How to Build Your First Custom Motorcycle

You have decided that you want to own a custom motorcycle, but you're not quite sure how or where to begin. There are a few things to think about before you start on your journey for that original, unique, or unusual motorcycle.

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First, do you want to fully build a custom motorcycle from the frame up, do you want to modify an existing bike, or order one already built to your specifications? What size bike are you thinking about? Large, small or in the middle? Do you want agility & speed, or do you just want to look good while you cruise the highway?  You will need to decide how much money you can afford to spend in the long run & whether your ownership plan will most likely take you weeks, months or even years to complete.

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Second, can you spare the time to do the customization/modification on your bike yourself, or do you have the resources to have the work done for you. If you are going to do your own work, (as do most of us) you'll need to consider what tools you will need, where your work space will be located, how much help from like-minded friends you're likely to get, and your level and variety of skills.  Last but not least, do you have the motivation and dedication to continue once you have started creating your own custom bike?

Third, how much work needs to be done on a bike to make it a custom motorcycle anyway?  This is a controversial argument.  Some say it is not a custom motorcycle, unless you change out basically everything on the bike and others say changing just a couple of things makes it custom. This is the logical answer; make it uniquely yours in any way you choose!  Build it, modify it, lighten it, strengthen it, downsize it, expand it, make it more agile, paint it, build it up, or strip it down, just make it yours!  If you have had it modified and it is no longer "stock", or you've modified it yourself, congratulations! You now own a custom motorcycle!

Fourth, get out there and ride!!

How to Build Your First Custom Motorcycle

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Custom Chopper Kits

Choosing the parts that your custom chopper will be made of can be very confusing, considering the large numbers of custom chopper bike kits available on the market today. Chopper innovators like Biker's Choice, Phantom Cycle, Paul Yaffe and many more sell chopper-in-a-box kits available for chopper enthusiasts. Thanks to these kits, custom choppers have become quite affordable and are no longer necessarily toys for millionaires or master mechanics.

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Custom chopper kits provide the future chopper owner with all the instructions and just about every component necessary to create a perfect chopper of ones dreams. Jesse James, famous for his Discovery series "Monster Garage", offers a Big Book catalogue loaded with individual parts and accessories needed to create a fully custom bike with truly unusual frame configurations and groundbreaking metal sheet parts as seen on his TV show. However, the most exquisite details, such as an unusual tortoiseshell finish of the gas tank, can be obtained in your custom chopper only if you have your chopper built from scratch by Jesse himself.

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Before you start building your custom chopper you need to ask yourself what kind of chopper are you interested in building. Then you have to set up a budget for parts, labor and inevitable cost overruns. The price of the parts has scared many chopper enthusiasts from building a custom chopper of their own, but if you have exact specifications and the time and skills to invest into the project, then parts can be fairly inexpensive. If you choose the parts for your kit at the lower end spectrum, you will still end up with bike that will look like a Jesse James creation but will still have enough money left to throw a party when your new chopper leaves the garage.

When you select the parts for your custom chopper kit, try to use the most genuine parts available on the market within your price range. Sometimes even if you have a beautiful design in-mind, you can end up with poor-looking chopper, due to a lack of attention to detail by different suppliers

Complete custom chopper kits typically consists of an engine, chassis kit, exhaust pipes, tires, steel tanks and other metal parts, taillights, various controls, a seat, headlamp and many more. The extras supplied with a chopper kit would vary depending on the brand of chopper chosen. To finish your project, you will need paint and sometimes battery acid. Most chopper kits do not provide mirrors, speedometers or other accessories. These you can buy separately according to your taste.

To avoid unpredictable result, experienced chopper builder recommend waiting until you can afford buying all the accessories from one manufacturer. Waiting may not be easy when it comes to building your dream come true. But when you finally complete your custom chopper, you will be really glad you waited.

Custom Chopper Kits

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Building A Custom Chopper Motorcycle, Where Do You Start?

So you want to build a custom chopper? I do too, so the first question I asked myself, is where do I start. Should I make a business plan, a schedule, a financial statement, or should I just buy my wife some flowers and blindly proceed? I guess I should do all of the above but not necessarily in that order.

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I will start by trying to justify this purchase and or endeavor, to do this I will make a list of my reasons for building a Chopper. 1) I want to ride a custom chopper, a totally cool stretched out, fire breathing, gas eating, pavement pounding, old lady scaring, 2 wheel monster. 2) I want to be able to say "I built that" when someone asks me where I got that totally sick bike. 3) I want to be able to customize the bike beyond the standard add on parts I can get for my current bike a Harley Davidson Fatboy. 4) I want to be able to make this dream come true, meaning I need to be able to pay for it. A ,000 chopper is out of my current budget. 5) I have been talking about this for 5 years so why don't I get to it and stop doing all the talking and start doing some building.

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Now I have a few reasons on paper a will look at my options, then make a plan, a schedule, and find some extra money.

Let's start with a my build options, and plan on a slow and steady approach. I realize I will need to do a lot of research before I start. I have 4 basic options, a kit bike, a rolling chassis, a start from zero build, or an extreme makeover of a current motorcycle.

Option 1) If I start with a motorcycle kit I maybe the farthest ahead from a mechanical perspective, and farthest behind from a financial point of view. What do I mean by this, well a kit bike has all the parts it just needs paint, labor, gas, oil and some love. The problem a complete kit bike will cost me ,000 dollars right up front. This is a bit out of my spend a ton of money now then not be able to ride a bike for a year or two thinking. If I get a kit, I maybe able to get it together faster, as I will be motivated and have all the parts ready to go. As a first bike I think this is a very good option, when you consider all the expensive mistakes I may make along that way. One drawback to this option is the amount of customization I can do to the bike as it is put together. Because all the parts are in the kit, I may resist the urge to get new bars or different sheet metal, or other parts.

Option 2) Start with a Rolling chassis, this is the middle of the road option, spend a lump sum of money, about 1/2 of what the overall bike will cost and get a basic setup that all works together.

A Rolling chassis kit consists of a Frame, 2 wheels, the forks, and triple clamps and bars, all build and configured to work together. Add a motor and a transmission and all the major workings of the bike are in place. This setup helps avoid some of the major work needed to mix match and fit these items together. This option also allows for a ton of customization in the parts that people see and the parts that give a bike it's personality. For me this is a very serious option to consider. I would only have 1/2 the cost and 1/2 the parts sitting around and gathering dust until I get time to get it together.

Option 3) Find each and every part one at a time and build a completely custom motorcycle. I know I could do this, but I also know I will encounter more unexpected and possibly expensive issues with this type of build. This option would give me a bike that no one would ever duplicate. This could be very good or this could be very bad. What if some possible combination of frame, motor, forks, or wheels didn't work together? It would not be discovered until the motorcycle was all together. I think this option is better left to the serious professional who build bike all night long, as the are working on other peoples bikes, and running businesses during the day. I may consider this for my second custom chopper.

Option 4) Take an existing bike and start cutting and changing it. This is maybe as involved as chopping and re-welding the frame to create a new rake and angles. Or it could mean just getting a new frame and using the engine, transmission, and various other part to build a new machine. I like this idea, and I think it would be a lower cost alternative to all new custom parts. With this option you are also able to keep the current registration and title if the frame is not replaced. This is also a lower cost option because a lot of the miscellaneous parts can be reused.

I know that in one page all the possible combinations of Custom Chopper build can't be completely explained, I just hope this information give you something to start with and build on. It has help steer me in the direction of a rolling chassis, so I better get shopping.

Building A Custom Chopper Motorcycle, Where Do You Start?

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Custom Chopper Kits - How to Get the Right Kit

Custom choppers are becoming more and more sought after today. You can if you want go to a specialist who will build one for you but these cost a considerable amount of money. The other way to get such a vehicle is to purchase custom chopper kits and then construct your own one from them. In this article we look at some of the things to think about when you are going to be buying custom chopper kits.

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Things You Need To Understand About Custom Chopper Kits

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1. Not only can you purchase these kits from more well known manufacturers there are much smaller custom chopper builders who offer these kits as well. The smaller ones not only do offer their own kits but often you find the parts incorporated into the much larger custom chopper kit manufacturers have been supplied by them as well.

2. You should only purchase such kits if you are serious about building the bike of your dreams and then willing to spend hours caring for it after the work has been completed. However, you should be building such bikes if you don't have a good understanding of how the mechanics of these machines work.

Things To Consider When Shopping For Custom Chopper Kits

There are plenty of places online where one can purchase such kits from and one of the best of course is the online auction site e-Bay. However, if you are going to use this method then there are certain things you need to be looking for when you do. Below we offer some tips which you may find useful when it comes to buying such kits.

1. If you can purchase those kits which not only come with an instruction manual but also a DVD as well. You will find these much more useful as being able to see what is being done will make actually constructing the custom chopper yourself much easier. So if there is no information to show that the kit comes with an instruction DVD ask the seller if one can be provided.

2. If they don't provide a detailed list of what the kit contains in their advertisement then contact them and ask them if they can. Normally they will currently have this information already stored on their PC so should easily be able to email the list through to you as an attachment. If they are unwilling to provide such basic information then look at another seller for your kit.

3. Of course when buying anything from e-Bay whether it is custom chopper kits or other goods make sure that you do some research into the seller as well. Look closely at all feedback that they have not just their ratings. Also don't just look at the good feedback but take a look at that which isn't so good. This way you will get a better feel for whether you will be able to trust the seller you are going to be purchasing from.

Custom Chopper Kits - How to Get the Right Kit

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Biker Lifestyle - Building the Perfect Custom Harley Chopper

If you ride to live, then you know what it means to own a custom Harley chopper, and I am not talking about some add-on chrome bike either; Anyone with some cash can drop by your local Harley Davidson dealer and ride away on a new Road King, or other of their other factory models.

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A real custom Harley chopper is a one of kind custom built masterpiece that is created from the ground up, a 100% all original work of American beauty that reflects the personality and lifestyle of the proud owner. Hard core bikers know what I am talking about; the painstakingly hard work of creating and shaping a one of a kind statement of riding to live, and living to ride, wrapped around the perfect custom Harley chopper.

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Building the perfect Harley doesn't happen over night either, everything must be the perfect balance of frame, forks, the right rake and extension, rolling on tires and wheels that support the whole design. Every thing matters when building the perfect custom Harley, and if you are truly hardcore, then to complete the full extension of machine to man could mean 100% custom parts, engine, tank, and chrome. Nothing but the best will do.

So what does it take to build the perfect custom Harley motorcycle? First off it takes a boatload of cash, then you gonna need to find the right craftsman to hand all that cash to, and then brother you need some patients; you gonna have to sit down and talk with your craftsman, and help him understand how you are, what is important to you, so he can put pen to paper to form up some rough ideas. These ideas will be shaped and tweaked and considered until your Harley craftsman has the design that is truly you, and no one else.

Every nut, bolt, piece of molding, the right handlebars, and grips, absolutely everything will be well thought out, and nothing will be left to chance, or just thrown in. The perfect ride height that flows with a saddle that is made to fit your backsides contour, and all of the remaining pieces that are build around the heart of your custom chopper, the engine and transmission.

With you custom Harley almost complete, there will hours and hours of assembling and disassembling, fine tuning, tweaking, and testing until the final phase will be applying the richest paint job and graphics that turn thousands of dollars of hard earned cash and countless hours of laborious love, sweat, busted knuckles, and blood into the work of beauty that is your custom Harley chopper.

OK so where do you find this custom chopper craftsman? Well I am sure you already know the answer, and this isn't an overnight decision either, we have read every biker rag, went to all of the top bike shows, studied every custom bike we come across, and after we have researched all of our options, we pick up the phone or ride out to our craftsman and after a serious conversation or two we close the deal by shaking hands, signing some paperwork, and dropping that that big fat wad of cash we have been saving for who knows how long.

Those of you who have lived that dream of building and owning the perfect custom chopper know what I am talking about. Those of you still working on the dream will very soon know as well. The love of our lifestyle is but a reflection of how we live, carry ourselves and the bike we ride, the rest of this love is in our hearts!

Biker Lifestyle - Building the Perfect Custom Harley Chopper

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Custom Chopper Oil Leaks

Motorcycle owners who ride the older style Evo models may gone through the experience of oil blowing out through the air cleaner when they start the bike up after letting it sit for a long period of time. And once the bike is ridden and brought up to running temperature, or if it's ridden on a daily basis, the problem seems to go away.

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This is not an unusual occurrence with the older style Evo engines. But even though it may be a common thing, it's not normal for this to happen despite what you may have been told. The first thing to understand is that the oiling system on these motors is what is known as a dry sump. What that means is the oil supply is located in a different place away from the motor as in an oil tank. Because of this setup, only a small amount of oil should ever collect in the crankcase (sump) of the motor at anytime. When oil starts squirting out through the air cleaner, the motor is experiencing what is known as "wet sumping" meaning too much oil is gathering down in the crankcase when the bike sits for long periods of time.

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The reason this happens is because the check valve (a small ball) in the oil pump isn't seating properly. When the engine isn't running, oil will seep past the unseated check valve and drain into the crankcase (the sump). When you start the bike up and pressure starts building along with slinging the excess oil around, it's gotta travel somewhere. So out the breather it goes, into the air cleaner and onto the floor before it gets a chance to get pumped back into the oil tank.

There are a couple of reasons that the check valve may not be seating correctly in the oil pump. Some dirt, metal filings or other debris might be on the seat of the valve or on the ball. In some circumstances, metal may have passed through the oil pump and maybe caused some nicks on the ball giving the oil an opportunity to leak through.

To fix this situation, the oil pump needs to be removed, the ball valve and spring taken out of the oil pump housing and all the components given a good cleaning. After cleaning the components, carefully inspect the check valve parts for any damage. In fact, you may want to use a magnifying glass so you can get a real close look at it. Once you've got everything all cleaned up and you see no damage, put it all back together, reinstall the pump and see if that takes care of the problem. If this problem continues after you've cleaned and inspected everything, chances are you'll need to replace the oil pump.

One more thing: When you do leave your motorcycle sitting for long periods of time, check the oil level before you start it up. If the level is low, don't add any oil until you run the motor for a little bit. The reason is because the motor may have "wet-sumped" while its been sitting and a good amount of oil may have leaked into the crankcase. And even though your dipstick may indicate that the engine oil supply is about a quart low, that missing oil may be sitting in the crankcase. If you add a quart of new oil before you start the bike up, you'll overflow the oil tank. So it's a good idea to let the motorcycle run for a few minutes to circulate the existing oil and then check the level.

Custom Chopper Oil Leaks

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Building Your Own Motorcycle - Custom Chopper Kits Make it Cheap and Easy

Do you want to build a custom chopper that is unique but don't have the time or money available? Then have you ever thought about getting yourself one of the many custom bike kits which are now available. Certainly if this is the first time you are going to be building a custom bike then this will help you to get started and understand everything that goes into building one.

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When deciding which custom bike kit to buy you need to look at more than just how much it costs. Although you won't spend so much on custom bike kits as you would on a bike that is ready made the cheaper one's are unlikely to give you a good quality bike. So it is far better if one actually spends time comparing the various ones available. Certainly it is worth spending a little more to save you a lot of heartache in the future.

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After you have completed your research and chosen the custom bike kit for you, then you are on the first rung of the ladder to creating something that is unique. Through using such kits one can learn everything that goes into constructing a custom bike and over the years you can then add to it as you wish. The one thing that will bring you satisfaction in the end is knowing that as you cruise around on it you are the one that has lovingly created it from the ground upwards.

But the great thing about custom bike kits is that they don't take any of the fun or enjoyment out of being able to build a motorcycle for yourself. Instead what they do is provide you with all the pieces that are needed to put it together. Certainly when you are doing any DIY project at home and find you have run out of something and need to go to the hardware store to get it, you generally decide to give up. However, with a custom bike kit this is something that need concern you.

Plus just because you use a custom bike kit it does not mean that you won't be add to include custom chrome or Harley aftermarket parts onto yours. In fact you have the opportunity to include these on yours if you so wish. You can if you want rather than use certain parts such as the seat or mirrors provided with the kit replace them with others that you prefer. Also you don't need to stick with the standard paint job that is suggested for your bike, but instead get something that really says who you are. This way what started as a standard custom bike will turn into something truly special.

Before when people wished to build their own custom bikes they needed to use various tools in order to create some custom parts. However, because custom bike kits have become increasingly popular so company's like Harley produce aftermarket parts such as wheels, seats, exhaust systems that can be used with them. Also no longer do you have to spend lots of money buying equipment such as blow torches or saws in order to create a one off piece of machinery.

The other benefit to be gained from purchasing custom bike kits rather than trying to build one from scratch is the cost. No longer do you have to spend time driving around looking for that part you need or buying parts which are wrong. With these kits everything is there already for you and you can then just decide if you want to replace some of these parts with something else when you feel like it.

Building Your Own Motorcycle - Custom Chopper Kits Make it Cheap and Easy

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Custom Chopper Rental In Las Vegas - Wilding Out

To a first-timer, the city of Vegas is a visual shock of neon lights, gigantic structures, and beautiful people. But there is certainly more to Las Vegas than just the posh hotels, flashy entertainment, and crazy gambling. And one way to experience this is to ride a custom chopper rental through the Las Vegas landscape that lies just beyond the sparkling strip.

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Custom chopper rental shops are available all over Las Vegas. And it is a treat to know that most of them offer package tours when you decide to rent one of their custom rentals. For starters, you can take a drive down the Vegas Boulevard and marvel at the uniqueness of each structure. Or perhaps cruise through the "Glitter Gulch" or Fremont Street and watch the beautiful array of lights and stunning ladies. Then perhaps pull up in custom chopper rental in the chopper-friendly Las Vegas hotels such as Hard Rock Hotel & Casino or the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa.

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And when you've had your fill of downtown Vegas, go on a trip through the city's rugged desert lands. Take a ride on your custom chopper rental and discover the Valley of Fire and the Mojave Desert. Perhaps go southeast and take a tour through the Hoover Dam, one of the nation's greatest historic landmarks. And maybe check out the man-made reservoir Lake Mead along the way. The Red Rock Canyon's terrain lie await for you to course your custom chopper rental through its red sandstone ground that lies west of Las Vegas.

In Las Vegas, where exotic car rental vehicles are the norm, a custom chopper rental can be an alternative driving experience. Like many of their kind, these rentals come with daily, weekly, and sometimes, monthly rental packages. And as their names suggest, these are rides that you can choose to design for yourself.

If you're a stranger to the Nevada landscape, worry no more. Some custom chopper rental companies in Las Vegas provide you with your own tour guide at the request for one. But you can always attempt to ride the adventurous side by unraveling the countryside on your own or with a group of friends for an added sense of fun.

And if the Las Vegas terrain is not enough, some rental providers even allow long-distance rental packages that can go as far as Salt Lake City or even Vancouver, Canada. And impress your friends or a date with a powerful muscle of a ride in a custom chopper rental.

The quintessential visitor should not immediately assume that Vegas is all about the urbane. He should, in fact, try to discover the Vegas hosts a panoramic exhibition of nature in its entire splendor.

So whether your trip to Las Vegas is the first or the nth time, do opt for the alternative outdoor ride that a custom chopper rental can provide.

Custom Chopper Rental In Las Vegas - Wilding Out

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Custom Chopper Kits - Build Your Own Chopper

There are many people who would like to have the opportunity to build their own custom chopper. But they choose not to simply because they don't have the skills or know which parts to purchase. Yet for these people they can now purchase custom chopper kits which makes carrying out such a project a lot easier and also a lot more affordable.

chopper kits

The great thing about using these kits is that allow you to build your own machine from scratch and ensure that it is one which reflects your personality. Although the parts in these kits are standard you do have the opportunity to actually change them so that you can make a machine that is truly unique.

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It is important that before you go out and purchase your kit you decide what style and design of chopper it is you wish to build. By knowing what type of custom chopper it is you want to build you can then narrow down what kits you look at. At the same time as determining what style of chopper it is you want construct you need to factor in the amount you are willing to invest in your machine. Don't forget to thing about the additional money that you may need to spend on parts that may not be included with the kit you purchase.

Although the majority of custom chopper kits come with the parts needed to build such a machine such as the frame, engine, tires, bars and exhaust pipes there may be other parts you need to purchase for yourself. In many cases items such as mirrors, speedometer, lights and indicators will have to be purchased separately so don't forget to factor these costs when pricing up the kits you are considering. However, by allowing you to select these items separately you have the opportunity to create a machine that is truly unique.

Custom Chopper Kits - Build Your Own Chopper

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Custom Chopper Build It, Or Buy It?

Like many motorcycle enthusiast, I too love chopper's from the extreme detail of OCC choppers to the Bad Boy Bikes of Jesse James, there is just one glich, I'm not rich.

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There are 2 basic approaches to getting what we are after, buy or build. Obviously both approaches have their own unique drawbacks and as you may have guessed there is quite a bit of cost in each route.

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Buying a chopper is by far the fastest, easiest and in many cases the safest route to take. I allow it is the fastest way because the bike is already built for you, easiest because you just have to have the money and safest because in most cases these bikes are built by professionals. If you are prepared to buy a chopper, compromise is the operative word. You have to be able and willing to weigh what you want in a chopper against what you can afford in a chopper. In my experience what I want in a chopper usually doesn't even come close to reflecting what I can afford. Unfortunately through most of my shopping I have found even used name brand choppers like OCC, Jesse James, Ironhorse are all well out of my price range. At best your looking at a bike that is 3 to 5 years old and still cost as much as a new Harley.

However, the benefits to buying a name brand or professionally built chopper are still ever present. First, safety. The welds and precision that the bike is assembled with is generally unparalleled by the novice builder. (I'm not saying it can't be accomplished by a novice builder.) Second, Veh. Registration. This is one of the aspects that is often over looked when people jump into building their own chopper. When a chopper is built from the ground up, it has no V.I.N. (vehicle identification number or serial number) which makes it very hard for the private citizen to register. People who build these bikes for a living usually have this problem worked out with the corporation commission in their state and understand what steps must be taken to register the cycles legally. This problem is often solved by buying a prefab frame from a respectable frame shop or company.

Now to build, you must look first at your mechanical and metal working capabilities. Much of the knowledge can be gained with research. The physical act must be supplemented with the right tools. This is the area where I find a lot of people overlook a large cost. Having the right and dependable tools at your disposal is priceless, however the price of the tools can sometimes be staggering. Wrenches, mig welder, cutting torch, air compressor, air cutoff, grinder and impact wrenches, frame jig this list could last for pages. The number of tools needed to build a chopper from scratch is substantial. Your capabilities with a welder must be better than average.

Chopper Kits come in all shapes and sizes. Many of these kits are complete packages with everything needed (except the tools) to build a chopper with exception of paint. The kits generally come straight metal or primered. These produce some exceptional looking choppers for around ,000 and a lot of elbow grease. As I mentioned earlier, knowledge is a must, don't go in blind. (try looking at the HR3 chopper kits, they are great looking bikes)

Chopper-mod. This is what i call it when you start with a motorcycle and simply alter the triple tree, and extend the forks. I have seen these type's of choppers that are equally appealing. But all and all you can usually tell that they are not a custom. They still have that "store bought" look to them. The price of this option is directly proportional to the brand of bike you start with.

Any way you go when acquiring the Chopper of your dreams is only limited to what you can afford and/or your capabilities to put forth the elbow grease needed. There are yet more options to consider when pursuing a chopper, these are just a few highlights and hopefully some helpful insight.

Custom Chopper Build It, Or Buy It?

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Essentials of a Custom Built Chopper

Inspiration, modification, and fabrication are the 3 steps that make up the heart of true custom built choppers and motorcycles. The biking world is ever emerging to match the ever changing sectors and the needs of the people around the globe. However geographically separated be the chopper builders, but their eventual motive will cross lines only at the result of the built. The built as ever is destined to suit the tastes of the very individual who build it. Let's read on to reveal the excitement it spills on.

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Inspiration:

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Many of the passionate, not-practical-in-any-sense customs are built with the solitary purpose of rousing, infuriating thought, and sprouting novel ideas. Only worrywarts suppose that the whole thing has previously been thought of-somebody had to be the 1st person to vision up the wheel. We showcase bikes that endeavor to revolutionize the professed impression of what a motorbike is and can be. We try to develop the recognized boundaries and demonstrate the community with the cutting edge. Sometimes that frontier is extended by a name from remote to the motorcycle business, such as Gary Hetrick who functions out of his garage, or even the familiar Chip Foose.

Modification:

Modification is the cause why a periodical such as many familiar ones exists-it's the groundwork of our content. Xtreme Texas Chopper's technological articles spotlight on the complete spectrum of alteration, from undemanding bolt-on articles to pieces that cover deep within motor customization and universal fabrication, but all are intended to encourage all level of wrench slinger, from the guy who scarcely has maintenance hand tools to the garage. Ernie's exhaust pipe design is a good picture of heavy modification: They buy some stock shovelhead pipes and flanges at a swap meet for economical prices and modify them to labor with his precise bike build. Ernie couldn't order the pipe he required, but people like him will always figure out a way to vary an existing part. Parts producers think up innovative modifications all the time, and the chopper builder in you should try to showcase these novel parts as soon as soon as you produce them.

Fabrication:

At times a new-fangled part is crafted from either an old one or a custom part that's been modified might not generate the desired look or purpose. Or maybe the essential custom built motorcycle part to absolute a confident bike hasn't been shaped yet, so it is must that custom choppers are to be built from scratch. Many builders learned to fabricate their hunks and monsters this very way, beginning with additional skill than cash; they produce their own parts for the reason that they couldn't manage to pay for to buy anything.

Essentials of a Custom Built Chopper

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Custom Build - Know-How Of Mini Choppers

Biking is one of the interesting rides, which suit the adults as well as the kids. Mini choppers are the latest in the biking trend that interests people across age groups. Mini choppers are the popular choppers which attracts more popularity and craze among the bikers. Bike choppers are the growing motor cycle market today. In the biker's world, mini choppers attract popularity at a higher rate and creates more demand among the customers.

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A custom made mini chopper bike is unique by all means, as motorcycle owners are usually crazy about How to customize their cycles to suit their own attitude, need, style and taste. Everyone has different choices in choosing, How to customize their bikes, and there's no set rules about customizing, you just customize your ride as you prefer. After all that is why it is called custom mini chopper and it should represent your own self.

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Designing and building a customized mini choppers can build skills and self confidence to try to customize a full sized one in future stages. Everybody who is interested in custom building the choppers should think of mini choppers as a first project to build, this helps one to find out if their skills and interests really match the requirements of custom building. The risk factor is low, but the potential outcome pays off well.

The apt way to really learn the, know-how's of customizing your mini chopper bike is to work on it. One should start of with a research, finding out what you need; what tools you require, buy the pre fabricated mini chopper parts and start building it.

The two ways to learn how to build custom mini chopper bikes are: Building the bike from scratch and Build using the pre existing custom modifications.

Out of the two ways of doing a custom build, the second option discussed above is preferred for beginners. To start of with one can take up the prefabricated frame, which actually is the most important and the basic requirement. It should be the sturdiest component to be used in any type of build, and capable enough to bear the vibrations caused by the engines and road conditions.

There are lots of accessories that are on offer that you need, to customize your motorcycle and make it more unique and complete. To mention a few, in case you like a drag-racer look, you can add chopper drag bars to your Custom chopper.

You can also customize your wheels to any as you like. Sleek front wheel and a bigger rear one (up to ten inches or more) which is a usual in bigger models can be followed in the Mini customs too. This helps the Mini customs to replicate the bigger brother in a better way.

Custom Build - Know-How Of Mini Choppers

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Lowrider Custom Built Choppers Overview And Buying Guide

Taking to the road upon a lowrider bike is not only a great deal of fun, but is also a great expression of your own individuality and style.

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Perhaps you have seen some of the lowrider bikes for yourself that have in recent years become so popular? They instantly turn heads based on the fact that their very individual designs are a direct expression between the riders personality and his or her relationship not only with the bike itself, but also their attitude towards the open road and life in general. They instantly generate a big statement of personality and uniqueness as individual as every rider that rides them. Needless to say, they can also provide surprisingly enough quite a compfortable ride too. Gaining in popularity all the time, perhaps it is time for you to consider making that ultimate statement that only a lowrider bike can give you. For advice on the best style of chopper to suit you, generally speaking you can always find a chopper club not too far from you where members will be only too happy to impart their wisdom, tips and advice on the best kind of lowrider custom chopper, fit for your build and purpose.

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So, where did these lowrider bikes come from? Well, they were first seen in the heady days of the 1960's in the state of California. They differed vastly from the mass produced motorcycle market that the then larger motorcycle manufacturers were producing, often by younger folks looking to combine the good looks taken from several bikes already on the road. From this it was almost as though a new art form in motorcycles came into being, as more and more experimentation took place which produced some very eye catching custom built choppers, again to show off to the full, each riders totally unique individuality.

After a while, one manufacturer started to notice this new craze and started to take notice, in 1963 introducing the Stingray model, which then began big time the love affair that was to develop between the public and this custom built chopper. You may remember yourself this company (Schwinn).

With today's interest in all things of a retro style, these lowrider designs are increasing in popularity all the time. For some people they fall in love with them for the memories of happier and simpler times, for others they just love the simple sophistication of these elegant custom built choppers. Some chopper enthusiasts are choosing to build their own choppers whilst others have specialized companies custom build them on their behalf. Another awesome place to buy is online via auction, where you can find an amazing choice with very detailed listings so that you can rest assured of exactly what it is that you are buying, including full specifications and service history etc. Of course, you will want to know that the lowrider bike that you ideally would like to dream of owning has been very well cared for with full maintenance records for your complete peace of mind.

As with all things though of such personal value, generally speaking you can get a good gist of a persons capabilities for looking after items in their possession that they are looking to sell, simply based upon the way that they describe the item, in this case, a lowrider bike.

With a season of fine weather ahead of us and the open road beckoning, perhaps now is a good time to start looking for that bargain lowrider bike?

Lowrider Custom Built Choppers Overview And Buying Guide

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Custom Built Choppers Guide

Similar to many motorcycle enthusiasts, I just love chopper's from the incredible detail of OCC choppers all the way to the Bad Boy Bikes of Jesse James, there is just one hold back however and that is I just don't have mountains of spare cash floating around to buy my perfect, ideal hand built chopper, so what are the alternatives? There are two fairly straightforward approaches to getting what we are after, the choice is whether to buy or build it yourself. Obviously both avenues have their own individual unique drawbacks, and as you may have gathered there is quite a bit of cost involved with either route that you take. Buying a chopper is by far the quickest, easiest and in many cases the safest option to take. Here I explain what I think are the options available to you.

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Buying a chopper outright is definitely the fastest way and indeed has a great many advantages especially if like me, you are a very busy individual with not too much time on your hands. Too, you can rest assured that the bike you buy has likely been built by a professional and therefore you will know with all due diligence that the chopper you are about to acquire is indeed a very safe bike to purchase, not just for you, but also for all the other road users out there. If you are prepared to buy outright, you have many options that you can take later on too, if you decide to carry out any modifications to put your own individual stamp on the chopper motorbike itself. Also buying these days a chopper in the aftermarket is a pretty easy process with a great deal of options available to you. To get a good general idea of the kind of bike you may be after, have a look through the listings on ebay where there is a good choice usually on offer with highly detailed photographs displayed alongside each bike too. Sometimes though, buying a second user machine you are likely somewhere along the line, going to have to make compromises, but at the end of the day, it's up to you how far you are willing to bend, to source your perfectly ideal, chopper motorbike.

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The other option if you have the time, the expertise and the money is to either build one yourself from scratch or have a chopper motorcycle hand built for you by a professional. This will obviously take a great deal of time but the overall result is much more likely to be a bike with which you can ultimately enjoy your very own personal relationship with as you learn all about it's individual characteristics and road handling ability etc.

Whichever option you choose to go with, may we wish all fellow bikers a happy and safe touring summer in 2008!

Custom Built Choppers Guide

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Ten Reasons You Should Own a Custom Chopper

Custom choppers are the Mercedes of motorcycles, and they are as much fun to own as any super-luxury vehicle. I'm certain that when you see a custom chopper, you wish you had one for youself. Here's ten reasons to buy a custom chopper...

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1. FUN! Yes, this is the first and foremost reason. You will have more fun with a custom chopper than just about any other investment you make. Cars are fun, sure, but they simply don't provide the "in the wind" feeling that can only be obtained with a motorcycle and a custom chopper will make people stop and notice - and that's always fun.

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2. Resale value. Just like a car, motorcycles depreciate with time. At least stock motorcycles do. But custom rides and antiques don't - in fact they can appreciate if you continue adding value to your ride. 3. Breaking out of the status quo. Just anyone can own a stock motorcycle. Harley dealers have great stock bikes that anyone who has the money can buy. Newspapers abound with ads for stock motorcycles that are being sold by an owner - often because they want to upgrade and get their first custom chopper. That's the status quo in motorcycles. If you want to break away and stand out in the crowd, a custom chopper will do that for you!

4. Custom choppers are accepted by all motorcycle riders. Have you ever noticed that the Harley riders will accept custom choppers that aren't Harley builds much more easily than they will any other type of motorcycle? It's true, if your bike is a custom chop, even if the drive train is not Harley, the Harley rides will not shun you or make nasty.

5. Your custom chopper can reflect your personality. If you purchase a stock bike, there will be hundreds of thousands of people who have exactly the same scoot as yours. With a custom chopper, you can provide input and customization that reflects who you are.

6. Riding comfort is another reason to customize. By choosing the frame, engine, risers, handle bars, saddle and parts that create your custom chopper, you can create the chop that is most comfortable for YOU, the rider.

7. Pizzazz. You can add as much shiny, eye-blinding chrome as you choose; or you can have as little as you choose. If you want lots of fringe, accessories the custom chop to include fringe all over. If you want a very stark, minimalistic ride, you can have that too! How much pizzazz you add is your choice and only your choice!

8. Head turn factor. You can guarantee, no matter what custom chopper design you settle on, you will turn heads. You can add all the "head turn" factor to you chopper you desire. If you want, you can create something that is drop-dead unique and turn every head you encounter. But if you aren't a glutton for attention, you may choose a more simplistic design.

9. Make it solo. If you get sick and tired of the "can I ride with you?" questions and simply don't want anyone to ride behind you, choose a solo saddle design that provides you an excuse, "my bike only rides one - ME!"

10. Ego. Yes, we all have ego, don't we? That's what makes us what to be different to begin with. And a great ego stroke is riding out of your truly unique, one-of-a-kind custom chopper. Just don't let it go to your head! After all, you still want your friends to love you and ride with you!

Copyright 2006 Tyler Powers

Ten Reasons You Should Own a Custom Chopper

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Build Your Own Custom Bike - Taking the First Steps

Today the number of people choosing to build their own custom chopper is increasing. But for many of these people knowing where to start or what parts to buy in order to create a great looking custom chopper is their biggest challenge. However, because of the increased interest in building choppers there are many ways for these people to learn how to build a chopper themselves very easily.

chopper rolling chassis

For these people the first step they should take if they wish to build their own custom chopper is to get a kit. It doesn't matter whether you have built a chopper in the past or not these kits help to make the whole process of building one a lot easier because everything that you need is contained in them. As well as the kits having everything that you need to make your own custom bike, you know that these parts will work together well and properly. Plus if you are a complete novice at this then they come with full instructions including videos to help you with the build process.

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It is important however before you purchase a custom chopper kit you ensure that you will have plenty of space to work on the project. Remember the completed bike will be quite large so the space should not only be large enough to house the complete bike, it should also give you plenty of room for moving around as you construct the custom chopper. Also don't rush the project take your time as this will ensure that every part goes together correctly and so will work in the way it was intended to.

Build Your Own Custom Bike - Taking the First Steps

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Buying Custom Chopper Kits - 2 Tips to Help You Buy the Right Chopper Kit

More and more people are deciding to purchase a custom chopper. Although they can have one built by a specialist these cost quite a considerable amount of money. Therefore many are actually opting to build their own and so will purchase one of the many custom chopper kits now available.

chopper bike

In this article we offer some tips that could prove useful and which you should be thinking about when deciding what of the many chopper kits you would want to buy.

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Tip 1 - You should be thinking about only buying those kits where you are supplied with an instruction manual and also DVD. These are far more useful to you as they will actually show you what needs to be done as well as tell you. By being able to see how the parts will need to be constructed together will make it far easier for you to do complete the task also. If the seller provides no information as to what instructions are provided with the kit on their website then request the information from them.

Tip 2 - It is important when purchasing any custom chopper kits you know exactly what each one contains. In order to reduce their advertising costs the manufacturers of these kits tend not to list every item on their adverts. So it is important that you contact them to actually make sure that you get everything you need to build your chopper with. If they are cannot or unwilling to provide such basic information to you then choose to use the services of another kit seller.

Buying Custom Chopper Kits - 2 Tips to Help You Buy the Right Chopper Kit

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Custom Chopper Kits - Tips to Help You Buy the Right Kit

People who intend to build their own custom chopper but don't have the relevant skills to do so will purchase custom chopper kits. The main reason that they do this is because they come with all the necessary parts that are required to construct your own machine but allow you the opportunity to change them to make their chopper really unique.

choppers for sale

However there are certain things that a person needs to consider before they spend hard earned money on purchasing a custom chopper kit. In this article we take a look at just what some of these things are.

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1. Only buy the kits that provide you not just an instruction manual on how to construct your chopper but also an instruction DVD. This way you will be able to see what exactly needs to be done and so you will find actually constructing your custom chopper will be a lot easier. If no information is provided in the advertisement as to what is contained in the kit then ask the seller to provide this to you.

2. If you are buying your custom chopper kit online then it is important that you do some background checks into the seller beforehand. Look at any feedback that they have received from other clients as this will help you to determine more easily whether the client can be trusted or not. Also it is worth checking with any business associations if they have any information about the reliability of such companies. In the USA it is worth contacting the BBB (Better Business Bureau) to see if they can provide you with any information on the seller you are considering using.

Custom Chopper Kits - Tips to Help You Buy the Right Kit

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Custom Chopper Motorcycles - Riding the Dream

There comes a time in everyone's life when motorcycles become not only interesting but accessible, for me this was aged 15, and at 16 I had my first motorbike.

chopper bicycle frames

The bike in question was a Suzuki ZR50 which was built like an old school chopper, with the seat, and handlebars to match, despite its blistering 28mph top speed! But unlike my friends who took an interest in the sports style motorcycles, I was hooked on the custom chopper and Harley Davidson scene.

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My ZR50 spent quite a lot of time in bits, I painted it up by myself, tricked up the engine to a new top speed if 48mph and I even painted a design of Eddy from Iron Maiden on one of the plastic farings.

That was 1987 and since then the custom motorcycle bug is an itch that I still enjoy scratching.

But the custom chopper & motorcycle scene is bigger today than it has ever been with the popularity of TV programmes such as American Chopper highlighting Orange County Choppers, and buying and selling custom built motorcycles is big business.

Finding the right market value for a motorcycle with a specific specification is difficult enough, but determining the value of a custom built motorcycle is a bit of an art, and you need to know what you are doing, so you're buying or selling a custom made motorcycle, then you need to see what other custom motorcycles are selling for, and get a heads up on the true market value.

Purchasing a custom motorcycle at the right price is an excellent investment IF you know what you are looking for, and you will be the envy of your friends.

If you are in the market for a custom chopper or Harley Davidson then you need to know your numbers and market value. Use our unique software algorithm to search for the best deals on the internet including eBay.

In these economic times people are selling their custom motorcycles at unheard of prices which means you can pick up a real quality custom motorcycle bargain.

Custom Chopper Motorcycles - Riding the Dream

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Custom Built Chopper Motorcycles

"Whose motorcycle is this?"

choppers for sale

"Its not a motorcycle baby, it's a chopper."

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"Whose chopper is this"

"Its Zeds chopper baby."

"Who is Zed?"

"Zeds dead baby, Zeds dead."

Now, most of us who were alive during the Nineties remember this scene from the classic American film, Pulp Fiction. I remember watching this movie for the first time and then wondering to myself, "What the hell is a difference between a chopper and a motorcycle?" This was before shows like American Chopper and Monster Garage came on to the scene and helped educate the public on the difference between a motorcycle and a custom built chopper.

A chopper is pretty much a motorcycle that had been customized, or "chopped" to give it individuality. The practice of building custom motorcycle choppers started sometime after World War Two when the biker culture began. Veterans came back from Europe, and found the big clunky motorcycles built by Harley Davidson and Indian unsatisfactory when compared to the lighter, faster European bikes. They decided to change the bikes by removing anything and everything that was unnecessary. They began to shorten, or remove the fenders to give the bike a sleeker look and the term "chopper" was born.

The custom-built chopper motorcycle evolved further during the sixties and seventies. Bikers began removing everything that was deemed unnecessary and replacing everything that seemed too big. Out went the windshield, the big blinkers and the big seats. The began raking the front wheel, so that it extended further out from the bike, giving the motorcycle a "cool" look and raising the handle bars higher. These customized motorcycles began to morph away from anything that was factory standard and became unique as each owner tailored their individual bike to what they deemed necessary.

The chopper took on an American Iconic status after the release of "Easy Rider" in 1969. Soon thereafter, the idea of a custom built motorcycle left the realm of the outlaw biker and entered the domain of the typical American. Soon, talented designers opened their own customizing shops replacing the guy in the backyard who put together bikes for fun. People started going to these shops to get their customized choppers instead of building it themselves.

As the baby boomer generation began to age, the demand for these nostalgic symbols of individuality began to rise. Soon, custom-built motorcycles were being produced and sold for exorbitant prices. Choppers were no longer the vehicles for the outlaw biker. They had instead become the status symbol for the weekend hobbyist with expendable income. Still, when I see one of these bankers going through a midlife crises flying down the freeway on a Chopper I cannot help but feel a shiver of danger and rebellion.

Custom Built Chopper Motorcycles

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