Billy Bike Replica

[c.o.]

Now that's a cool story Chris. I'm thinking you need to start a thread with some more of those tales from Hollywood!!!

[sirhrmechanic]

So if you have any infomation on the bike i would and do appriciatte it . Other than that BEAT IT.

51FL... great job ingratiating yourself to the forum and to some of the folks who are really respected here.

First off... you got some initial flack because you posted a question that many here regard as more appropriate to a chopper building forum than an antique motorcycle restoration forum. Oh well, just because it's different doesn't mean it's wrong... but it isn't the 'normal' question one sees in a restoration forum.

You also raised the ire of members who regard the 'chopper builders' as having both destroyed massive numbers of wonderful original bikes and who managed to ruin the image of motorcyclists for many years by acting like drug-addled hippie counter-culture dirtbags. Is that a fair point of view? Who knows? Choppers are their own art... love them or hate them. And not everyone likes the 'biker' image.

I thought you did a good job making your case WRT the period modified class... and pointing out that you were committed to using previously-ruined or repro parts... and everyone seemed relieved by that. And I, for one, would love to see a build thread... here or somewhere else. It's great to see people (especially at 22) pick up a wrench instead of a Nintendo joystick. And obviously, you've put a lot of thought into this restoration/build/etc.

But the fact is, you are on a forum. Where bike enthusiasts take a topic and run with it... and sometimes it doesn't go in directions you like or expect. We're not Wikipedia where you can type in 'Billy Bike' and have everyone rush to get you a set of blueprints and build instructions and nothing more. The folks on this forum are a diverse bunch of bike people who will take off in a fun new direction at the drop of a hat. And telling some of the most respected senior members, whose opinions matter when it comes both to bikes and the culture of this community, to 'BEAT IT' won't make you any friends or get you any help in the future.

Instead, sit back, enjoy the ride when someone hijacks a topic a bit, learn something and have a laugh. That's what community is about....

And build the damn bike. Give us something real to give you grief about. After all, that's what we're here for!

Cheers,

Sirhr

[LouieMCman]

I agree with Sirhr, I bet most of these old timers (including myself) on this forum built a chopper or two back in the day. That's what younger people do to express themselves. When you get older and sell a couple of those choppers for about half of what you get for an original bike, not to mention the better ride of an original bike, you'll realize hey maybe the original is the way to go. But for now build your choppers and don't worry what anyone says, it's your bike! As for me, I sold my swap meet built chopper from 30 years ago about 12 years ago, right when the NEW chopper craze was starting up. I now have mostly original stuff but my favorite is a rat '35 VL......

[51FL]

Dont worry guys , i also have a 47 wl that is about as stock as i could afford at the time , I have a 51 Pan police bike im RESTORING , I have this bike i am doing . O and i got this bone stock 36 Knuckle im gonna start chopping .HAHA. No seriously. thanks for the help to anyone thats posted .

[51FL]

O and there is nothing wrong with NINTENDO , i still play but motorcycles go faster

[exeric]

I respect anyone that loves to get their hands dirty from doing their own work. The process of building any motorcycle is both frustrating and exhilarating and ultimately, rewarding. The first big Harley I owned was a '57 chopper in a wishbone frame with outside oilder heads. Somehow, I got that thing together but it cost way too much because I had to go to other people for parts and service. The kicker was paying $160 to have the wheels laced and trued. After that bike I was determined to learn as much as I could and that learning process turned this from a collecting hobby to an inter-active world with a million little doors that lead to whole other worlds. You meet the most interesting people when you are challenged by a bike building problem and need help.

51FL, I do have one piece of advice that will make your bike building project a lot easier, and less expensive. . . . Get a lathe.

[cdndewey]

I agree with Sirhr, I bet most of these old timers (including myself) on this forum built a chopper or two back in the day. That's what younger people do to express themselves. When you get older and sell a couple of those choppers for about half of what you get for an original bike, not to mention the better ride of an original bike, you'll realize hey maybe the original is the way to go. But for now build your choppers and don't worry what anyone says, it's your bike! As for me, I sold my swap meet built chopper from 30 years ago about 12 years ago, right when the NEW chopper craze was starting up. I now have mostly original stuff but my favorite is a rat '35 VL......

Louie....I love your VL....it looks a little like my 62....lol

[D.A.Bagin]

Anyone at age 22 that joins the AMCA should be welcomed with open arms whether he has a 99 point bike or a "Butchered" bike. I don't know if anyone has noticed but the average age of our club member has to be well into the high 40s or more. As for the "Old Timers" that are hurt because of all the bikes that got chopped back in the day, when I bought my 58 Pan for 740.00 off a used car lot in 1970 it was 12 yrs old. Chicks liked choppers not barges then. I don't see anyone here crying about 99-00 evos or twinkies being butchered. Maybe in 50 yrs someone will be crying about it, it just won't be us. So, 51FL, build your Billy Bike and have some fun. Need some old chrome junk?? I'll be happy to trade with you. PM me.

[exeric]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8064337.../photostream/#

I'm curious to hear what you think of this D.A.

[RichO]

The Electric Chair

Eric, Thanks for sharing. I have color photos of this famous show bike, "The Electric Chair", that I took in the mid-sixties at the L.A. Autorama. Also photos of the Roth (parked next to it) Crosley powered trike that showed up at the AMCA Rhinebeck swapmeet about three years ago. All part of our two-wheeled history. I've had stocker Knuckles, Super X's, and 101 Scouts and rode the wheels off them. Now i think i'll go out and wax my '40 knuck Cal bobjob (done after i had restored it to 100 points), fire up my '88 sportster ( that I bought new) now in a rigid frame with a wassel tank painted in Frisco in the mid-sixties, and later work on my Shovel with a '47 hardtail welded on and an 18" over Wayne girder on the front. Some of us have never grown up and still do the miles. Thank goodness we have enough stockers out there to satisfy the need to know. How many stockers do you think were never personalized after the dealer. Twenty percent would be pushing it. Big wheels keep on rolling.

[exeric]

[exeric]

Both of these pictures were taken by Chris Haynes. I really like elements of both bikes and want to incorporate them into my '51FL project. Nothing was hurt building these bikes, and I'm sure the builders have had a lot of fun with them.

[RichO]

Green/Blue bobjobs

Eric, The green one was built by Paul Wheeler (L.A.) the second by his partner in crime. It (the blue one) won the Peoples Choice Award at the AMCA Dixon National meet two or three years ago. I build at least one Knuckle bobjob a year for an AMCA friends. Change the exhaust, bars and fenders and their stock bikes again. Even to the parkerized and cad fasteners, etc. My chops are just recycled old aftermarket or already alter pieces. A Socal boy that rode them in the early sixties and never stopped. Hotrod mentality. Go figure. p.s. I do stockers too.

[RichO]

Cutdowns and bobjobs

Eric, checkout www.occhiolungo.wordpress. That's member Pete Young's blog. He was on the Cannonball Run. Thumb down a couple of posts and he has a period photo piece on cut downs and bobjobs. i think you'll enjoy it.

[jurassic]

rich ,really enjoyed the cut down posts on petes site. here's one for the chopper thread.