The Complete Idiot's Guide to Choppers

by Benson, Michael; Austin, Russ

• ISBN13: 9781592574520
• ISBN10: 1592574521
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-06-06
• Publisher: DK Publishing, Inc.

Summary

You're no idiot, of course. You're hardly the type to be satisfied with a straight-from-the-showroom cycle. But when it comes to turning a pile of parts into a rev-worthy chopper, you start to lose your cool ...

Author Biography

Michael Benson, who has partied with the Hells Angels on both coasts, is the author of 41 books. His most recent works include Betrayal in Blood: The Murder of Tabatha Bryant, and Inside Secret Societies: What They Don-'t Want You to Know.
Russ Austin, a nationally recognized expert on choppers, is the owner and head designer of Precious Metal Custom, a custom chopper shop where he builds 40 choppers a year for private customers.

Table of Contents

Becoming a Chopper Owner	p. 1
What Is a Chopper?	p. 3
The Chopper Daydream	p. 3
Chopper Defined	p. 4
The Closest Thing to Flying	p. 5
The Bare Necessities	p. 5
The Fonda Factor	p. 9
Fame Equals Standardization	p. 12
Simple with Attitude	p. 13
Things That Get Chopped	p. 14
The Downside	p. 14
Owning the Right Chopper	p. 17
What's Your Dream?	p. 17
To Buy or To Build?	p. 18
Look Deep Inside	p. 19
Shopping	p. 19
Special Insurance Problems?	p. 20
The Kit Option	p. 21
Things You'll Need to Build	p. 21
Finding the Perfect Chopper	p. 24
Regional Differences	p. 26
Don't Be Afraid to Scrounge	p. 28
Let's Be Practical	p. 31
Quality of the Ride	p. 31
On the Cheap	p. 33
A Word to the Wise	p. 39
Can You Ride It?	p. 40
Enough with Practical!	p. 40
How Fast Will It Go?	p. 42
Is It You?	p. 42
Don't Forget the Paperwork	p. 43
Attorneys Who Ride	p. 45
Old School vs. New School	p. 47
Old-School Elements	p. 48
Rebuilding a Panhead	p. 53
The New-School Advantage	p. 56
To Potential Owners (and Builders)	p. 61
The Workspace	p. 63
Get a Kit	p. 63
Be True to Your Shop	p. 64
Setting Aside the Time	p. 65
Prepping the Workspace	p. 66
Workshop Essentials	p. 68
Tools You Need	p. 69
Wheel/Mate	p. 71
Working on the Motor	p. 71
The Temporary Workspace	p. 72
Building From a Kit	p. 75
No Changing Your Mind	p. 75
Getting Help	p. 76
Creating a Budget Sheet	p. 78
Kit Assembly Steps	p. 81
Wiring	p. 83
Stage 1 and Stage 2 Kits	p. 83
Available Kits	p. 85
Cautionary Tale	p. 90
Anatomy of a Chopper	p. 93
Frame and Engine	p. 95
The Frame	p. 96
Know Your Geometry	p. 99
Backbone and Downtube Stretch	p. 100
The Motor	p. 101
Increasing Engine Power	p. 102
Types of Suspension	p. 106
Oil Cooler/Outer Cover	p. 107
Wheels, Brakes, and Wires	p. 109
Going 'Round and 'Round	p. 110
Spokes or Billet?	p. 111
Tips on Wheels	p. 113
Brakes	p. 114
Wiring	p. 116
Ignition Switch	p. 118
Fuse Box	p. 119
Custom Cables	p. 120
Cable Installation Tips	p. 120
Hanging the Sheet Metal	p. 123
The Well-Dressed Chopper	p. 123
No Themes!	p. 124
Stick to Your Guns	p. 126
Paint Job and Seat	p. 133
Visions of Color	p. 133
Steps to a Successful Airbrushing	p. 136
"How to Paint a Chopper,"	p. 139
Seats: Looking Good	p. 146
How a Seat Is Made	p. 147
Complementary Seat and Tank	p. 148
Your Butt's Future	p. 151
Other Side of the Coin	p. 152
Chrome and Pipes	p. 155
Finding a Chromer	p. 156
Doing Your Own	p. 158
Chrome Etching	p. 159
Chrome vs. Chrome	p. 163
Pipes: More Skill Than Tools	p. 164
Cutting Pipes	p. 165
Installing Exhaust Manifolds	p. 166
Compatibility	p. 166
Legality	p. 167
Finished Choppers	p. 169
Less Is More	p. 170
Dem Bones	p. 170
Lucifer	p. 171
The James Dean Bike	p. 172
Hit the Switch	p. 172
Simply Psychedelic	p. 172
The King, Back When He Was a Prince	p. 174
The 30-Day Chopper	p. 175
Indian Chopper	p. 181
The $100,000 Bike	p. 182
Canadian Shovelhead	p. 184
World Biker Build-Off	p. 186
Maintenance with Style	p. 191
Take Good Care of Your Baby	p. 193
Routine Maintenance Tools	p. 194
The Battery	p. 194
Other Routine Maintenance	p. 195
Replace Your Fork Bearings	p. 196
Most Fork Bearings Standard	p. 197
Fatty's Tips	p. 198
Situational Shifting of Priorities	p. 198
Maintaining Your Paint Job	p. 200
When You Break Down ...	p. 201
Traveling in Packs	p. 201
DIY: Give It a Try	p. 202
Minimum Needs	p. 203
Know Your Wires	p. 205
Rethreading a Thrown Chain	p. 206
Replacing a Broken Ground Cable	p. 206
Replacing a Brake Pad	p. 206
Modern Repair: It's a Beautiful Thing	p. 207
The Worst-Case Scenario	p. 209
Electrical Malfunctions	p. 209
Manufacturer's Defects or Errors	p. 211
Outlaw Fashion	p. 215
Staying Comfortable, Staying Safe	p. 215
Helmets	p. 216
Helmet Safety	p. 218
Jackets	p. 218
These Boots Are Made for Ridin'	p. 220
An Overview of Underwear	p. 222
Knights of the Open Road	p. 222
Huh? Whadja Say?	p. 223
Head to Toe	p. 223
Chopper Culture	p. 225
Choppers Are Different	p. 227
Effects of Customization	p. 228
Your New Crowd	p. 228
Rules Are Rules	p. 229
Riding in Europe	p. 234
Have Fun, Be Safe	p. 235
A Look into the Crystal Ball	p. 236
Festivals, Rallies, and Shows	p. 241
Sturgis	p. 241
V-Twin Expo, Cincinnati	p. 244
Bike Week	p. 244
Laughlin River Run	p. 246
The Heritage	p. 246
Myrtle Beach Bike Week	p. 247
Laconia	p. 247
Las Vegas Bikefest	p. 249
Biketoberfest	p. 249
Steel Pony	p. 251
Easyriders Rodeo	p. 252
Friday the Thirteenth Parties	p. 254
Tornado Rally, Wichita	p. 254
Rolling Thunder	p. 254
Up on Cripple Creek	p. 255
Dealer Shows	p. 255
Two-Wheeler Dealers: A Shop Near You	p. 257
Orange County Choppers	p. 257
A Classic from OCC	p. 260
Big Dog Motorcycles	p. 263
S+S Cycle, Inc.	p. 264
Biker's Dream	p. 264
East Coast Ironhorse	p. 265
West Coast Choppers	p. 265
Big Bear Choppers	p. 265
American IronHorse	p. 266
Choppers, Inc.	p. 266
Custom Chrome	p. 266
Flyrite Choppers	p. 267
Wild West Motor Company	p. 269
Proper Chopper	p. 270
Dipping a Toe	p. 270
Taking the Plunge	p. 270
Clubs and Museums	p. 273
H.O.G.	p. 274
The Chopper Club	p. 274
The Antique Motorcycle Club of America	p. 275
American Motorcyclists Association	p. 275
Women on Wheels	p. 276
The Shop	p. 277
The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum	p. 278
Appendixes
Glossary	p. 281
Sources and Resources	p. 285
Chopper Shop Directory	p. 291
Index	p. 295
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.