Choppers are custom motorbikes that first surfaced back in California, USA in the 1950s. They are iconic bikes and still have a dedicated set of enthusiasts around the world. They are perhaps the most extreme form of custom bikes that have a rather stretched out appearance. For this purpose they have modified steering angles and elongated forks that give it the singular appearance that they are known for. They are normally modified or “chopped” from regular motorcycles and that is where they get their name from.
If you remember movies like the Terminator series, you would remember Arnold driving one of these. I really like the sheer innovation on the original boring frame of a conventional motorcycle as well. The most famous choppers are from the 1969 film Easy Rider. They include a couple of modified Harley Davidsons, a billy bike and a Captain America. The choppers although are iconic American bikes, they do have enthusiasts around the world. They have a rich history as well that is part of the amazing automobile revolution.
It all started with “bobbers” in the 1940s who were first modified by the general public to get rid of the ample deadweight on the motorcycle. They were “bobbed” of excess weight and thus the name stuck with them. The Indian 440 was the famous bobber of the time. The real choppers started emerging in the early 50s and 60s. It was the time when modifying the Harley Davidsons became a real thing. the smaller wheels that came with the bike were ditched for big 19″ or 21″ ones. The headlight and the fuel tanks were also replaced with smaller ones. Other one-time customized parts were also installed into the bikes giving each chopper enthusiasts a sense of uniqueness.
The movie Easy Rider in 1969 very much cemented the place of choppers in popular American culture. After the movie, it became a phenomenon in the rest of the world. The first designs of European choppers surfaced and the “Swedish” choppers became famous there. So, the chopper industry boomed and everywhere people were modding their bikes to the chopper style. Chopper parts were readily available and it was truly the golden age of the iconic motorcycle design. Harley Davidson alternative also hit the market. Honda’s famous 750cc bike was also widely used for modding options and became a popular alternative to the Harley Davidsons. Lately, the TV series The American Chopper rekindled interest in the choppers since 2003 and since then, there has been renewed interest in home garage fabricated bikes. The choppers are still very much in the motorbiking culture and the most storied design in the history.
Chopper Exchange is a really useful chopper bike selling/buying platform. If you plan on selling your chopper or buy a new one for a competitive price, you can visit the website and go through a whole list of bikes for sale. If you are unsure about the price your chopper may be able to fetch, you can use their price calculator. Overall, it is a really handy portal that you should check out.