Custom Motorcycles
The Art of Building A Custom Motorcycle
A custom motorcycle is essentially a specific and highly stylized motorcycle, this can range from high-end professional work, factory custom choppers or to individual home creations. Generally specific to the owner various alterations to the chopper bikes structure and even mechanics serve to provide a typically unique and definitive vehicle.
Two Types of Custom Motorcycles
The visual appearance and performance are paramount in the process of customization. Loosely speaking custom motorcycles can be categorized in two ways: some would argue that a custom motorcycle is only viable by description if it has in fact been customized by the owner in his/her own garage for example, out of interest and out of their own avocation. Secondly, custom motorcycles I.E, motorcycles built to specification of the buyer are very popular, this service being offered by manufacturers and shops dedicated to this purpose.
Custom Built Choppers
Perhaps the foremost of the later being chopping shops such as ‘Orange County Choppers’, ‘West Coast Choppers’ and ‘Falcon Motorcycles’. The level and extent of which these custom chopper shops offer to the consumer a wide ranging scope for motorcycle transformations is linked directly to experience and know-how.
In terms any motorcycle that has been adjusted outside of standard factory model parameters or stock models built for mass production could be described as being a custom motorcycle. In terms of the level of customization the extent of the changes are considerable, anything from the shape of the motorcycle to its engine are improved upon. Customizers generally opt for larger and more powerful mechanics, bigger engines and specialized chopper frames in order to greatly exceed the performance limitations of a standard chopper bike.
Factory Built Custom Motorcycles
Ever since the boom of custom motorcycles exhibited predominantly from the 1990’s onward many factories now offer ‘custom’ models with the same guarantees and assurances that would come with a standard stock vehicle. This accommodates the buyer with the factories standard safety and performance requirements they would get with a factory chopper motorcycle off the production line whilst still offering some breadth for personal specification. Key choices such as engine, tires, paint and finish provide the buyer with an assurance as well as the potential for customization. ‘BMC’ and ‘American Ironhorse’ are two of the larger companies offering this service.
Different Custom Motorcycle Builders
Custom motorcycle builders range from the larger factories custom lines to specific custom designers. Although the Factory ‘customs’ offer a degree of personal specification, it is the specialized ‘chop’ shops which offer the greater extent for potential customization. Essentially building the custom motorcycle from the bare bones up caters to a buyers needs in that they can decide the eventual outcome of production to an intensely varied but distinct end product. This dimension for scope provides the buyer with an outlet to express individual taste, preference and style.
Custom motorcycle builders offer a high level of choice and technical expertise to those desiring a fully individual and highly stylized motorcycle. This is arguably a step up from the traditional ‘home garage’ method of chopper customization whereby both out of labor of love and personal improvement motorcyclists developed and altered their vehicles.
Best Custom Motorcycles Builders
Orange County Choppers
Is one of the premier custom chopper builders. Established in 1999, the shop grew out of Orange County Ironworks, a steel fabrication enterprise founded nearly 30 years ago by custom chopper builder and fanatic Paul Teutul.
West Coast Choppers
Every chopper motorcycle that rolls out of West Coast Choppers shop in Long Beach has the distinct style, and many buyers are willing to wait years for one of these machines.
More About Custom Motorcycles
Chopper Frame
This is the most important and expensive part of your chopper bike and what the rest of the chopper will be built around.
Custom Chopper Motorcycles
Any way you go when acquiring your own custom chopper is only limited to what you can afford and your capabilities to put forth the elbow grease needed.