Over the last 15 years or so, owning a custom Harley has become expensive. As builders and partsmanufacturers have embraced technology, custom parts have become easy to get -- at a price. Sadly, that price has not gone down as time goes by. In some cases, it has gone up.
The growth in popularity of customized, fat-fendered, slammed-to-the-ground, big-dollar bikes with huge motors has driven the price of a radically custom bike way over $30,000 and to as much as $60,000. At those prices, only a select few can be in the game. There is no denying the eye-catching styling of these bikes -- some incorporating sheetmetal work that rivals the best Ferrari and Lamborghini will ever offer. But you still have to face the fact that a quick paintjob and some extra chrome on a stock bike won't get you a second look when these eye-catchers are in the area -- unless you have a chopper.Choppers, regardless of whether they are budget-built or high-dollar dream machines, still grab attention as fast as a bikini-clad girl in December. And because of that, the choppers market is really strong right now.Building on that strength is the reason that I think choppers will save the motorcycle riding sport by bringing younger riders into the fold. Think about this. A used Sportster can be bought from $3,000 to $5,000. Strip off a few excess parts, pick up a set of 10-inch apes and a 4-inch-over fork, and you have a basic chopper. Sure, there is more to it -- like actually raking the frame so the bike will handle properly (or at least getting some raked trees to help with the Sporty's 26-degree neck) and doing something with the pegs and the seat -- but the basic concept is there.
Walk into a Harley showroom now, and the price of a new bike can scare away almost anyone. A ground-up custom chopper can be built with all-new parts for $15,000. Much less if you are a savvy shopper. What better reason for a young, soon-to-be chopper owner to start building their own bike? Not only will they know every single nut, bolt, and part on the bike intimately; they can save a lot amount of money and get a custom in the process. Instead of making payments on a new bike, they can take the money they budget into the local shop each month and buy another armload of parts for the project that is taking shape in their garage.
In addition to the practical knowledge that a first-time builder will get in planning and selecting the right parts to make their dream a reality, they stand to gain friends. Why? Because as we all know, a project bike takes time, and during the buildup period you end up at shows and bike shops on a pretty regular basis. Sooner or later you become recognized and people start asking how the bike is coming along. Then they start stopping by to lend a hand, and before you know it, you have new riding partners.
Now don't get me wrong, I love the wild creations we get to feature in STREET CHOPPER. Often, during the photo shoots that I do of these bikes, I get completely frustrated with myself because I know I could never, ever build a bike as nice as the one in front of me. But, I am also a realist, and I know that these bikes are the stuff dreams are made of. I know that when you set out to build your own dream chopper, you select ideas from many different bikes to combine the best of them all into your version of perfection. And that thought gets me back to choppers saving the sport. If a guy or girl can't afford a new bike, but can buy a frame, later on a motor and then as they see each new issue of SC, they see parts and continue buying what they need to build a bike, he sport will flourish with riders and custom bikes. So as I see it, choppers will save the world that we thrive in.