGTH APRON : 65/35 poly/cotton for easier care. Unique adjustable fitting system allows for a tailored look throughout with the pull of a single strap. 2 patch pockets with a pen pocket. Measures 22″w x 30″l View all available styles with this design. View all items by Top Dog Shirts…. |
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Large Quality Universal Motorcycle Fork Tool Bag with Quick Release 10.5 X 5 X 4.5 TSTB2 $27.99 BRAND NEW Large Quality Motorcycle Fork Tool Bag Universal Fit (if you have forks it will fit). A lot of tool bags listed online …..Why This one? First of all you have to like the way it looks. After that you have to like the Quality and Durability of the bag. Kind of hard to tell by the picture isn’t it. Truth is…I got a real sweet deal on 3 different models at a trade show in Las Vegas. As s… |
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Large Quality Universal Motorcycle Fork Tool Bag with Quick Release 10.5 X 5 X 4.5 TSTB3 $27.99 BRAND NEW Large Quality Motorcycle Fork Tool Bag Universal Fit (if you have forks it will fit). A lot of tool bags listed online …..Why This one? First of all you have to like the way it looks. After that you have to like the Quality and Durability of the bag. Kind of hard to tell by the picture isn’t it. Truth is…I got a real sweet deal on 3 different models at a trade show in Las Vegas. As s… |
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Motorcycle Chopper Handle Design Folding Pocket Knife $6.99 Motorcycle fans, this knife’s for you! Bold styling features sleek “chopper” figural handle and a gleaming blade etched with a racetrack design for a look no bona-fide biker can resist. Weight 0.1 lb. Stainless steel and zinc alloy. 4-3/4″ x -1/2″ x 1-1/2″ high; 8-1/4″ long when opened…. |
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Hell Ride $2.80 The biker flick is brought into the modern era in this bloody, thrill-packed action drama. Out to avenge the death of their brother, Pistolero (writer-director Larry Bishop) and the Gent (Michael Madsen) mount their choppers in pursuit of the murderers, who are members of a Satan-worshiping gang known as the 666ers. Laura Cayouette, Francesco Quinn also star. 83 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtr… |
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C.C. and Company $3.61 Gridiron legend Joe Namath traded one helmet for another in this savage cycle drama, playing a biker gang leader who must fight rival member William Smith for control of the gang and for lovely hanger-on Ann-Margret. 94 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo…. |
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Motorcycle Mania 3 – Jesse James Rides Again $9.95 Jesse James is back with another dose of mayhem in the biggest and baddest installment of the hit series Motorcycle Mania. After creating another masterpiece for his bud Kid Rock we cut loose with Jesse and the Kid. These two metal gods head out on on the ultimate get-lost road trip across the deserts of Nothern Mexico straight to the heart of Copper Canyon. Join these maverick bikers as they ditc… |
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Snarly Motorcycle Balloon $4.93 Your Chopper party won’t be complete without this fabulous motorcycle. Our 45″ mylar Chopper balloon is printed on both sides… |
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