I'm hooked on this show. It might be dysfunctional family that keeps me coming back. I know it's not the quality of workmanship I might be wrong here but some of the stuff they do would not have passed in my highschool metals shop. Last night was the kicker for me when Paul Sr. took a pair of pliers to the lock nuts on aerodynamic wheel. I cringed. When they got the wheel on the bike he had tightened them so tight the wheel wouldn't turn. ou: I love some of the work they do but if I was going to buy a custom motorcycle it would have to be from a craftsman. I think the kid that paints to bikes is amazing. Anyone else waste an hour watching this? Am I wrong about the quality of fabrication? MIKEY RULES!!! Mike
I agree with the craftsmanship. They seem to buy a lot of parts and the whole frame and then just assemble it with adding a few homemade small parts or modifying the frame. The other night they said they were making there first in house gas tank. There painter is an amazing artist! I personally get tired of the whining and complaining and don't watch the show as much now. Some of there first bikes were their best. Like the fireman bike. I think Mikey is the better of the crew as far as personallity.
I enjoy the show myself, I can't think of many shows that make me laugh as hard as that one, when the guy was at the hospital and SR was on the phone telling him (joking) that he better be back to work TODAY!!
I agree, real custom bike builders do it all. In house. Give me unlimited credit and I could build the best bikes in the world. as I pay the best of each aspect to build it for me. Hurry, I'm a custom bike assembler / builder. Where's my TV show.
I love the show, Mikey is to funny, what a boob! It reminds me of my Dad and my boys we chew on each other all the time. :TU:
The wife and I watch frequently. I cite the show when describing to others how difficult it is for kids to work for their parents. My wife likes senior's massive arms. Hey - wait a minute!!!?
I think whoever gave them that water jet equipment should take it back. I think they use just for that sake of doing so.
I watch it too, and I don't even like bikes. Much better show than say "american hotrod" where they can't even make it interesting, and they always have this deadline to meet....like maybe start the project six months earlier??? Later Tim
I think if I was gonna buy a custom motorcyle, I would get one from West Coast Choppers. I saw a video of Jesse James building one of his El Diablos. The only major parts he buys out of house are the engines and transmissions. Its amazing that almost every part of his bikes are hand made. He is deffinately a craftsman.
I think a lot of the yelling is staged but who knows. I don't watch much tv but I do try to catch it once in a while if I think about it and am home. I was sure to catch this one as I'm an avid cyclist and when I heard they were doing a bike for Lance I had to watch. But I too cringed when they got their paws on the bicycle and munged it up! I don't think those guys do a whole lot that someone with decent equipment can't do. My old boss's husband has made some incredible bikes in his garage, I think they're a lot cooler than what I've seen on tv for the most part. I'd much rather have a bike built completely by hand by a local guy instead of shelling out huge bucks for a bike that's not much more than an art item. I'm sure a lot of those things they build on the show ride like crap! (chopper fork= major anti-handling for one) Some of the guys they have on the biker build off shows make vastly superior bikes compared to OCC. Billy Zane for one, I have to give him a lot of respect for coming up with some very innovative ideas and with him being a degreed engineer I know he's got brains to back it up. Some of the other outfits (Indian Larry, the guy in Minnesota, can't remember his name) make some very nice stuff as well. Much cooler than OCC.
I think Boyd Coddington is a complete idiot (I have stronger words but I'll refrain). You're totally right, start a little sooner and you won't run up against the deadline so much! And I love Boyd's motivation meetings- "alright guys, we need to get this car done by tomorrow, so let's get it done, ok?" Thanks Boyd, that really got me going. Go back and sit on your butt in your office.
Well, if SR can "act" that well when he's havin a cow then he should get a Oscar!! Now theres times like when they enter the building and such are setup, but the insane rantting is straight up, I'd love to get into one with SR, as long as he can't get a hold of me. :eek2:
It really went downhill. In the beginning it was better. Now all Sr. and Jr. do is order people around and not build bikes. Mikey's a great guy though, so is Vinny.
Boyd would be lost if all his guys started their own shop. But of course he can hire another group of fresh grads for $10hr out of tech school.
Don't take this wrong guys, but have any of you ever started a business like building bikes, or building cars? Sure, it looks like a real cake walk on TV... and I am sure they don't show alot of the hours of fabrication that really goes on that is too boring for TV. I can tell you, and I am sure someone like Jim Weise can tell you, that just getting the business rolling can take years of back breaking work with very long days....... and the pay ain't that great either. The rewards are there if you succeed, and can stick it out long enough and not give in and take the easy way out. The OCC family is definitely a tight family....... and they argue like that. Every time I watch the show, I can picture my Dad and older Brother yelling at each other...... almost word for word the same thing. Just picture the OCC shop and you have a picture of what our shop was like maybe 8-10 years ago........ very raw, and sometimes kind of ugly. Just remember, these guys didn't get where they are by being on TV.......they got on TV by doing years of work. The only thing that amzes me is why Boyd doesn't get rid of "Blue Bear" or whatever his name is.......... he has no business in a shop like that. Mikey
I LOVE American Chopper. If you ever catch the first episode, you'll see why they use alot of supplied parts. I believe it said they move like ten bikes a month. Maybe even more. So naturally they need supplied parts to acheive this. I think they are good craftsmen myself. They just differ from Jesse and friends cause they sell alot. Kinda like Cadillac-to-Rolls.
I watch it and enjoy it. Some parts I don't like, some parts I do like, but that's the story of every tv show. On american hot rod, that one guy that was in an accident kinda creeps me out when he talks and his face doesn't really move. The "casual burnouts" they do during the show are probably the only thing that keep people interested. Has anyone heard about this new show "wing nuts" where they make art/etc out of old plane parts? it debuts tonight 9c/10est on the discovery show.
