Since I have been at the helm of Street Chopper, we have been accused by some as being "too core."
Yes I did curtail the inclusion of the outdated '90s choppers that filled these pages of late simply because that part of the scene had died out. We also decided to exclude bikes that never really fit the criteria of being a chopper just because a so-called "chopper" company built them.
With cutting out a large part of what the magazine was in the past few years we consciously decided to take a big gamble on the content of Street Chopper and give our faithful readers exactly what you wanted.
During this period of change, instead of fumbling around with rusty rat bikes or the coolest chopper builder of the month, we decided to go back to square one. What does that mean you say? We chose to run bikes that fit into the prime directive of the guys who started this magazine (Tom McMullen, Bob and Jim Clark, RK Smith, and Steve Stillwell) over 40 years ago. In short, we either feature real-deal survivors or well-built traditionally styled bikes that lend a glimpse into what the pre and post-war bobbers and choppers of the '60s, '70s, and '80s were like.
I also feel it is our job to keep our readers in the loop as to who is building the latest and greatest no matter what the guy's name is or what coast if any, he lives on. It just so happens that many of the nicest motorcycles we have been seeing of late are being built by guys who do phenomenal things in their garages. Bikes that rival what any big name in the game can do.
Of course most of these choppers and bobbers have newly manufactured parts that can be easily bought off the shelf and we also commend and support those companies who make the myriad of aftermarket parts for these types of bikes.
We have brought back the Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Honda powered bikes as well. We did this because they are both a large part of the past and surprisingly a major force in what the masses are building today. The same goes with Brit bikes, which we have always included over the past four decades.
By running these time-honored machines I feel it doesn't disaffect people that ride new bikes one bit. It only gives every guy or gal out there who currently rides a late-model Triumph, Sporty, or Dyna a look into how the other half lives. It also gives them ideas and goals for their own customization.
If by only having nice bikes that fit in the vein of how Street Chopper became famous, then I guess we are core. Does this alienate readers? I don't really know. One thing I do know is that we are lucky enough to have two sister magazines known as HOT BIKE and Baggers. Their pages are filled with contemporary bikes that have air suspension, huge back tires, and stereos installed on them. If you want to see those types of motorcycles, by all means pick up a subscription to either of those great magazines because you are not going to find them in the pages of Street Chopper.
Jeff G. Holt