In 2011, the TV show “American Chopper” held a bike building competition with three designers competing for the audience’s vote. The contestants included Paul Teutul Sr. from Orange County Choppers, Paul Teutul Jr. representing his own company, and Jesse James from West Coast Choppers and “Monster Garage” fame.
Jesse James chose a classic chopper design with a frame made from stainless steel. Paul Jr. went for a design inspired by a World War II P-51 Mustang fighter plane. And surprisingly, OCC (Orange County Choppers) selected an unconventional snowmobile-like all-terrain vehicle.
Why did OCC choose such an odd creation that didn’t match the competition’s theme and had no chance of winning? According to Paul Sr., he believed he was already unpopular due to the conflicts at OCC and thought he wouldn’t receive any votes, so they might as well build something outrageous.
And outrageous it was. The bike required the rider to lay down flat to drive it, had tank treads instead of front tires, and was powered by twin electric motors. As an extra touch, it even had flamethrowers on the front. After lots of trash talk and jokes between the teams, Paul Jr. and his P-51 Mustang-themed bike were declared the winners.
When you have a strong desire for a chopper but can only afford a scooter, there are two options: either customize your scooter to look like a chopper or get yourself a Zongshen Yomi 125. The motorcycle you see in the image above is not a custom-built cruiser but rather a production motorcycle from Chinese manufacturer Zongshen.
Zongshen is a popular Chinese brand, and we have discussed some of their bikes in the past. While most of Zongshen’s bikes follow the standard two-wheeler design, the Yomi 125 stands out. Recently launched in China, the Yomi adopts the styling of a classic American chopper, albeit in a mini-bike caricature form. It features an elongated front end with a relaxed head angle and bodywork that imitates the custom look of American-made choppers.
Underneath its exterior, the Yomi 125 is equipped with a small and beginner-friendly single-cylinder engine with a displacement of only 124 cubic centimeters. It delivers a modest power output of eight horsepower at 8,000 revolutions per minute (rpm) and a torque of 5.4 pound-feet at 6,000 rpm. The top speed is claimed to be no more than 55 miles per hour. Interestingly, despite mimicking the appearance of a chopper, the Yomi 125 does not aim to replicate the riding experience of one. Instead of a belt-driven manual transmission, it features a scooter-derived continuously variable transmission (CVT) for convenience.
Nevertheless, the Zongshen Yomi 125 could be an attractive option for young individuals looking to experience the two-wheeled lifestyle. With a low seat height of just 65 centimeters, even the shortest riders can easily mount the bike. Furthermore, it weighs only 113 kilograms, making it extremely lightweight. In terms of pricing, the Yomi 125 is quite affordable at 9,800 Yuan (approximately $1,352 USD). However, there are currently no plans to sell the Yomi 125 outside of China, so it is unlikely to be seen on American roads anytime soon.
The chopper is the ultimate biker’s bike. It’s a lean, aggressive, throttle-hungry machine. The very visual of a chopper is synonymous with motorcycle culture itself. They are especially the centerpieces of hit TV shows like Orange County Choppers and West Coast Choppers, because they symbolize the sheer badassery of how it feels to ride one of these babies down the highway and to a big rally like Sturgis. But if choppers have played such an important role in the popularity of motorcycle culture, why don’t we see them as much anymore? Back in the 1960s and 1970s, they were the object of every rider’s desire. In those days, choppers were actual Frankenstein monsters that put great emphasis on craftsmanship, creativity, and style.
The original Harley-Davidson chopper was heavily modified by riders from its original stock production through the removal of its bulky fenders and replacing them with lighter, slimmer accessories. The bike’s steering angle, fuel tanks, frame geometry, and forks would be targets of change. But probably the most obvious feature on a chopper would be the lengthened rake, extending the front wheel far past its stock settings. Sure, it definitely made handling the bike much more difficult. But the main point was that it looked cool. From there, functionality was an afterthought. If anything, the point of building a chopper was to push it to the absolute extremes. However, the hype and fan fare surrounding the chopper fizzled out, and other motorcycles took its place at center stage. But does that mean that this aggressive-looking cruiser is gone for good? Not quite.
Still shot of a Harley-Davidson Captain America Chopper
While there was a big chopper boom in the 60s and 70s, the scene did seem to burn itself out after a while. Literally and figuratively. Over time, many choppers would either be wrecked or stripped for parts by builders working with a tight budget. Tastes in motorcycles had also changed, as more effective disc brakes and swingarm frames served to be more realistic and comfortable to bikers that were getting up there in age. When American builders put their first chopper together, they were in their 20s and 30s. But by the time they reached their 40s and 50s, choppers were no longer their primary choice of bike. However, Europe was operating on a different time.
Chopper culture eventually made its way over to Europe, and in Sweden in particular where many motorcycle enthusiasts fell in love with the low-profile motorcycle with long forks that screamed “all-American.” However, due to Sweden not having much access to US Army flatheads to swipe the forks off of, many builders resorted to using the long fork tubes found on hydraulic forks to serve as the extra-long rake to their makeshift choppers. By the 90s and 2000s, Swedish chopper style made its way back to America were the next-generation of builders were inspired to create a more modern “Pro Street” chopper that many hungry buyers were willing to pay up big time for these wild-looking motorcycles. If you think about it, choppers were a lot more like rock music. There was a time when it was absolutely huge, but then tastes changed and other genres took center-stage. However, it spent its time out of the spotlight evolving and refining its craft to become something even more spectacular.
Can Modern Choppers Carry The Torch?
Harley-Davidson
The official 2023 Harley-Davidson Breakout
In an age when many motorcycle brands look to the past in order to pave the way to the future, factory-made choppers are a considerably hot ticket item. With models like the Harley-Davidson Breakout and the Honda Fury, these are the bikes that take the eye-catching flashiness that choppers are known for, and merge them with modern-day riding technology, comfort, and performance upgrades. That means bigger engines, better handling, greater fuel capacity, better suspension, and a much smoother ride than its predecessors. While the chopper style isn’t as popular as it once was, it is definitely the right style for the right person. With that being said, this also means that this niche market for new Breakouts and Furys are extremely competitive. With the entire automotive industry plagued by high-demand and low-supply of new inventory, putting a deposit down for a new bike is the only way to guarantee it in your driveway.
But what about modern-day custom choppers? Major brands like Harley and Honda producing their own versions of the chopper is fine and dandy, but what about shops that carry on the tradition of craftsmanship and creativity that the motorcycle was known for? There are many shops throughout the U.S. that carry on the tradition of building choppers, and they can fetch quite a high price tag. For most enthusiasts, a custom chopper is just a really cool toy to have. A novelty item if you will. It can be that one bike you’ll bust out on special occasions, when the weather’s perfect, when you’re on your way to a big rally, or something to help promote your business. They turn heads and grab everyone’s attention, so this could be one of the reasons why this style of motorcycle continues to live on. While both custom and factory-made choppers still exist, they probably won’t be able to reach the same peak of popularity they once had. Mainly due to the fact that there are so many other options out on the market today.
Should I Get A Chopper?
If a chopper is the kind of motorcycle that you just can’t seem to get out of your head, you should ask yourself if this is the kind of bike you could see yourself riding? Given that most choppers come with a big learning curve, these would not be recommended for a new rider. That giant rear tire, plus that skinny front tire and long rake equals some very tricky turns that many intermediate-level riders would have a rough time learning. If there’s one thing that these kinds of bikes do well, it’s running in a straight line on the highway. If you’re the kind of rider that likes to do lots of hairpin turns and ride on the Tail of the Dragon, this is 100% not the bike for you. But if you are more of the laid-back cruising-type of rider that likes to take it easy, then you may find yourself enjoying a chopper more often. While choppers are traditionally low-profile, elongated, and are more built for looking flashy, these days there are loads of riding technology, suspension systems, and seating options that make these bikes much more comfortable in the long-run.
Basically, a chopper is not the kind of bike for a wallflower. If you are not a fan of being the center of attention and would very much prefer to blend in with the rest of the crowd, then a chopper wouldn’t be your style. Choppers are made to grab everyone’s attention and to take selfies in front of. Usually at any motorcycle rally, touring bikes reign supreme, followed by sportsters and high-performance cruisers. But if you show up riding a chopper, the last thing you are going to do is blend in. Everyone is going to want to stop by and appreciate your bike for its uniqueness. So you better be prepared to answer lots of questions from some very excited enthusiasts!
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