Topic: American Chopper "Senior vs Junior"?

[dave500]

choppers were in my mind originaly designed as antiestablishment items,to annoy and harras, to an extent,70s,joplin and hendrix,the who,in the day when new freedoms were found and expressed,its all retro now,with better welding and paint ,just more obscene designs and worse handling with too much uncontrollable power,do any of these super choppers actually comply with any state laws?dont get me wrong i aint square man,it just seems so over the top with some of these contraptions,all for the sake of looks and money spent it seems.was it pulp fiction?"its not a motorcycle baby its a chopper"

[Cqyqte]

I agree, and some are so far out there you just stand there and admire the creativity.

[Bwana]

choppers were in my mind originaly designed as antiestablishment items,

And usually built by an owner reflecting his tastes.

Now they're cookie cutter bling. 

[Cqyqte]

Yeah I won't enter a bike show if there isn't a bi-line that states "all bikes must fire".  Some show bikes don't run, some don't have pads in the calipers for fear of scratching the chromed rotors.  I don't consider my two bikes to be choppers under today's definition, radical customs yes, choppers no!  I ride both long distance, the Roadie is my preferred for the long haul.

[Speed King]

[Bwana]

Hugs & kisses from three burley men?    I'll have to give that a pass.  The Hooters girl in the post above, now that's a horse of a different color. 

[Cqyqte]

Yes she was a keeper, just asked her for a picture on my bike as a keepsake.  That's from Hooters in Alcoa, TN, last year!

[City Boy]

Hi gang.From the start,I looked at OCC as a bike related sitcom.Rumour was that no DOT certs./were ever received for the machines and it is easy to see why!In the beginning I found it very entertaining but it did become stale for me.The one thing in all the episodes that did impress me on the tech side was the carb for the NYFD tribute bike.Designed to look like a fire hydrant,that was something!!    Rock On

[Ichiban 4]

     Don't think this has been previously posted. Sorry, if it has. These people are something else. NO, if I could only figure out what that was.

     Probably just a way to try to keep them on the air. Just MY thoughts. What are YOURS?

        http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/american-chopper/   

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Hi Bill..et al..

This "resurgence" of the OCC show got me to thinking about my own interest in the show..how it's kinda turned sour over the years.  Originally (if I'm honest about it) I kinda liked the show..especially when it was on the History Channel.  That was combined with the bike build-off shows w/Indian Larry..Jesse James..et al. I still kinda enjoy watching the early shows..when the Teutal's (Paul Senior in particular) were still relative unknowns..and just interested in building bikes..seemed to me anyway.

A couple of transformations seemed to happen as time went on with the show..that made it less appealing to me: The bigger/more successful they became..the more arrogant and BSing it became..I felt.  I felt that they purposely escalated the confrontations/arguments also (probably goaded-on by viewer ratings)..which actually seems staged to me @ times.

But probably the main turn-off for me since then..has been that it seems that the Teutal's themselves have actually bought-in to that confrontational stuff..and now (Paul Senior again..especially)..can't separate the staged stuff from what their actual feelings are anymore.  Paul Senior's former wife was/is a Psychological Counsellor..who he was married to for over 25 years..I believe.  I see his splitting from her..as a sign that his ego..and all that success/money went to his head..in a negative way.  Think that both Paul Junior and Mikey are also F'D up because of all the over indulgence and rapid rise to relative fame. The answer for all of them..seems to me..is to not try to continue with the staged BS/confrontational stuff.

But I agree with your hunches that they are probably trying to re-kindle this stuff..to boost ratings..and get those multimillion dollar checks that they have obviously gotten used to. They all..esp Paul Senior..seem to live in conspicuous extravagance..seems to me. The bikes they "build" as has been talked about repeatedly on various threads here..seem grossly over rated..and seriously substandard to what else is being built..these days.

Think the best thing that could happen for them..and potential viewers..seems to me..would be to let the show fade away..and for those guys to seek some serious help/therapy..in learning to deal with their emotions..and life in general.

My two cents..

Al / Ichi