Yeah, it's a Chopper. But...
  Home Page | About the Forum | CIDI Members' Photo Gallery | Current Projects | More Current Projects | Domestic Chopper Samples | Metric Chopper Samples | Sport Bike Choppers | What NOT to Do... | Angles of Attack | Forum Links | Guest Book  

...would you really want to ride it?
Here are a few examples of not-so-user-friendly bikes. They might bite back when ridden...

Honda VT-600 Shadow
This bike has 6" over tubes on stock triple trees and stock rear suspension. The bike recieved a slammed to the ground hardtail mod later, but this "before" picture is a good example of what you will want to avoid.

This bike belongs to Denny Berg, of Cobra Custom Projects division.
Suzuki 650 Savage
This bike sports +12 degree raked triple trees. It looks good, the frame is balanced, but the problem you'll want to be concerned with here is the trail dimension. You can get away with raked trees in some circumstances, but this is one I would not want to ride on the freeway. There are "bar-hoppers," and there are "bar-slappers."

Find out more about rake versus trail, and how to avoid this dangerous set up at "Chop it and Drop it!"
Harley Springer
This panhead chopper also sports too long of a front end on a custom frame. This creates a really high center of gravity that makes the bike feel unstable at slow speed maneuvers and cornering. But at least the guy added a longer kickstand, unlike the next example...
Honda 600 Steed
here's another example of too long a front end on a stock set up. 8" over tubes mounted on stock trees and stock rear suspension. Not only does this create an uncomfortably high center of gravity, but who wants to carry around a piece of a railroad tie everywhere to allow for parking?

On the other hand, beef up the rear suspension, swap out for some knobby tires, and add a fork brace and you might have something for when the asphalt runs out...as long as you have a 40" inseam!
Early 70's Honda Twin
This is getting more down to earth. Literally. Back in the day this would have been a bike that could be ridden daily, but with today's speed-bump technology you would want to know alternate entrances to your favorite stomping grounds.
Fork Extensions
Fellow chopper-head Downtime Bryan supplied this pic of an older front end he had laying around. Notice the separation between the main fork tube and extension.

Granted today's technology allows better fabrication techniques, this is still something to consider, especially if you opt for a rigid rear end that allows for more stress on the rest of the bike.
Sport/Chopper ?!?
Okay the pic has been altered, but it's pretty hilarious nonetheless. It also illustrates the riding stance of the earlier bikes above with too long of a front end...

got inseam?