Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Did anybody else catch 'The Biker-Build-Off..Ultimate Chop' on Discovery Channel?

I think I may have figured out what it is that bothers me about all these shows.

The Outlaw bikers are trying to go legit. Nothing wrong with that, but 'Legit Outlawery' don't make no sense.

Mother Milwaukee went that way a couple of decades ago, and now you meet the nicest people on a Harley.

But these custom bike building shows all over the tube now are sposed to be about these badass chopper dudes, who are now being absorbed by Corporate T.V. and squeezed out the backside as trendy, edgy-but-palatable figureheads of motorcycling. All legit an chit.

And that leaves most of the non-riding public to associate all motorcyclists with the chopper guys or the streetstuntin' squids that make up the rest of most tv airtime for bikes.

And that's what bothers me about all these 'Custom Bike' type shows. Not the bikes, or the guys building them, or even the stupid deadlines the producers inflict upon them.... but the fact that to a huge majority of people I meet, that's motorcycling. Bike snobbery from non-riders. What next, indeed.

That's OK let them live in Ignorance.

i half agree with you...while its obvious some of them are definatly glory hounds and some...ness and son...are already corporate entities in thier own rights...but some...are just guys building great bikes they want to ride or people they know want to ride that you just cant buy...i used to think russell mitchell was one of these guys but...i think hes bought in a little...but guys like shinya kimura(http://www.zero-eng.com)...the detroit brothers(http://www.detroitbros.com)...ron finch(http://www.finchcustoms.com)...and cole foster(http://www.salinasboys.com) i think are building the coolest bikes out there...and they are still tuff dudes and do things the right way and in ron finch case is just so off the wall there is no way he could ever sell out.