How to Build a Cheap Chopper

Book excerpt: How to Build a Cheap Chopperwas originally written to give chopper builders of the day a way to build cool, functional choppers for cheap money. Instead of building bikes out of a catalog, readers were encouraged to combine a donor bike with an aftermarket frame. With a Sportster or Metric bike as a foundation, and a hardtail frame, a complete bike could be assembled for less than $5,000, sometimes much less. Today, there's a whole new generation of riders looking to build simple, functional, unique choppers and bobbers based on everything from a 200cc Honda to the old classic Shovelhead or Panhead engines. No matter which drivetrain they choose, there remains the need to build bikes that work, bikes that are safe to ride, bikes that are fun! How to Build a Cheap Chopper- Revisedstarts with a look at the basics. The first chapters cover brakes, drivetrains, and frame geometry. The second half of the book shows readers how to actually assemble a bike. Four start-to-finish assemblies done at professional shops take the reader from a pile of parts to a finished, running motorcycle.