American Chopper Re-visited

[Scoutmedic]

Hmm, apparently, I'm the only one who sent in a tape? I saw they were having a giveaway. You sent in a 3 minute or shorter tape and an application to have a chance for them to build a custom chopper and appear on the show.

I figured, 'what the heck'. It cost me less than $10 and, it's the only way I'll ever own a custom bike.

My wife and I watch it quite a bit. One thing nobody else has mentioned here is that Sr was (supposedly) already a millionaire from his iron works company. They make wrought iron fences and such.

I like that they do most of the fabrication in house now but, I agree with the other points about the show being just that, a show.

Someone else mentioned the Teutels being good to their employees. In the one episode, they paid to put a new roof on Vinnie's house. And, they've given Cody and Rick bikes.

Anyway, guess I'm done rambling....

[iwannadie]

Hmm, apparently, I'm the only one who sent in a tape? I saw they were having a giveaway. You sent in a 3 minute or shorter tape and an application to have a chance for them to build a custom chopper and appear on the show.

I figured, 'what the heck'. It cost me less than $10 and, it's the only way I'll ever own a custom bike.

My wife and I watch it quite a bit. One thing nobody else has mentioned here is that Sr was (supposedly) already a millionaire from his iron works company. They make wrought iron fences and such.

I like that they do most of the fabrication in house now but, I agree with the other points about the show being just that, a show.

Someone else mentioned the Teutels being good to their employees. In the one episode, they paid to put a new roof on Vinnie's house. And, they've given Cody and Rick bikes.

Anyway, guess I'm done rambling....

ok they gave a guy a new roof on his house cause his house is so old it needed a new roof and the poor guy couldnt afford it? big deal when paul is building a massive lake on his huge property, they never show His house though... then they gave the guys bikes... again big deal Teutels are riding around on the best of the best bikes they cant be seen riding with guys on crap bikes so they gave them bikes(rather let them build there own).

no secret the Teutels are raking it in like never before and guys like vinnie arent seeing nearly their fair share of it. not that i feel bad for them, its their own fault if in fact they are letting the Teutels take all the cash and not getting their share.

maybe im just biased though ive been in similar situations seeing the owners of the company get more rich by the day. while doing less and less work relying on people to do the work for them then not pay those people anything. then throw a 'bonus' like a new bike at the workers and think that makes up for it.

[cb360]

If Vinnie makes less than $250,000 this year I'll eat my hat and I wouldn't be surprised if it were more. He's a credited recurring personality on a popular TV show. Forget about what he makes in the shop - it would be peanuts to what he gets on the show. And he gets a check every single time they show a rerun, which is a lot.

[bennettoid]

Some people are always jealous.

I had my own business with 12 employees, one of them decided he didn't like me making more money then him and demanded I pay everyone an equal share.5 seconds later He was unemployed and the last I heard the lazy bum was on welfare. It takes hard work to create a business like that and as far as I'm concerned they deserve every penny. All those guys are made for life by just being on the show, and I guarantee they are making more than me.

You sound like you need to go out and start your own business.

[canuckerjay]

I certainly won't knock them because they've made it; they've worked hard and deserved it.

I just have lost a bit of favour with the show because the formula has become more and more obvious. When it first started, at least the Tuttles fought for what seemed like a real reason. Now, most of thier quarrels seem obviously staged.

[oldnslo]

I actually saw and heard the first custom chopper in my neck of the woods yesterday. Straight pipes, baby-poop green with urine-colored pinstripes, big, lopey cam. It was very popular with the 13-year olds at the diner but most everybody else was rolling up windows and locking doors. A rendition of bodily function color in steel and paint. Priceless.

[ronboskz650sr]

I watched a guy duck walk one into a right turn from the highway to a gas station parking lot...followed by riding straight across the grass, behind the car wash and onto the street he didn't think he could make the turn onto. Very impressive...

[oldnslo]

When I see custom choppers running in and finishing the Iron Butt, I will be impressed. In the meantime, fuggedeboutit. Junk jewelry.

[kwong2001]

I've personally seen two custom choppers in my area. First one had some obnoxious straight pipes that about blew my ear drums. I was annoyed and pissed at the guy. Second one was a farely nice sounding chopper that look relatively streetable (saw it from behind), I actually wouldn't have minded owning it, but never paying whatever price the guy paid.

Anyhoo, as for American Choppers, the best bike they built so far was the Napa bike, just because it was a purpose built dragster. I wish they would have done a few tweaks after the first run down the strip, then ran the bike again just to see what it would do when fully setup properly. Surely they would have been in the 8's!

American Hot Rods is stupid and I really hate Boyd Coddington. I don't care how nice of a guy he is, he constantly over-works his employees then wonders why they're pissed off. I mean, no wonder people leave, i'll bet Boyd doesn't even put in a full 8 hours.

Southern Steel is probably one of the best shows. It's boring, but you gotta laugh at it, I mean, ever two seconds the guys are calling it a night and going home. Plus their accents are hilarious. I just wish they did a better production to give them credit for how much fabrication they actually do, they build the frames, tanks, everything. Plus their bikes are very much streetable bikes, granted, their choppers are ugly, but the replica type bikes are really nice. Definitely if I was rich, i'd have them build me a bike or two.

[cb360]

There was a guy outside my gym the other day trying to kickstart his custom chopper and he was JUMPING on the kickstarter. Took him about ten tries and then that thing sounded like thunder. Ok if that's your thing but it isn't my cup of tea.