building a chopper

[geor3594]

Hi Guys im new to motorcycle mechanics and I had some question for people that know something about choppers. My main question is when you buy a frame for your chopper how much does that influence your chopper ? as far as types of engines to put in the frame/ gas tank/ front forks/ seat.

you can e-mail me at geor3594@fredonia.edu if you feel like educating someone on choppers. or post if you dont.

Thanks !

[Volker_P]

Welcome here!
The frame is quite important as the engine often is part of it and provides the required stiffness at the mounting points. So basically it is a good idea to use the frame to the engine one likes to use.
But I am no chopper guy, I think there are a few here, but e.g. at SOHC.net there are many guys with CB 4cyl. chopper projects that can help you.
BTW, if you are really new to motorcycle mechanics, it is not really straightforward to start with a self-made composition. Like everywhere, some experience is required to get ahead reasonably. Don't expect to have much fun from an effort by yourself just with support from some forum. You need one or more experts that you can ask and look how they work and that occasionally sit around your bike and discuss what is possible and how one might like to proceed.
One should also note hat most choppers are hard to ride and are mainly created for the look and the fun of playing around with ideas and parts.
So this should be what you are looking for.

[Chris]

Welcome. I've never built a motorcycle chopper, but I've built several bicycle choppers. I can tell you from riding those that there's no way I'd enjoy riding a motorcycle chopper in any of the dimensions I used. IMO, choppers look cool and are fun to build, but are not very fun to ride. They get you lots of attention and the reactions you get from people are very satisfying when you've done the work yourself. Other than that they're not a very practical form of transportation. Bobbers on the other hand seem like a much more useful design if you really wanna modify a bike.

That said, my favorite Honda chopper site is HondaChopper.com. There you can find a kickass gallery with lots and lots of neat ideas, a copy of the Honda Chopper Bible from 1972, and alot of other links and articles. Lucky for you, it looks like they've finally revamped their gallery so you'll have much better luck navigating it than I did years ago. Enjoy!

[arcangel]

Sounds like Way to much work to me to ride one but they shure do look great.

[BT650]

Budget Bobber in progress...

[Chris]

Welcome, BT650. Chain needs oil.

[BT650]

Tough crowd.

[arcangel]

Tell me about it!
We are all right when you get to know us.
Ok let me refrase that we are not all right in the head we are just moody but helpfull.
I still don't see how that bike fall under chopper I don't think shopping off the seat and fender was what was he had in mind by chopper.
At least not what I had in mind when I came to this thread.
But I guess it is all in how you define chopper.

[Chris]

Ha! Just messin' with ya, BT650. Some of us notice these things and feel compelled to point them out.

OK, I think that technically that one's a bobber, arcangel, but choppers and bobbers often fall into one catagory. You said all he did was CHOPPED off the seat and fender, I think that's enough to make it a CHOPper. I believe the treatment of the rear fender is referred to as 'bobbing' a fender.

[BT650]

Yeah, it's probably more of a bobber than chopper. At least it still uses the stock frame which is what I was trying to show. I was hoping to hear if it looked good or bad. Most of the bobbers or choppers I've seen look pretty tacky. It's hard to do one and make it tasteful without welding a new rear section and changing the rake. I would have went stock with mine, but it was just too far gone when I got it, and this was the least expensive way to make it look better.

[arcangel]

When I think of choppers I think long front forks.

A bobber is when you bob the tail.
I think yours looks fine, but I just like the fender on most bikes my self.

[Chris]

Or you could go with the peace of mind of having a very reputible manufacturer (Honda, of course) do all of the R&D for you.

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/16january09_honda_fury.htm

This looks like a rideable piece. It's not as big as you might think from the photos. There are photos w/rider at Honda.com that put size in a better perspective, assuming that the rider pictured is average build. And let's not forget that it comes with a factory warranty. No price yet.

[cosky]

this is my creation, a 1979 CB650Z chopper