Guilty pleasure?

It's the rainy season here in Indonesia which means I've had a lot of time to catch up on my T.V. Before I'd seen it I honestly thought I would hate "American Chopper" but actually... I've been enjoying it? How the hell did that happen?

J

It kinda addicting.....

you could be doing worse things with your time...

I cannot stand those shows because that isn't how it works in real life. My uncle built his shovelhead and a real chopper takes years to build and get the right parts. My uncle went to the HD 50% off sale and buys returned or used parts. His favorite part is a springer front end. I think he raked his fram, which is why last time I saw him he was welding up the cracks and talking about getting the frame powder coated. Now bike building is a rich mans game, gotta chrome this chrome that. It might be good for entertainment, but whenever I see some chump riding a 40k dollar bike with "custom" this and that all I can think is "punk." Well it has a 110ci engine blah blah blah, half these chumps couldn't handle a sporty. Watch the classified and see how many of these bikes are for sale b/c the guy couldn't afford the financing any more.

Jay wrote: It's the rainy season here in Indonesia which means I've had a lot of time to... J

Was I the only one expecting this to go in a different direction?

benzbaron wrote: I cannot stand those shows because that isn't how it works in real life. My uncle built his shovelhead and a real chopper takes years to build and get the right parts. My uncle went to the HD 50% off sale and buys returned or used parts. His favorite part is a springer front end. I think he raked his fram, which is why last time I saw him he was welding up the cracks and talking about getting the frame powder coated. Now bike building is a rich mans game, gotta chrome this chrome that. It might be good for entertainment, but whenever I see some chump riding a 40k dollar bike with "custom" this and that all I can think is "punk." Well it has a 110ci engine blah blah blah, half these chumps couldn't handle a sporty. Watch the classified and see how many of these bikes are for sale b/c the guy couldn't afford the financing any more.

Well, I've never been a "Chopper" guy or even remotely into the HD culture so I can't get offended by them doing it 'wrong' on the show. I know they're only building trailer queens and display pieces, but I like seeing the designs come together and their fabricators bang out shapes from metal. I just watch it for entertainment, not lifestyle.

J

I like when they show Jesse James' shop on TV better. He seems much more real than the American Chopper guys, both make some cool bikes, but James seems to make them for people who actually ride, not publicity bikes the American Chopper guys do. That said, it's a funny show, because the dad and the two sons argue so much.

I'm liking Overhauling best but Chopper keeps my attention because they are as dis-functional as we are.

They also do edit that show for drama. They don;t talk about the great benefits Paul Sr has at that company or the gym he build so that all of them can take 2 hours everyday to go lift. He arms obviously show that.

I also like the charity work that whole compnay is involved with. The show is a bit trivial, but its kinda like "Little Peaple Big World" its not the story, its the characters that are compelling

It is actually funny to see a bunch of burly guys ride on scooters, over to the nursing home to play cards. That and the battering ram they built in conjunction with the Craftsman bike was cool. I wonder how many times they are going to destroy that office. That office is almost like Kenny on Southpark.

I do think James is a better fabricator. You see the copper bike he built?

I like Jessie’s stuff better also. I think he is a better fabricator, craftsman, and artisan. My favorite episode is when he and Kid Rock rode down to the Copper Canyon in Mexico. Beautiful scenery down there and while I am not even remotely a Kid Rock fan, when he and James are sitting on the front steps of a building and Rock starts strumming his guitar and singing Long Haired Country Boy I thought, if he would record that way I might actually buy an album of his.

I've watched it from the start, but turn it when the old man starts his stuttering fits.

It's not so good since Vinnie left.

I used to watch it before I got hooked on House re-runs. I worked in a bodyshop with a father and son who could have been the pattern for American Chopper. More than once I had to walk out because I my laughing would just piss them off more. In a way I'm kinda glad I never worked for my father beyond 15 yrs old.