The new target market for chops...?

[Taff]

I only hope this advert is kinda tongue in cheek.
It must be.
Time was when you used to see a full blown chop and you could spot from a mile away who'd ridden in on it.
Not no more, now they're aimed at the folk who wanna enhance the frontage of their nice new house on the new estate.
No mention of performance, frame builder, carb set up, just hey, you want the neighbours to think you're a little bit dangerous, a bit woah, a bit wayhey?
It must be a fucking joke.

http://img389.imageshack.us/img389/7366/chopperzf3.jpg

[Lone-Wolf]

Wotcha.

All well and good - but who, or what, is it advertising ?

Now if you were to park my bike on the front of that house, I guarantee the price would drop by at least £5k ;)

[Taff]

A custom builder shop.
Dint get the name bit in the pic, as i'm just hoping it's a joke and they're really stand up guys.

Somehow, i see that hope fading into the distance though...

[saxman]

unfortunately, that is the way things are going taff, its called 'buy' your lifestyle', and it fuckin sucks.
too many folk have disposable income, and they think its cool to have a chop, or a highpower sports bike that they will never ride, but they think it makes em look cool.



wankers............. :rolleyes:

[bigg]

I reckon that those good old boys at the occ and there like ought to be taken out and banned from buildind there stereo type of the shelf bollocks choppers.I thought that the idea of customising was to add your own personal touch to your bike ,not to have some twonk do it for you for mega bucks.How many of the owners of these of the shelf specials have spent a cold night in January grovelling round there workshop floor looking for a missing bolt to finish there bike so that they can go riding in the wind rain and salt to get to a rally?.

[xjtriker666]

fashion thing,,,,when i did cbt few yr ago woman was doin her cbt as well,got talkin to her ,wot bike ya gerrin wen ya done cbt,,she said not gerrin one ,so y do cbt then,only want to do cbt coz then i can ride me hubbies arley down drive,wots he got arley night train brand spankin new un.hes had it 2 mth been out on it twice in 2mth,he mostly goes out in ferrari.he,s gerrin one of them hummer things as well..aint got a clue where hes goin to put it,garage is full now ,wot wi my slk in there as well...........

[bill?]

have a chop, or a highpower sports bike that they will never ride,

erm. both my bikes get rode all the time (they are my only form of transport), the trouble is deciding which one to use. :D

[devon-tony]

LOL disposable income whats that then

I got a disposable house, thats about it LOL

[slob]

it's poor form really. Marketing media spods have run out of ideas and are finding niche lifestyles to exploit.. it appeals to the curiosities of the general public.. the amount of times people say to me " huh huh huh, you a biker... you one of those hell's angels?" Just want to shake them stupid for their total ignorance in something they think is folly.

Typical media nonsense and lack of education it's like saying , oh you have a computer it must be a dell, everyone has a dell.

I also hate it when people call standard bikes choppers! it's like calling ford focuses hotrods... complete lack of education.

while i'm on the subject of 'buying' into the lifestyle. all the straights at work completely sh1t themselves when I came off, the inevitable "will you ride again?" Fuckin right I will, it goes with the fuggin territory.

taff I reckon you should name and shame for an ad like that.

[Freak]

Still, give it a few years and there'll be plenty of cheap, low milage 'choppers'
on the market that'll be ripe for tearing down and building to ya own spec. :D

[minxy]

Half full then Freak? I like the way you're thinking tho :)

[slob]

I saw a 'US Spec Chopper' in BSH valued at 28K this month, "emigration forces quick sale, offers over 20K"! :eek:

[Blue]

I saw a 'US Spec Chopper' in BSH valued at 28K this month, "emigration forces quick sale, offers over 20K"! :eek:

I think that one may have been in before... :)

Still nowhere near as entertaining as the prices people want for trikes... :confused: :D

[slob]

I think that one may have been in before... :)

Still nowhere near as entertaining as the prices people want for trikes... :confused: :D


yeah, what is that all about? I can't believe that people will part with that sort of money for a reliant! :confused:

[saxman]

erm. both my bikes get rode all the time (they are my only form of transport), the trouble is deciding which one to use. :D

you yuppie....... :p

[bill?]

you yuppie :p



bog off doris. isn't this yuppie thing a SOUTHERN phenomonen. :rolleyes:

[xjtriker666]

thing is wi trikes blue,if ya cant build ya own ya have to pay ppl to do it for ya,thats where the silly money comes from,,trike-shop back-end £3-500,b4 its welded up,luego not far off same price,,,,at least now their is some ppl doin them cheaper,one on evilbay start price £800....yea they are askin silly money for reliant trikes,,,some-one will pay for it,,,,,,sign of the times more ppl ridin trikes,,,,,

[gynger6]

Still, give it a few years and there'll be plenty of cheap, low milage 'choppers'
on the market that'll be ripe for tearing down and building to ya own spec. :D
mATt BlAck thoSe Custom Paint jobs :D

[Mustang Boy]

As well as Theifbay you can buy them here http://www.mayors-motorcycles.co.uk/featureItems.asp?specialID=1

So start saving and get yersen's a lifestyle here.
Free bandana's with every bike!!

Cheers'en. ;)

[Mistress Maker]

Still nowhere near as entertaining as the prices people want for trikes... :confused: :D



well i think this too....... although im almost finished my first 3 seats and irs............(just battery box and bars to do then take i apart and paint it).....why becasue all the ones i looked at were rough and expensive so i though I can do that

1000 quid for a bike yep no probs...few quid for tube/steel (100 say) pair of wheels, new 100 quid or scrappy 20 quid plus powder coat, master cyc, and a few bits and bobs. not alot but time ffs even if i costed my time at £5 an hour trike would be up to about 9 grand.....

they are expensive because not every one has the time, tools or skill to build them, same as a good paint job or bike build you are paying for skill, reputation and experience.

but as for priceing something is only worth what someone will pay for it on the day!

[Taff]

How many of the owners of these of the shelf specials have spent a cold night in January grovelling round there workshop floor looking for a missing bolt to finish there bike so that they can go riding in the wind rain and salt to get to a rally?.
My god you put that well bigg.
Nuther reason i didn't name 'em, was, it was in this very mag, 100% Biker, last months (79??).
Dont want their advertisers bleating that they pay their money not to get slagged on the mags own website.
Unusual attack of conscience i guess... :eek:

[pitbuell]

saw the ad, just shrugged me shoulders, sign of the times,
"If you waste your time a-talkin' to the people who don't listen to the things that you are sayin' who do you thinks gonna hear,
,,an' if you should die explainin' that the things that they complain about, are things they could be changin', who do you thinks gonna care ?"

Kris Krisstofferson

[churchill]

listen to yourselves oooh im a biker i spent 26 hours a day building my bike in a coldstore in luton ..fuck right off if i had the money to pay for a top chop or a hotrod motor i would be in like flyn ..i work 60 odd hours a week and im away from my home and family like lots of other lads out there week in week out ....i bought a bike ..i ride when i can ..i do a couple of rallys a year as best i can without upseting the wife for spending to much time on the bike .
what i hear a lot is some sort of inverted biker snobery ..get a life ..i will not bow down to you becouse you have riden bikes since you were in the womb it took me 47 years to get a bike ..and by the fuck im going to enjoy it ..and if i can afford a bit of chrome now and then i will buy it and be damed just co"s i dont have the skill to fashion a hog out of an old bedstead and a lawnmower engine dosent give you the right to tell me im not a biker ..thats my wifes job everytime i want to go for a ride and she wants to go shopping

ok rant over ...nuff sed

[pitbuell]

thats my wifes job everytime i want to go for a ride and she wants to go shopping

so much for your seduction technique Churchill, seems the wife prefers the store card approach to biking too huh ?
In my book if your out there on two wheels gerrin' wet an' side-swiped every junction, then you're a biker, no matter how much dosh you've thrown at the pile of chrome plating under yer ass, or indeed how many days/months/years you've slaved away at that bedstead an lawnmower motor, have you seen the price of a second hand qualcast these days ? not to mention what bedsteads are fetching in the raffia-maffia junk shops, prices the build outa us poor folks grasp

[hermann]

listen to yourselves oooh im a biker i spent 26 hours a day building my bike in a coldstore in luton ..fuck right off if i had the money to pay for a top chop or a hotrod motor i would be in like flyn ..i work 60 odd hours a week and im away from my home and family like lots of other lads out there week in week out ....i bought a bike ..i ride when i can ..i do a couple of rallys a year as best i can without upseting the wife for spending to much time on the bike .
what i hear a lot is some sort of inverted biker snobery ..get a life ..i will not bow down to you becouse you have riden bikes since you were in the womb it took me 47 years to get a bike ..and by the fuck im going to enjoy it ..and if i can afford a bit of chrome now and then i will buy it and be damed just co"s i dont have the skill to fashion a hog out of an old bedstead and a lawnmower engine dosent give you the right to tell me im not a biker ..thats my wifes job everytime i want to go for a ride and she wants to go shopping

ok rant over ...nuff sed
Get you point but I think personally the thing I find offensive about this advert is not sen 60 000 on a beatiful bike and have a fucking great time riding it, its spend 60000 grand on a bike as a status symbol to go next to the sales rep car, spend all this money, the boss might even think your a bit of a rebel, buy a bike, its not only sweaty bikers who can ride a chop now. Personally if I had that much money I'd put it into exactly the bike that I wanted. Its not about how much money, your job, whether you've got tattoos, work on your bike yourself (We all have our limitations, and god there are sometimes when I wish I had the money or sense to get someone else to work on my bike for me, like yesterday when I sheared the bleed nipple on my front calliper :mad: ) or necessarily how often you ride but I dont like the idea that some people can throw money at a bike and buy a nice sanitized version of the 'biker'tm lifestyle (As seen on the discovery channel) as a fashion accessory, till the next mancunian monkey starts riding vespas again.

[churchill]

thanks for not ripping my head of for my pisshead post but on rereading it it still pretty much says what i often feel ...

ps.... what is this obssesion you lot have for getting wet

[pyro]

Some years ago I had a business restoring classic brits, one day a 30 something longhaired rich peson wandered in and asked if I knew anything about rare Triumphs, he had bought a 'chopped' (SIC) one and it wasnt running right. Told him to drop it in and we would take a look.
He came in the next day with it on a trailer on the back of a roller (I kid you not who puts a towbar on a roller!!)

He had bought a 5T with a bolt on hardtail, bodged on Mikuni single carb, bolt on forward controls, T-bars with tassells matt black paint.... you get the picture,
This was 1998, I asked him why he had bought it, he said cos it pissed off his neighbours.
We sort it out using a monobloc carb and got it running ok and sorted out the handling, so he was happy, and we charged him £350 including parts.

Now how much did he pay for it?
Go on guess....

[hermann]

four figures?

[Shaun the Fatman]

Garn I wish I knew who that sucka was, I got this lease on Tower bridge I need to flog...

What I object to is calling custom bikes "choppers"... the whole point of the the early chops it that they cut all the extras off standard bikes to make them shift and handle a bit more sharpish.

So the true "choppers" these days are actually the (dare I say it) the "streetfighters"...... :cool:

[hermann]

Garn I wish I knew who that sucka was, I got this lease on Tower bridge I need to flog...

What I object to is calling custom bikes "choppers"... the whole point of the the early chops it that they cut all the extras off standard bikes to make them shift and handle a bit more sharpish.

So the true "choppers" these days are actually the (dare I say it) the "streetfighters"...... :cool:
But not the ones that look like they've been magnetized and driven through an anodised tat factory ;)

[Shaun the Fatman]

Yah Anodising everything, that's so last century... maybe there should be a new genre... "RatFighters"... or perhaps that should be called "Terriers", they fight rats :D

[pyro]

four figures?

yep but which ones? I'll give you a clue rearrange these numbers 0430

[Taff]

Nah, you rearrange these words;

Just us tell fucking will ya...

[pyro]

Bit techy this morning..... £4300, I thought I misheard him at the time, must have been the 'Rare' bit that convinced him. :rolleyes:

He also had a Vincent Comet in bits as 'an investment' about half the engine bits were missing.... dunno how much he paid for that cos I had to walk away and hide my laughter.

[Taff]

He also had a Vincent Comet in bits as 'an investment' about half the engine bits were missing.... dunno how much he paid for that cos I had to walk away and hide my laughter.

Yep, heavy weekend.
Erm, this Comet, wasn't missing, like, a full rear cylinder was it....?

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/7586/vin2bq4.jpg http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/6161/vin7vp3.jpg

[pyro]

Yep, heavy weekend.
Erm, this Comet, wasn't missing, like, a full rear cylinder was it....?



:D :D :D Damn should have sold him the missing one!

Gear box and crank.

[pyro]

No gearbox no crank a cracked head loads of tinware missing, and thats just from a quick look, where on earth did he think he would get a crank from?

[Simon B]

Spent most of this weekend on a stall opposite a ''custom bike builder'' Ive never heard of before, turned out nice geezer spent most of his time, building and racing two strokes.
He's built himself a chop with parts sourced from the US. And he thought why not start a business building for other people.
Had two bikes on his stall and all weekend he had people coming along sitting on them having their pic's taken etc etc.
A blatantly well off bloke turns up with trophy wife, bike gets pulled out of stall and he has loads of pics taken with him n the missus. Bike gets put back in as he walks off I hear him say '' Ill be a biker this time next week''
Spoke to stall on owner who was well chuffed as he'd sold bike and was gonna deliver it in the week.

I dont have a problem with the guys making a living flogging them etc
But some of the people buying them really dont seem to get it do they?

[pyro]

I dont have a problem with the guys making a living flogging them etc
But some of the people buying them really dont seem to get it do they?


Agreed but it also means that theres a load of weirdos out there giving us a bad rep. :p

[Simon B]

Agreed but it also means that theres a load of weirdos out there giving us a bad rep. :p

Who the builders or the buyers??? :confused:

[hermann]

Bike gets put back in as he walks off I hear him say '' Ill be a biker this time next week''

No sir you'll still be a cunt

[pyro]

Who the builders or the buyers??? :confused:

The buyers, note the smiley.... I find it funny that some people think they can buy into a lifestyle, they think they can talk the talk but are still twats.

Although there are exceptions I knew a guy years ago who rode a Bantam to get to work, showed no other interest in bikes, one day he turned up at the shop on a lovely Bonnie chop and just dropped straight into our crowd, was a good bloke. He had read AWOL in a dentists and just got the bug.

[Simon B]

Its the whole reason HD and HOG have become so sucsessfull, ''You too can buy into the Lifestyle''
D'ya know some of them are so rufty tufty, some Saturdays they dont shave before they ride to breakfast at the Hard rock or the local authorised dealer ;)

[pyro]

some Saturdays they dont shave before they ride to breakfast at the Hard rock or the local authorised dealer ;)

Dont shave!!! Now thats letting standards drop too far!

[Bassman]

But some of the people buying them really dont seem to get it do they?

Always intriuged me that.... what exactly is it that he doesn't get?

Hes not doing me any harm. If he's happy riding his new bike a few times a year and thinking of himself as a "Biker", what harm does he actually do?

I actually don't give a toss how much money they either have or don't have.. why does it matter to us? Is a poor biker more of a biker than a rich one? if so, why? :confused: I'm sure there are a hell of a lot of bike shops round the country that depend on these folk for their living. It would be hard for them to earn a crust if they had to depend on roland and his rat bike that he builds himself and services? himself in his shed eh?
Loads of peeps out of work..
Bloody good luck to em i say...

[Simon B]

Bassman

All Im saying is basically summed up by a sticker my mate has on his shovelhead

'' A 15 grand bike and a leather jacket dont make you a biker''

[pyro]

we are not against them buying the bikes, the more the merrier, but to buy it just cos they want a sort of rebel image irks me a bit, although even I detect a hint of hypocrisy in myself, I love the rufty tufty biker image, but then its all I have ever been and dont want people to hang on my coattails.
And I do know people who act like that.

[Bassman]

I do see what you mean mate.. but how do we know why people suddenly decide to buy a bike?

If its the rufty image that attracts them into biking, surely thats a good thing?

Having said that I also know a fair few folk that ride bikes just for that reason.
They love to get on the bike and pretend they are a rufty... it's a complete change from their humdrum every day existance...and it does no-one any harm except maybe them when they run up against a real one!! :D

Good luck to em i say... :D

Bassman... Fluffies-R-us

[Bassman]

Bassman

All Im saying is basically summed up by a sticker my mate has on his shovelhead

'' A 15 grand bike and a leather jacket dont make you a biker''

I agree with that 100% mate... he needs a helmet as well... :D

[hermann]

Its not about the money its about the concept of buying an image. I can purchase this bike and next week I'll be a biker. Its not fucking hell I've finally got a bike I'll be able to go for a ride, get in some rallies. Sounds too much like Guardian fashion page buy into an image attitude. Also the statement next week I'll be a biker implies that he doesn't have a test yet or possibly not even been on a bike. Stop thinking its all about the money. It's about the motivation, people trying to purchase off the peg images. And yes these people may keep some of the bikeshops in business but its also these people who allow Custom chrome to charge 1200 quid for a mudguard.

[Spike]

and we get it cheap, when they get disapointed with it all ;) :p

[Bassman]

I'm not thinking about the money side alone..

The folk that buy these bikes for the image have no idea about real "Bikers".

As far as they are concerned they have a bike... they ride that bike... therefore they are bikers....because they don't know what a biker is to folk who have been bikers all their lives, doesnt necessarily mean they should be condemned for that, to them a biker is simply someone who rides a bike...
Loads of folk start like that and as they get into biking become addicted to it, and make real good mates and bikers.
I have a few mates that atarted biking later in life.. and now love all of it...

All i mean to say (not very well maybe) is not all bikers start at 16 and ride all their lives..some get into it later in life, when their responsibilities have gone, they have spare money, time etc. but its summat they have always wanted to do. And i still say good on em for trying summat new whatever the reason..

[Bassman]

Just had a thought...

could sell one of em my Kwakka chop for £6999 and make us both happy!! :D

[hermann]

Just had a thought...

could sell one of em my Kwakka chop for £6999 and make us both happy!! :D
:D I think we're at cross porpoises. I don't like the advert cos its not being sold on the fun of biking or the brotherhood, or even the freedom (tm) but enhance your property. I've been round bikes sincw I was 14 but only passed my test when I was 25. I know plenty of what would be termed born agains. I don't actually have a problem with people coming to biking later or even those who dont really know a lot but fancy a bike. But I get really hacked off with the ones who think that they can buy into a lifestyle. I suppose you could call them fashionistas who three years ago were all buying lamberettas cos some cheeky cockney chef and a couple of mancunian scallies were riding around on them.

[The Beer Monsters]

On the whole "buy into the lifestyle" bit, this is actually current marketing for a financial services company...

Basically says "with our pension, you can get a lump sum out to buy the object of your dreams"

[hermann]

I can buy Alison Hannigan, Eliza Dushku and a vat of baby oil. Where do I sign?

[slightlymuddy]

let them think they are buying into a life style if it keeps them happy. as far as im concerned they wont be going to the places i go or doing what i do so no problem. they may however notice other bikes on the road when out in their cars, which they never previously did, and that can only be a good thing.i would also like to see their faces when they pop into a nice country pub for sunday lunch only to be told they dont serve bikers, see how long they like the 'lifestyle' then lol. and yes that does still happen occasionally though the same pubs would never dream of barring anyone else on religious or ethnic grounds

[devon-tony]

yeah theres a pub in hawkwell essex, up until the last time I went past about 6 months ago, and possibly still there, theres a sign "no coaches, no motorcyclists"

I used to love going in there carrying a crash helmet, then annoying him by telling him I had come by car!!

[slightlymuddy]

a club i know once got turned away so they all went back another day in cars. ordered food and drinks then when they were told food was ready they politely appologised and said "very sorry we just remembered you dont serve bikers, and we are all bikers" left the pub with a boat load of cooked food . coaches I can understand if its a small place who cant cope with the sudden rush but there are no grounds for not allowing someone just because they ride a bike, its definate discrimination buit would we get backing from european courts? don't think so.

[Shaun the Fatman]

Landlords are legally responsible for everything that goes on in their pubs, but on the flip side they can refuse to serve anyone without giving a reason.

Mind you if they give a reason that is illegal (on grounds of sex or disability or ethnic grouping) they could get done for that.
Unfortuately in spite of efforts in the last census Bikers are not a religious or ethnic minority......

[slob]

Landlords are legally responsible for everything that goes on in their pubs, but on the flip side they can refuse to serve anyone without giving a reason.

Mind you if they give a reason that is illegal (on grounds of sex or disability or ethnic grouping) they could get done for that.
Unfortuately in spite of efforts in the last census Bikers are not a religious or ethnic minority......


can that be overturned if bikers put biker down as a religion?? Didn't I see a thread where you can become a minister for something quite legitimately.

[pyro]

can that be overturned if bikers put biker down as a religion?? Didn't I see a thread where you can become a minister for something quite legitimately.


Think I'd rather go to a pub where I'm welcome.

[Tom-madbiker]

erm. both my bikes get rode all the time (they are my only form of transport), the trouble is deciding which one to use. :D
yeah i have that prob got the trike or the chop or the gixxer ho hum :D