American Chopper

[bennylaird]

What is it with the success of this show? (Foxtel)

I have every episode and can't wait for the next.

Is it the workmanship, akin to woodworking in a sense?

The bikes?

The (staged I'm sure) arguments between the Pauls?

Mickeys antics?

Their lack of respect for most things except bikes?

[craigb]

I didn't vote 'cause you don't have an option for "what a waste of money".

I've watched the show a few times but I've got to say that I don't get it.

They spend heaps of dough making these ridiculous looking bikes that must be absolute pigs to ride.

What ever floats your boat I suppose but it doesn't work for me.

Same with American Hot Rod. I don't see the point. If I was going to spend the hundreds of thousands of dollars these things cost I'd sooner buy a Ferrari.

[bennylaird]

Often wonder the same sort of thing. They are more a display item. When they leave off a front brake I start to wonder. Guess I just like the arty side.

Give me a nice handling nostalgic bike anyday, a Vincent preferably.

[HappyHammer]

You guys sound like a pair of old farts.....:D

Craig, One mans chopper is another mans Planer....:D

It's about the skill involved in creating the bikes and the personalities of the people involved that has made it a success. Ewen McGregor stopped in on them on his "Long Way Round" trip and rode the bikes and said they were surprisingly comfortable.

HH.

[redwood]

Often wonder the same sort of thing. They are more a display item. When they leave off a front brake I start to wonder. Guess I just like the arty side.

Give me a nice handling nostalgic bike anyday, a Vincent preferably.

Benny just stick with that magnificent F1 of yours... better than any chopper crap. 15 years ago i had a 354 in mint condition. small but what caracter:D back those days i done the kew boulavarde heaps.... ooooh what fun ... hear their is speed humps their now:mad:

[bennylaird]

I think they thought speed bumps would either slow bikes down or kill more riders?

It's just fun getting the front wheel up as you get close then power on over..............

[bennylaird]

You guys sound like a pair of old farts.....:D

HH.

Don't get me wrong I love them:D

Just like to see them ridden as well, seeing how most braking comes from the front wheel you would have to take it a bit easier in traffic?

[craigb]

You guys sound like a pair of old farts.....:D



Yes, and your point is? :D

I'm not disparaging their skill, especially the blokes who make the hot rods. They are terrific metalworkers.

They just don't appeal to me because I think they are crass and ridiculous wastes of money.

Loud, overbearing and in your face. That's probably why they are American choppers/hot rods. :rolleyes:

If others like them though that's fine by me too. :)

[redwood]

Yes, and your point is? :D

I'm not disparaging their skill, especially the blokes who make the hot rods. They are terrific metalworkers.

They just don't appeal to me because I think they are crass and ridiculous wastes of money.

Loud, overbearing and in your face. That's probably why they are American choppers/hot rods. :rolleyes:

If others like them though that's fine by me too. :)

The American chopper/hot rod thing is like french louis the wat ever furniture. very very skillfull workmanship but very tasteless at the same time. i go back to bennys honda f1, now that is an object of motor cycle beauty:D :D :D

[bennylaird]

Not actually mine this one but identical apart from the bars.

[redwood]

Not actually mine this one but identical apart from the bars.
do you have a pic of yours:confused: that was an era for bikes that had class, just look at the kwaka 9, when the katana and cb1100 (it was a beautifull bike but sporned all the race bike look we have now) came out that was the start of the decline in style:(

[bennylaird]

Will chase a pic up.

Loved the Orange K900 (a friends) even if it high sided me once.

Both the Katana and CB1100 had great style, rememering the days you had to add your own before the multitude of factory finished cafe racers hit.

Even enjoyed a terrifying time on an original Kwaka 500 Triple, rubber frame and helium in the front wheel. Nothing like burbling past a car at 65MPH then powering on and screaming past front wheel in the air.

Or the Dunstall Norton on the Taxiways at RAAF Base East Sale, no way you could get the pedals to scrape on that one. The F1 exhaust was bad for scraping, had to keep welding on patches.......

[redwood]

Will chase a pic up.

Loved the Orange K900 (a friends) even if it high sided me once.
remember Stone and the kwaka 9`s:D


Both the Katana and CB1100 had great style, rememering the days you had to add your own before the multitude of factory finished cafe racers hit. They did have style especialy the second CB1100RD and the same time yamaha brought out the RD-LC bikes that went onto the RZ. but it was the begining of the end :(


Even enjoyed a terrifying time on an original Kwaka 500 Triple, rubber frame and helium in the front wheel. Nothing like burbling past a car at 65MPH then powering on and screaming past front wheel in the air. :eek: i was pillioned as a kid on a 750 tripple as was scared shi&^*ss. greg hansford was getting 300 clicks in the late 70`s on conrod on one of them and warren willing got 320 on the TZ750 in 1979 which was the demise of the 2 strokes in the super bikes:( ... to fast:( Ahhhh the good ol days:D

[bennylaird]

remember Stone and the kwaka 9`s:D

I have the soundtrack record still somewhere.


They did have style especialy the second CB1100RD and the same time yamaha brought out the RD-LC bikes that went onto the RZ. but it was the begining of the end :(

Only prob was the cost of a new exhaust on the CB1100


:eek: i was pillioned as a kid on a 750 tripple as was scared shi&^*ss. greg hansford was getting 300 clicks in the late 70`s on conrod on one of them and warren willing got 320 on the TZ750 which was the demise of the 2 strokes in the super bikes:( ... to fast:( Ahhhh the good ol days:D

Used to love Hansford, and Ray Quincy before his accident. Out at Calder sitting near the esses.

Used to get long arms with every gearchange on the triples and had to have the taillight surgically removed from pillions:D

[bitingmidge]

It's about the skill involved in creating the bikes Ohhh yes, let me see, the muffler dude is late delivering the pipe, the pedal guy is nowhere to be seen, but at least we have got stuff from the engine shop, the spoke shop has finished the wheels, has that mudguard arrived yet? The tank is out being painted at the tank paint shop, the upholstery dude/shop is on holidays........... The design bit is fun, but the "skill" bit is really overblown.. the chopper build-off show gave a great example of that when our mate Scotty (http://www.scottys-choppers.com.au/) working from his shed in Uralla actually did make every part, made the other blokes look a bit like the mail order jockeys they are!


and the personalities of the people involved that has made it a success.. It's a pity when possessing the lowest denominator of human manners and communication skills makes one a "personality". Perhaps I should shout profanities at my kids, that might be good for my career.
Ewen McGregor stopped in on them on his "Long Way Round" trip and rode the bikes and said they were surprisingly comfortable.
Notice he wasn't surprised about the way they handled or

Having ridden a few of the old generation, I can tell you, they are "surprisingly" comfortable. The sort of surprise one gets while urinating on a fence one didn't know was electrified. Or perhaps accidentally sitting on ones own testicles. :eek:

"Surprising", yes that'll please the sponsors.

Much of the culture is about masochism and manliness, and the sort of surprising comfort that comes from getting one of your willy-studs caught in the kitchen garbage grinder...

.... But as an "art" form, along with rods and custom cars, they have a place, some are exquisitely detailed pieces of sculpture (see scotty's link above) and I like 'em.:eek:

Cheers,

P
:D :D :D :D :D :D

[redwood]

Used to love Hansford, and Ray Quincy before his accident. Out at Calder sitting near the esses.


What an increadable time it was for aussie racing back then. i remember seein at calder (no place calder) my all time fav aussie rider who should have been king of the bike racing world if it wasnt for an accident and blowin his hand nearly off... AJ Andrew Johnson dicin with my second fav the great Gardner, and both leanen into the last turn on top of each other with just daylight between them... how good was that. And i was at bathurst when mick cole flipped his honda down conrod... how sad was that:(

[bennylaird]

Scotty should have won it hands down. The yank bike was over the top and mainly bog and the pommy bike was way to old school.

But if the yank bike hadn't won then the show wouldn't have gone to air.......

(not at all biased, lol)

[redwood]

Andrew Johnson couldnt use his clutch because of his mangled hand. shows just how good he was to compete with and beat Gardner racing that way:D

[bennylaird]

Pity Gardner didn't have a personality to match his riding. Mick had both and also the problems with reshaped body parts.

So many great riders from those days, remember Crosby?

Also Phil Crump on Speedway bikes? Oh the smell of methanol and the briues from the lumps of dirt.............

[redwood]

Pity Gardner didn't have a personality to match his riding. Mick had both and also the problems with reshaped body parts.

So many great riders from those days, remember Crosby?

Also Phil Crump on Speedway bikes? Oh the smell of methanol and the briues from the lumps of dirt............. They go about dooan (yes yes great rider i know:D ) but Gardner raced againsed legonds and dooan came in at the end of all that. Roberts, Rainey, lawson, sheen, mamola, Haslam, spencer sensational.

and Croz was "our" first world super bike champ... we temporarily forgot he was a kiwi.

Crump was a legond. love the speedway (first lesson learnt... cover your beer if you dont want it to get to dirty inside)

and earlier i said mick cole flipped his bike , my memorys tryin to tell me it might have been gary coleman... hate it when the brain seizes. but what a horror crash. it was 81 or 82 and he had a camera on the bike and was miked up and on the last hump on conrod the front wheel just kept going up:eek: horrible stuff. i must hunt my video of it down to remember which rider it was:(

[HappyHammer]

Ohhh yes, let me see, the muffler dude is late delivering the pipe, the pedal guy is nowhere to be seen, but at least we have got stuff from the engine shop, the spoke shop has finished the wheels, has that mudguard arrived yet? The tank is out being painted at the tank paint shop, the upholstery dude/shop is on holidays........... The design bit is fun, but the "skill" bit is really overblown.
You're obviously taking it far too seriously......


Notice he wasn't surprised about the way they handled or
Actually he and his partner on the trip, Charlie, both commented on the the ease of handling.:p


It's a pity when possessing the lowest denominator of human manners and communication skills makes one a "personality". That's OK Midge we don't hold it against you;)


and the sort of surprising comfort that comes from getting one of your willy-studs caught in the kitchen garbage grinder...
Wouldn't know about that Midge how did you go finding a stud that small?:D :D

HH.

[Gra]

I like watching the 2 paul's. they sound like my father and I or even our mates while working in the shed.

We seem to spend more time giving each other @#$% than actually working:D

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I watch it when it's on, but I can't say I'm overly impressed with the end products. The first few bikes, yes... but it's all gone overly commercial for me and is more about this stupid "bling" than the working man's chopper.

With half their bikes I don't think it's a grin on Paulies face (either of 'em) of glee as it's test-ridden down the road; I think it's actually a grimace of pain as they're trying to look cool in a ridiculously contorted postion. Roast testicles anyone?

I'm an old school biker, had my ol' hog for a few decades now, but there's little I've seen them build I'd try to emulate on her, even if money was of no concern. 'Cept maybe a couple of paint jobs. :D

I wish they'd show more of the actual construction and less of the personal interaction s**t, but then it wouldn't have the general appeal, I guess. [shrug]

[MR.FREEZ]

liked the show at first but not is redundant, just the same ol crappy fighting and bitching.

[bitingmidge]

Wouldn't know about that Midge how did you go finding a stud that small?:D :D
They are surprisingly common.

Apparently they are all the rage among Pommie "football" supporters!


P (surprisingly slow to respond!)

:D :D :D

[bennylaird]

I wonder who writes up the scripts for the fights? A bit like the Wrestling perhaps?

The Biker Build offs are good as you see different builds and they ride them hard to the shows. The OCC bikes do seem to become the similar after a while.

[HappyHammer]

They are surprisingly common.

Apparently they are all the rage among Pommie "football" supporters!


P (surprisingly slow to respond!)

:D :D :D

Yes very popular amongst Manchester United fans I hear:D

HH.

[Shannon]

I've only seen 1 episode - MIA bike - and I think the fighting is a little over the top, but the thing I liked about it was you actually got to see a good portion of the bike being built and talked about.
I was quite excited a couple of months ago when "pimp my ride" came to channel 10 for a night as I had heard good things about it - very dissapointed with it because you didn't really see any of the work being carried out and it was only a 1/2 hour show. At least with 1 1/2 hrs for A.C. you get a bit of perspective of how and why they are doing it.

Would agree though that after a few episodes the nit picking between the players could get a little tiresome.

For those who wonder at the extravigance of money and sacrifice in ridability, you need to remember that these bikes, and similar in the hot rod scene shows, are not meant to be daily drivers, they are an expression of art, talent etc and of course there are people out there who can afford them, so they are meeting a need in the community (lucky buggers). May not be everyones cup of tea, but having owned a rod before they have that little bit more mongrel about them and individualism that I like, and I assure you if you put my $20k T bucket next to a $250k Ferrari in a car park, the punters would be split for choice on whos to look at 1st

[bennylaird]

What a waste of time last nights episode was. As usual when they need another episode to run, (not just AC) they do a highlight episode.

A full episode of sensless arguing was more than I could stand, plus it annoys me to see them destroy things. Why drive an almost new truck through your office till it's a write off? More money than sense. Still I love the show....... lol

[bitingmidge]

What a waste of time last nights episode was. As usual

Thanks for the concise summary benny! ;) :D :D :D

P (waiting for them to screen Ozzy PDRacer Builder!)
:D
:D
:D

[bennylaird]

So can you fit out a PDRacer with a Harley powerplant?:eek: :eek: :confused:

:p (just trying to untwist my words so you can't do a political reporter type quote again):D

[derekcohen]

I admit to watching every episode of AC I can. But then I'm not normal.

I'm not a bike rider but I do enjoy watching metal work (and so try to watch American Hotrod as well). Much of the time I am hoping to learn something from the show (because I do metal work as well as woodwork - I am still restoring my 1957 Porsche 356a), and partly because I just plain enjoy the creativity and craft.

It is an irony that (this is my view) these shows were created under the superficial banner of craft shows when, in fact, they are really about social interaction. There has been a strong drive from the networks, no doubt fueled by viewer demand, for shows that depict day-to-day conflicts and interpersonal interaction: the multitude of Survivor-type shows, what was that show about a camera in the home that permitted one to spy on the lives of ... oh, you know, I never watched it and do not recall the name. The point being that viewers want to watch the lives of other people. The more dramatic and exciting the lives, the better. Do you think that AC would have survived without the conflict between the Paulies? I think not - they do not have enough talent to pull off a show that focussed solely on the techniques and skills of bike building ( the recent international biker face-off shows up their limitations). The Paulies are really good Assemblers, although they are several steps above being kit builders since they do at least design the bikes themselves. As the show has progressed (and they have certainly gained hugely financially from it), and we have seen their fortunes grow with the move from one shop to a new larger shop, so the equipment they use has grown increasingly more sophisticated and hands-free (such as the computerised waterjet that cuts out parts for them). So the handskills are either diminishing, or they are demonstrating the famous Peter Principle - rising to a level of inefficiency.

I would ignore the father-son conflicts in the past, but the boorish behaviour (such as wanton destruction of property) increasingly leaves a bad taste in my mouth - it is as though the show is actually coming to more closely depict that it really represents, that is, a social statement of our time.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[bitingmidge]

a social statement of our time.

Well said Derek, but is it a statement of "our" time, ie us here in Oz, or more a portent of things to come, and can we do anything to prevent, or slow that particular change?

P ( Who thought the old UV in Clockwork Orange was a long way over the top at the time.)

:cool: :cool: :cool:

[Kris.Parker1]

Guys, you really are getting old. These bikes are more so to be cruised around in front of appreciating fans. I wouldn't mind a bike like the ones they make. They are awesome, my favourite would have to be the I-Robot bike.

Anyway, that is my two cents worth.

[bitingmidge]

These bikes are more so to be cruised around in front of appreciating fans.
Some of us can let our willies speak for themselves! :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

P
:D :D :D

[craigb]

Some of us can let our willies speak for themselves! :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

P
:D :D :D

And some of us are men of taste and refinement too. ;) :D

I'm not a bike rider but I'd rather look at a Ducati than one of those ridiculous low tech show ponies any day. :p

[Max Ripper]

been riding bikes since i was a kid, it's not about brand shape speed or colour. It's about the enjoyment like achieving something a few weeks ago you thought was impossible.

Max Ripper Anyone who rides bikes and makes sawdust can't be all bad just mostly bad lol

[dazzler]

Ya gotta admit the harley people have achieved the most amazing product;

Salesman: "here you go sir, take this vibrating, ill handling, non braking, heavy, antiquated piece of garbage and give me $25 grand";)

Customer:" Will it make me look cool":o

Salesman:" Cool as":D

Customer:" Will I be an individual":)

Salesman:" Oh yeah, snicker snicker";)

Unbelievable

Dazzler:p

[Gaza]

I whatch AC most weeks but getting a bit sick of the show, same stuff every week,

What i do like is how there company has grown from a 2 man operation to where it is today, they have some cool CNC's nad sheet metal gear.

Before seeing AC i did not even know what a chopper was now i want to build one, with my limited mechanical skill i am going to build a chopper push bike and see how i go.

Did any one whatch world biker build off last year, these guys from central west NSW built the best bike 100 x more skill than an occ bike all by hand in a shed in the country. Now that is skill.

OCC has got some great skilled workers like Rick and Vin with out them OCC would not be any where near where they are today.

Good luck to Paul SNR & JNR they built a buisness and now there business is show business.