Harley Magazine Fewer Features? Harley Chopper Discuss Harley Magazine Fewer Features? in the Motorcycles forums; Originally Posted by street bob Buzz, Thanks for asking what we would like to see. It's no wonder you mag is the best. I personally love what comes out of ...

[Likemlouder]

Originally Posted by street bob

Buzz, Thanks for asking what we would like to see.
It's no wonder you mag is the best.
I personally love what comes out of someones garage. Just a guy who loves Harley's and wants his to look a little or alot different than whats out there. I've built two ground up scoots in my time and felt quite proud of them both. I'm a journeyman machinist and made some of my own pieces. I'd love to see what other riders are doing and to hear why they did it that way.
Thanks for asking what we would like to see.
Keep up the great work.........

same here

[Tbone]

I voted garage/home built but, to be honest, I don't mind looking at a custom that shows a lot of highly skilled craftsmanship in the metalworking and painting crafts. I just don't like a steady diet of them in the entire magazine. More than looking at how radical a bike is, I usually look at the detail and imagine what kind of skills were used to make the parts. I long to be able to work metal the way some are able to do. (I'm dreaming here, I can't even weld.)
I saw a couple of bikes once somewhere that had hand worked copper parts. I thought they were exquisite.

[chopperguy]

The beautiful thing about building custom bikes is the wide range of styles available. I have taken a small idea from some pretty radical bike and made it work on my bike. Ideas are everywhere. The magazine shouls always show a widw variety of bikes..mild to wild. I like to see where the current thinking is headed. May not be a bike that I care for, but thats what`s made bike building what it is today.
OCC? Can`t say as I`m all that impressed with most they build. I have enjoyed watching the old man wobble his way around at slow speeds trying to keep the front end straight on a couple of those long bikes.
It`s not like I haven`t built a couple in my day, I learned how to build one thats rideable by building the dangerous ones and finding out first hand how spooky they are to ride and stop.
The tech tips and articles on modifications along with tech articles are something we never had back in the day....There are manufacturers today that make some very, very good stuff.
I too, like to see home built bikes in the magazine. Granted, there aren`t nearly as many as years ago, but we are still out there buying parts and reading your mag.
What I find strange is the notion that stretched frames are a new phenom.
I built a bike over thirty five years ago using an "Action Choppers" frame. "Denvers Choppers" built a kick ass frame back then. Whats new is usually something old just redone for a new age. Thank goodness for modern technology! We can build bikes that run better, handle better, stop better!
So keep up what you are doing..just give us a cross section of the scoots available to look at, learn from and lust over.

[riolobo]

first of all,I don't believe chopper building is a fad,harleys have been chopped as long as the moco's been around,,anyone with 20k in their wallet can go out and buy a cookie cutter bike,they're a dime a dozen,then the owners go out and buy all the little goodies(same goodies the other,cookie cutter bikers are buying) to add to them to make them "original".A true chopper builder starts with a vision in his mind,fabricates what he can,modifies what he can, to make that vision reality,when he's done he has a bike like no other,his heart and soul meshed with the mechanics and art of a true original

[riolobo]

by the way Buzz,I e-mailed Chris as you suggested,he hasn't gotten back to me,thanks anyways

[Trex]

I don't like choppers or the high dollar "theme bikes" with a bunch of non functional crap on em like the OCC bikes.Would you really want those guys building your bike?I like all kinds of racing from Bonneville to drag racing and bikes that are built to perform,functional.Also with your resources I wish that the magazine would do articles on little known bikes from the past.For instance,Packer an American racer from the teens that was a desmo valve actuated 3 valve per cyl VTwin.Or the LeGrand Jordan abike built by hand by a former CHP motor cop that had a square 4 motor he designed and built himself.You could also try to get information for articles on Harley prototypes that weren't built like the Nova V2,V4and V6 and the lesser known OHC V2 1100 from 1975.

[Haulen Ass]

Gave my vote to the Garage / Home built bikes. Its cool to see the high end chops once in a while but I'd prefer to see more of the working mans specials.

[texan321]

fine with me.

[GasMan]

Originally Posted by Buzz Kanter

As the chopper thing seems to disappear down the road we have been running fewer of them in the magazine.

What do you think?

Buzz, Everything has to run its course, choppers included.
Now baggers and engine building seems to be taking root as well as EFI tuning software.
The "do it yourself" generation is back in full force it seems.
Painting tips, pin striping are in there also.
I built the last 3 engines myself and couldnt be happier.
The next one is taking the 96 to a 103 with 100/100 minimum.
The last was taking a 96 to a 107 using the Axtell kit. A real performer now.

[oldhdrider]

Bobbers, more Custom Baggers, more how to, less bolt on.