- Thread starter philip smith
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addjunkie
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Possibly not, but not uncommon in building choppers terms.
There was an article in a magazine about it, by an experienced builder, to prove it could be done, on the cheap so to speak, with a little though, patience and inginuiety.
There are so many people in various warps of life who say you cant do this, you cant do that, it must be done this way......every thing technical we have in life now started off as a prototype some where along the line.
If he wants to do it, asks the right questions and learns to filter the answers he gets from here there and everywhere, it can be done. The first bike i ever butcherd, in 83 with a grinder, stick welder scissor jack and some old pipe and a plumb bob is still in a bike, engine is goosed but frame survived. A friend has it in his shed, god its awful.
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Chris Stevens
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I guess as a top US chopper builder put together an awful abortion with its frame made of anchor chain with links welded together, any idea of proper engineering probably isnt something that figures highly in the world of the chopper constructor?
ronan
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Most of these choppers never turn a wheel on the road anyhoo, they are for posing on outside bars or shops.
chunkolini
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I would say knock up a couple of pushbike shoppers first to get a feel for mitring and welding all the tubes. Also chance to play about with geometry and see how it feels/ Angles? what are they? Jigs? is that a dance?
This was my original plan, I never progressed to building my motorised chopper. Plenty of dodgy pushbikes though.
This was my original plan, I never progressed to building my motorised chopper. Plenty of dodgy pushbikes though.
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Chris Stevens
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Top US chopper builder with chain frame, did ride it, and died on it....................
ronan
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Who was that ?
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Chris Stevens
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Indian Larry I think it was...........the chopper types seemed to think a lot of his anchor chain chassis.
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It was Indian Larry, but it wasn't due to frame failure, it was riding standing on the saddle with no helmet
selectedgrub
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Crazy.
I once saw a bike with cam shafts for down tubes.
I once saw a bike with cam shafts for down tubes.
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Chris Stevens
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It was Indian Larry, but it wasn't due to frame failure, it was riding standing on the saddle with no helmet
Cause of the accident I dont think has ever been revealed (at least not on any of the chopper sites), but the mentality of someone who builds a frame out of anchor chain, and then tries to do stunts on the contraption, certainly suggests some sort of suicide wish............
selectedgrub
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He died of severe head trauma after seat surfing and falling off, hitting his head.
The bike he was riding when he died was not the chain linked framed bike.
The chain linked bike (Chain of Mystery) was rode by him prior for 3 days from Pennsylvania to North Carolina and never failed.
The bike he was riding when he died was not the chain linked framed bike.
The chain linked bike (Chain of Mystery) was rode by him prior for 3 days from Pennsylvania to North Carolina and never failed.
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Chris Stevens
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I wonder if anyone has copied the chain framed abortion? Guess they probably have, as the sort of people into choppers may have been prepared to pay a lot of money for one.................lol
outofthefire
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There's quite a few members on here that like custom bikes, not so many members that feel the need to judge people by what they do or don't like.
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winchman
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I too am building a bike with my son for a school project.
It can be done with out a jig but I feel its easier even if you make just a simple one to hold the bits and bobs. I used that bolt together alloy section, got a load of it with fittings for about £20 from a scrap yard
http://www.valuframe.co.uk/
I found it was excellent for making an engine stand too.
I am using Hydraulic steel tube as it was cheap
It can be done with out a jig but I feel its easier even if you make just a simple one to hold the bits and bobs. I used that bolt together alloy section, got a load of it with fittings for about £20 from a scrap yard
http://www.valuframe.co.uk/
I found it was excellent for making an engine stand too.
I am using Hydraulic steel tube as it was cheap
addjunkie
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Id recomend you not say this to some of the chopper club boys, they ride many many miles on non factory built bikes.
Besides whats the point of creating your own bike and not riding it! And yes there are many abortions about under the chopper name, but there is also some fantastic ones, mr select grub for example has a very interesting bike project.
A bike called illogical progression, for example, you may hate it, think it looks sh1t, but the engineering is very clever, apparently done with a mig, a plumb bob and a myford....and ridden. http://mattblackrat.com/PHPBB3/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=1523
Or another called the pink triumph, bunch of guys in a shed http://www.backstreetheroes.com/issue-377-pink-triumph/
Or even one or two with a car engine. http://www.bikermetric.com/robbie-robinsons-latest-nsu-chopper/
Many many more examples if you just open your eyes away from the main stream, not all to everyones taste, but neither is marmite. But you cannot say no engineering goes into home built chopper building, because it isnt true.
These folks all built their first bike or trike. Everyones starts somewhere, please dont try to put some one off fulfilling what is probably a long term dream. They should be encouraged, guided and assisted in any way possible, creation of your own bike or trike is a wonderful feeling, that first ride is almost better than your first sex and certainly lasts longer!
Bear
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I understand the idea of wanting to build uour own frame. But if you dont have the gear to do it properly it could go bad very quickly. You can buy brand new chopper frames for £500 quid now which for the money is well worth it.
But if you do really want to build your own frame then i would go with MIG make yourself a jig but you will need to triple check the triple checks and make sure its all square and make sure your all your welds are done properly (im not sure of your skill level, ignore this bit if you can weld properly
)
But if you do really want to build your own frame then i would go with MIG make yourself a jig but you will need to triple check the triple checks and make sure its all square and make sure your all your welds are done properly (im not sure of your skill level, ignore this bit if you can weld properly
)
ronan
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It was Indian Larry, but it wasn't due to frame failure, it was riding standing on the saddle with no helmet
I agree, a lot of genuine enthusiasts build great bikes and do ride them, but i know a lot of people who have had choppers, and they rarely used them, they used to pose on them. I must be getting old as i remember back street heros when it was an excellent magazine, its gone to hell in a hand cart now.
