grandpaul
VIP MEMBER
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2008
- Messages
- 13,275
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I have only ever restored one chopper, and one bobber.
I have never built one of either genre, but I have refurbished a couple of choppers and sold them on.
I have "rescued" at least a half-dozen choppers, 2 of them Nortons; one to a very nice basic Commando, the other to a cafe racer.
So, I'm not a "fan" of choppers.
That said, fullauto stated / asked "However, let's look at the chopper thing. When modifying a motorcycle, being a Commando or not, one would normally seek to improve performance, be it in handling, comfort, braking or engine performance. When you turn a Norton into a chopper, what improvement are you making in these characteristics?"
In so asking / stating, and further attempting to explain or understand, you failed entirely to realize that the chopper is a STYLING exercise, an artistic expression, every bit as much as a cafe racer, tourer, standard, or bobber. Some people simply have the desire to have a bike LOOK a certain way. It may have NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with comfort, performance or handling. Then again, SOME custom bikes actually have quite good engine and/or braking performance, more than the handling of them will allow in twisty sections; the owners of those bikes simply slow down in turns!
I'm not a chopper guy, but I "get it".
I have never built one of either genre, but I have refurbished a couple of choppers and sold them on.
I have "rescued" at least a half-dozen choppers, 2 of them Nortons; one to a very nice basic Commando, the other to a cafe racer.
So, I'm not a "fan" of choppers.
That said, fullauto stated / asked "However, let's look at the chopper thing. When modifying a motorcycle, being a Commando or not, one would normally seek to improve performance, be it in handling, comfort, braking or engine performance. When you turn a Norton into a chopper, what improvement are you making in these characteristics?"
In so asking / stating, and further attempting to explain or understand, you failed entirely to realize that the chopper is a STYLING exercise, an artistic expression, every bit as much as a cafe racer, tourer, standard, or bobber. Some people simply have the desire to have a bike LOOK a certain way. It may have NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with comfort, performance or handling. Then again, SOME custom bikes actually have quite good engine and/or braking performance, more than the handling of them will allow in twisty sections; the owners of those bikes simply slow down in turns!
I'm not a chopper guy, but I "get it".