Chop it?

[Dogbad]

Looking at a Long Term Project. Long term as I am out of the necessary spondoolicks to buy any bits for a few months yet!
Anybody seen an XBR 500 engine running in a hardtail Chop frame? I'd be interested in thoughts for or against the idea and anybody has any links or pictures that might sway me would be appreciated.

[el vencejo]

Hi, I've seen a few chops based on trail big singles. A few on t'internet. They look strange 'cos the motor & gearbox unit is so compact that there's acres of space between the box and the back wheel 
On the other hand, space for a HUGE oil tank 

[johnr]

these two are pretty good, one is a 650 savage, the other is a dr600 iirc, neither are mine, though the dr big at the back was mine! big singles are the best motor for chops imho.

[johnr]

and this is an early stage pic of the chop my mate is building from an xr650 honda. the frame is complete now, and its got a different tank, road tyres  and is at the wiring stage now, cracking little thing.

[johnr]

these are the latest ive got of it, just needs wiring and paint but you cant fault the simplicity of a big single in a chop frame.












so get your grinder out!!!

[themoudie]

Aye john,

MMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!      I'm no going there!  Bill.

[Andy M]

For the benefit of someone who just doesn't get it, could anyone explain why please?

It's not a wind up, I seriously don't get it. I've had BMW R1200C and Triumph America loaners and I really don't get why you'd make a bike this shape (Human parachute riding position seems mad) and then top it by taking off the rear springs  (The cost saving idea I get mind, I'm a Yorkshireman!).

Andy

[johnr]

cos you can. thats the simple answer. its customising, making something different, because you want to stand out from the crowd, or look different, or just ride a bike that you know that nobody else anywhere has. ok if you dont like it then thats fair enough. its a free world.  but if you ride for example, an xbr do you ever pass comment on why everyone else doesnt ride the same bike? the guy whos building this is a customising genius, he does everything himself aside from painting and chroming. his last bike was widely used by carol nash for its adverts (chopped ducati monster if you remember the cn bike of the year comp last year) its got nothing to do with the riding position, though as he is about 6 ft 6 its probably pretty comfy for him, its just about building a bike that is in the style that you yourself like. if we all rode exactly the same bike then it would be a pretty boring world wouldnt it? or should we all conform to the wishes of the factorys and ride round on identical bikes and dress in identical riding kit?

[Andy M]

I guess that explains it. If I designed a bike it'd be nothing like this, it'd have the seating position of an MZ, no chrome what so ever, I'd spend time enclosing the chain and getting the range out over 300 miles and so forth. If there was a hole behind the engine I'd enclose it as a luggage space. I can understand taking a bike and making it lighter at the expense of bits you don't use (pillion seat, battery etc.) but at that point our design philosophies must diverge somewhat. The world would indeed be boring without people building what they want and the shop bought solutions certainly don't tick many boxes, but what does this bike do better than the standard? It looks better? Art rather than function?

Andy

[el vencejo]

Dogbad.... have you thought of building a bobber?
Far less divisive 

[Steffan]

I am with Andy on this, seems perverse to take a bike that works ie handles OK etc to create something that not only has been done before over and over but can't handle etc. Seems like a dreadful backwards step to me...

Steffan

[Mark]

I am with Andy on this, seems perverse to take a bike that works ie handles OK etc
Steffan

And stick a bl00dy sidecar on it.

[Dogbad]

Good to get thoughts and pictures etc Cheers!

I must admit I'd be going less radical than the totally home built one, don't have the equipment or the skills for that level. It is a beauty though .

I think the "Bobber" idea is pushing a bit but so is the idea of following other peoples styles and going for a Cafe Racer or a flat Tracker style.

No rush but thanks for the replies.

[Andy M]

I am with Andy on this, seems perverse to take a bike that works ie handles OK etc
Steffan

And stick a bl00dy sidecar on it.

Only if you want to be able to carry more, not fall off in the snow and have handling that requires thinking on every corner.

Why do all these cruiser designs have the same small tank, long forks and wide bars? For practical considerations like stability a sidecar is a logical conclusion. When artists reach the same conclusion isn't it called derivative?


Andy

[Mark]

I've got a chop, lowrider, bobber, tourer, classics, cafe racers new and old, trail, miltary and even sidecar outfits.

Love them all. There is such a variation of machines about how can someone say whats right. They all have their own character.

You get a buzz pushing a modern race replica on an older underated bike, think how good that feels when you are on something that looks unusable.

Mark