There's a thread on Arfcom about someone who bought an $80 grand chopper from Orange County Choppers at the height of the show's popularity and discovering that it's worth about what the stock Harley motor what's in it is.
The stock, 65hp Harley motor...
You'd think for $80k you'd get something from S&S with more balls.
We watched the show back in the day and we'd frequently notice and comment on
the slip-shod quality and general lack of craftsmanship on the signature,
theme builds. I mean, how many times do you have to chase the clogged
threads from powdercoating before you stop being surprised that it happens, or
tell the powdercoater to plug the threaded holes?
It turns out that those theme builds on the show were them exhibiting their utmost attention to detail compared to the bikes they sold from their showroom.
There are also videos about the greatness of them!
Hilarity.
I got tired of watching OCC after the second season. I got tired of the manufactured drama and destruction of walls, perfectly good roll around chairs and good old pick ups. Some of the scenes reminded me of pre-schooler temper tantrums. After a while all the bikes started looking alike.
ReplyDeletePersonally, if I wanted a chopper and had the skills, tools and workplace to build one (not to mention the money---what they're charging for Harleys these days is highway robbery!) I'd want to build it myself, to my own specifications. Maybe have a really good wrench work on the engine, but the rest would be all me.
ReplyDeleteA lot of those car and motorcycle shows are pretty fake. One I know that isn't is Iron Resurrection, because I know the people on the show and have visited their shop a few times. It is also one of the shows with the least amount of over the top drama on the show.
ReplyDeleteSame with most of the 'build' shows, from bikes to houses to cars to guns...
ReplyDeleteAs to all the bolt holes, that's usually the responsibility of the frame maker. They are supposed to clean as much as they can, plug all the holes, and give a detailed description of what they want done. Else, well, you end up with chowderheads yelling at each other and breaking stuff.
Meh. Give me a tuned stock bike any day, that is, if I was dumb enough to buy a bike.