This "American Chopper" show, what's the deal?

[BiggJawn]

I was test-running a time-lapse VCR over the weekend, and when I came in today and reviewed the tape I see this show.
Seems to be a custom bike shop run by some old fart (about my age) who spends his time running around like Poppa Smurf in a 'Roid Rage...

This makes twice I've seen it, and everytime, Poppa Smurf is going off on the hired help.

Wish I had too much money and an itch for a custom sled. I'd go put him in his place.....

[GOPisEvil]

1. Yeah, the dad is a little hot-tempered.

But his son is damn-near a genius. Very talented. It's the same old clash of generations, nothing new, but entertaining still.

I just admire people who can create from nothing like that. PRetty damned amazing to a mechanical idiot like me.

[Kolesar]

2. it looks like cheap programming to me

I remember when TLC and Discovery Channel would entertain us with documentaries from the seven continents, well researched history shows, and wildlife shows. Now they just turn on a camera in a room full of petulant would-be macho men. You could say I don't like that show.

[freethought]

6. It is cheap programming

But it is the highest rated show on Discovery Channel. Not only that Orange County Choppers gets a super-tanker load of free advertising. There is a slew of custom bike shops around the country but they aren't on TV.

[Drifter]

3. I find it mildly entertaining ...

If you are into bikes, it is an interesting show about the inner workings of a custom bike shop. The fact that it is a family organization, makes it more of a reality like show.

Lets face it, if everything went hunky-dorey it would be a boring show. It is the conflicts and problems that make the show watchable.

It is also representative of the Old school (Father) versus the New School (Son) type conflicts. And of course they show the lighter side (Easter Egg hunt on Easter Sunday).

When I first saw this show, I thought Orange County Choppers was referring to a place in California, because whenever they ride, they never wear helmets (which I think is a bad example). It is actually a shop in NY. I know NY has a helmet law, so I'm not sure how they pull this off. Perhaps they are near PA (do they have a helmet law?), or theyget permission to close down a road for filming the ride sequences.

Cheers
Drifter

[radwriter0555]

19. They're in New Jersey....

http://www.orangecountychoppers.com

Looks like they're on Leno on November 20th...

I love these boys... Is that THE BEST mustache EVER?

[submerged99]

4. Watched it this summer

The backstory, as I remember it, is that the Father(paul sr.) was once a hard partying biker and lost his original business due to his hard living ways. His son(paul jr.) recently expressed an interest in continuing the family business and learned how to build bikes.

Paul Jr. is a great bike builder but the dad has some heavy expectations for him and puts a lot of pressure on him and his co-workers. The dad gets upset when Paul Jr take cigarette breaks, ask for days off, and don't keep the place spotless. They argue and bikes get built in the process.

That's the way I remember it.

[freethought]

5. It's the father going off on the son.

'American Chopper' is one of my guilty pleasures. The son is an artist, only his canvas are the cutom built bikes. Cool stuff.
The father runs the operation and the son is the creative end of the business.

They always find something to argue about. If one had been watching the series since its start, it can be a real hoot.

Not long ago, Jay Leno commissioned O.C.C. to build him a bike, "like no other".
The real attraction to the show is to see the bikes that they build. You get to watch the fabricating/assembly process and you just get hooked on the show. You're dying to see the finished bike.

[BiggJawn]

17. So who buys these scoots?

Hardcore Bros or candy-assed yuppie biker wanna-bees with too much money, like Leno?

And I've kept a full-dresser upright on glare ice and bar-hopped at 15-below in the 170,000 some-odd miles I've ridden, so I think I've earned the right to call 'em candy-assed if I wanna.

[freethought]

18. Both!

Both the hardcore bikers and the yuppie biker wanna-bees buy the bikes. I believe a stock bike they build is about $30,000. If you want one made-to-order I think $60,000 is the figure.

I don't think they care if the cash is from either party.

[crimson333]

7. I love the show

I never miss it because I admire the creative process of making something from nothing.

are some of the disagreements scripted? probably it is tv.

He does make great bikes

[soupkitchen]

8. I love American Chopper

Cheap programming? sure
Staged confrontations? sure
But they make some beautiful bikes. And basically it's a family story, with the hot-head father working with his two kids, one of whom is a very skilled artisan.
The truth of the matter is I like the father. I think they celebrated his 54th birthday this year which makes him approximately two years old than me. And I know he's a maniac, huffing and puffing and yelling all the time. But I also think he's at heart a real softie. A real true blue as loyal to his friends as they come guy.
The other thing is I respect the guy. He obviously doesn't have the best education in the world, but he's built a business (in fact he's built more than one) and raised his kids to be productive citizens.
In fact, Paulie, who is the creative force behind the designer bikes seems to me to be one of the greatest kids in the world.
Bottom line, it's one of my favorite shows. The Tuffels are all right with me.

[freethought]

9. Tuffels?

Isn't the name Tuttle or Tuetle?

[GOPisEvil]

10. Teutel, I think. nt

[freethought]

11. I think you're right.

[TexasMexican]

12. Good show.

I like watching it and Monster Garage.

I think my favorite bike was that spider themed one they did.

[freethought]

14. The Commanche Bike was wild!

The Black Widow bike was cool. But of all of the bikes they have built on the show. The Commache bike was the most radical. Really "MEAN' looking.

[FDRrocks]

13. It's his sons he goes off on...

the hippie and the preppie are his sons. That show should be called America Drama, since they build like... half a bike every episode and spend the rest of the time crying and yelling... blah.

[guitar man]

15. I am a fan of the show

The Dad is no doubt playing it up for the camera to make it a little more entertaining.

One one of the early epsisodes,the old man told his story. Basically,according to him,he started with nothing but a flatbed truck,welding rig,blacksmith's hammer amd a pair of balls and started a custom wrought iron business,fences gates etc. and built it into quite a healthy business,then he got into buliding custom bikes in the old school days from there.

If that's his real story,I can appreciate why he might be up the boy's ass to develop the same drive and work ethic it took to build the business in preparation for the day he hands over the keys to the operation.

[OneBlueSky]

16. it's fun waiting to see who will kill who . . .

Paul Sr. and Paulie have a running confrontation that somehow seems to work for them . . . Paulie understands the old man, and Paul Sr. has a lot of respect for what his son accomplishes . . . now they've brought in second son Mikey, who apparently makes the old man laugh a lot . . . it's a fun show to watch, and has some genuinely touching moments, e.g. when Paul Sr. gave Cody the bike they'd built together . . .

[proud patriot]

20. I love the show

:hi: funny stuff IMHO