American Choppers

[TxDieselKid]

Originally posted by QRTRHRS

At this moment (Eastern Time) I am watching Billy Lane and Indian Larry having a build off. Way cool.

Missed that one, but who won?

 

[TxDieselKid]

Originally posted by TxDieselKid

Missed that one, but who won?

Nevermind, just now turned it on to see that Indian Larry beat out Billy. Just saw the last minute of it(LITERALLY), but they looked like 2 more sweet rides.







Andrew

 

[Shovelhead]

Indian Larry is a class act.



There were several times Larry was given the opportunity to win by default when Billy had problems getting his scoot to run.

Larry even spent hours working on Billy's bike helping to sort out his carburator problems.



Billy's bike had a Open Chain Drive primary.

I wouldn't want to ride 1,000 miles on it.



They showed on scene of a gas stop and Billy's pant leg was shreaded from getting caught in the chain.



Larry, after winning, declared it a draw, and they cut the trophy in pieces, and tossed it into the crowd.

 

[John]

I just saw that episode last night! (Indian Larry -vs- Billy Lane)



After getting my first look of that open primary, I thought WHOA! That is seriously dangerous. Kinda knarly lookin but, I personally favor the belt drive... BTW, I like how Indian Larry had his belt "personalized. "



I would have to say, of all the custom bikes I've seen on The Discovery Channel I like Billy Lane's hubless (rear) bike! That bad boy is over the friggin edge! Absolute cutting edge!



Yesssss!





Also, aside from Indian Larry's absolute stellar sportsmanship (as noted in a previous post), I still favored Billy Lane's creation although, by the slimmest of margins... both were that good!

 

[Scot]

Re: Myself

Originally posted by Champane Flight

Myself, I would like to see something else besides choppers being built. Maybe follow a Ducati racing team for one season, or the Vance and Hines drag team. Even a top fuel race team for a season. Chopper builders are a dime a dozen, there are everywhere, some are very talented, granted, but enough...



I did notice a trend though in the winners of the Bike build off. The guys who win, have the most Tattoos... .

Did you catch that $8-12K to paint a bike?



I'm in the wrong bidness.

 

[Champane Flight]

Painters, ect, ect

They could do a special on anyone of the vendors it takes to build one bike. Discovery has found a goldmine in show ideas. The painters are awesome! How about the engine builders? Not enough attention paid there.

 

[HEMI®Dart]

Indian Larry is OK in my book. Did you see that he won the Build off, but refused to be the winner? He cut the trophy in 2 and gave the other half to Billy Lane.

 

[Jeff Clark]

Indian Larry giving up half the trophy and helping Billy that much was pretty cool. I also like what he did with the motor on his. He had a Panhead on one side and a Shovelhead on the other. Every time I watch those shows I get the urge to build a bike.

 

[DKayser]

Belt vs Chain

John, The belt will grab a pants leg too. And you have to run an open primary or it will get hot,stretch,and shred when it movesout of alignment. Even HD can`t get a covered belt to work,and they have been trying to for years. A friend has a Primo hanging on the garage wall for 5 years now cuz it just won`t go with a cover& he won`t ride it open. It`s the lift pump or KDP of the HD.

 

[John]

DKayser, my other motivation towards a belt is its quiet running attributes.



Regarding not enough attention being paid to the engine builder/maker...



on one episode of American Chopper Paul Sr. and Cody (the youngest member of OCC) went through the shop where they manufacture the trick billet aluminum engines. They also went through the chrome plating shop as well as the powder coat shop they use. They even let the kid do some of the work after teaching him the ropes. Actually, it was a pretty good show.



I just can't get that Choppers Inc. hubless rear wheel bike out of my mind! I dreamed about it at least several times last night!



How sick is that?

 

[RustyJC]

Guess mine is the minority opinion. Maybe I'm just too old, but I saw the real stuff that Indian Larry is trying to replicate back in the 60's. His bikes looks like he's stuck in the 60's and hasn't (can't?) moved on. It's like I've been there and done that. Yeah, Ed (Big Daddy) Roth was OK in his day, but his day is gone. Change or die. Bourget's stuff, on the other hand, gets my attention.



JM2CW... .



Rusty

 

[gitchesum]

Hey Rusty,

Yamin Cycles has a couple of Bourget's on the floor. Awesome looking bikes. The paint on those bikes are really something to see.



They're on 45 South at Monroe I believe. Can't remember the exact exit. It's on the west side of the highway though.

 

[John]

That's eactly what I said in a previous post Rusty. I too would prefer a Bourget bike over the others.



However, I absolutely love that trick hubless rear wheel on Billy Lane's creation.



I too felt that Indian Larry's bikes were more or less stuck in the '60s. Although he seems to favor old school styling and techniques, being a master of virtually every phase of custom motorcycle manfacturing as well as an all around great guy, I wish him the very best!



As I was going to grade school in the early '60s, junior high school in the later '60s, I was a little young to be very serious about street bikes at that time. However, I've grown up to appreciate quality and design for what it is. Just because I don't personally favor a particular styling doesn't for a moment mean that I don't have the deepest respect for quality workmanship.



Heck, I'd love nothing better than to hang out with each and every one of the builders that participated in the bike build-off series (along with West Coast Choppers and Orange County Choppers and all of their vendors for that matter). Picking the brain of all these custom fabricators would be the best education I could ever hope to receive! Not that I would ever go into the bike building business, just that I could learn a few more and different ways of custom fabrication.



More is (almost) always better!

 

[RustyJC]

John,



I wasn't referring to Indian Larry's craftsmanship or capabilities (which, as you say, are impressive). Just the style of his stuff - it looks outdated to me. Again, that's just my opinion - worth 2 cents at best.



Sorta like that Honda CB750K1 out in my garage. Even with the Yoshimura cam & kit, dual disc conversion, etc. , it's a bike that was a lot of fun in its day but would be buried by just about any good street bike today.



Rusty

 

[John]

Sorry Rusty, no implied inflammatory response from me to you. I understood where you were coming from... and I agree. I personally prefer the more trick, futuristic designs too. I just wanted to give credit where I thought credit was due.



Different strokes for different folks!

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Carb. = too big?

[BRAIN DUMP]

They fussed around quite a bit trying to get Billy's bike running..... the end result was that the carbs were 'too big'.



Not being a HD, bike, or small engine proficient kind of guy - I may be barking up the wrong tree here... ...



BUT - if the carb is too big... . couldn't you put in a restrictor plate to reduce the flow... . and jet it down to reduce the fuel?



AND - How could the engine builder over-estimate the fuel requirements so much that it would hardly run?

[/BRAIN DUMP]



Matt

 

[Snow man]

Matt, if the carb is way way too big,as in this case,there will not be enough air velocity to pull the fuel from the bowl,or thru the needle jet,at startup or idle. Choking it may get it running,but if the carb is a monster it wont idle at all.

 

[Shovelhead]

And don't forget it was a 130 hp, kick-start only bike.





Wouldnt have been my 1st choice.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

John: Your comment is exactly why I said this earlier... "AND - How could the engine builder over-estimate the fuel requirements so much that it would hardly run?"



After I typed that for the first time..... I sat back and thought that Billy might have swapped out the carb thinking it'll give him some extra ponies. Billy would NEVER do something like that... .



The kick-start is cool - but they have a habit of biting you if you're not careful.



Matt

 

[DKayser]

F&^%ing kick starters!

After tearing ankle ligaments(unrelated to the bike) I started kicking with the left foot. Now I use a button. What the hell was I thinkin for all those years????:--)