Harley Davidson Motorcycles - Choppers

Harley Davidson Choppers

Harley Davidson choppers basically are motorcycles that have had all their “unnecessary” parts “chopped” off. The chopper came into existence back in the late 1960s after the release of the movie Easy Rider. Before this movie, the World War II servicemen by all rights could claim the title as the originators of this look. It was they who yearned for something different when they returned from the war overseas. In addition to all the other things they saw while on duty, they took notice of the way the motorcycles in Europe looked. They were more streamlined and stylish. Not happy with the way motorcycles at home “looked” a group of war veterans got together and began to recreate those images into what would later become the infamous Harley Davidson choppers.

“Bobbers” actually preceded the Harley Davidson choppers. Bobbers did away with the parts that were considered “unnecessary” such as windshields, large headlights, the fenders up front, crash bars and large-sized seats. These few changes alone greatly changed the way the motorcycles looked and they reduced the motorcycle’s weight considerably. Next in line to change were the forks and wheels. An increased wheelbase was achieved by changing the angle of the forks to the ground which enabled the size of the front wheel to become smaller. To accommodate this change, handlebar heights grew longer. A much fatter rear wheel was next as was a more compact gas tank

The era of motorcycle customization was about to take off! The 1969 cult movie, Easy Rider ushered in a new era of motorcycle and motorcycle rider and everybody wanted to be like the movie’s star, Peter Fonda. Many professional motorcycle designers began to take note of the impact this movie with its totally-revamped motorcycle was making on the masses. They decided it was time to cash in on this newest wave of individuality. And it not long after that Harley Davidson manufactured the first of its choppers.

But for a while, riders were having fun being the ones doing the customization. Chopping up their Harley Davidson motorcycles was an excellent creative outlet and is what continued to breathe life into this motorcycle manufacturer during this time of slumping sales. Harley Davidson choppers were more than cool – many were true one-of-a-kind custom creations and they were a lot of fun to ride, too!

Today, Harley Davidson choppers and all choppers for that matter are once again in vogue thanks to cable television and the latest category of reality television shows to emerge on the scene. Shows like American Chopper and Orange County Chopper, where each week an impressive, totally custom chopper is built from the ground up, help fuel the belief that everyday guys and gals can pick up a welder and build their own dream machine. That’s why today, bikers and really just about anybody can still be found messing around with their motorcycles in the comfort of their own backyards and garages. They may never achieve the level and detail that Harley Davidson choppers made famous, but miracles do happen!