Chopper (motorcycle)

A chopper is a special kind of bike.

People change the parts to make it look different. They often make the front part very long.

Some bikes have very tall handles. Others have a tall metal bar in the back. Builders can cut the frame to change its shape. This is why they are called choppers. They can have many bright colors and shiny parts.

These bikes became very famous in movies. They are built to look very cool.

A chopper is a custom motorcycle.

People make them by changing a regular bike. They might also build them from scratch. To be a true chopper, a builder must cut and weld the frame. This is why they have the name "chopper."

Choppers often look very long and stretched out. Builders use long forks, which are the metal tubes that hold the front wheel.

They might also use a hardtail frame. This is a frame that has no rear suspension to soak up bumps. Some choppers have very tall handles called ape hangers. Others have a sissy bar. This is a set of tall tubes behind the seat.

These bikes became very famous after the 1969 movie *Easy Rider*.

Before choppers, there were bobbers. Bobbers were bikes where people removed heavy parts to make them faster. Choppers went even further by changing the shape of the frame. Builders often use bright colors and shiny metal to make them look unique. Some builders even use engines from different brands like Honda.

A chopper is a special type of custom motorcycle.

These bikes are famous for their unique and stretched-out look. To be called a chopper, a builder must cut and weld the motorcycle frame. This process is why they use the name "chopper." Some people build them by changing an old bike. Others build them from scratch using new parts. They are often built to show off a person's art and style.

Many parts make a chopper look different from a regular bike.

Builders often use long front ends called extended forks. They might also use a hardtail frame, which has no rear suspension to soak up bumps. Some choppers have very tall handles called "ape hangers." Others have a "sissy bar," which is a tall set of tubes behind the seat. Many builders also use larger front wheels and smaller fuel tanks.

These changes create a very specific shape.

Before choppers, people made something called a bobber.

After World War II, returning servicemen began the bobber trend. They removed heavy or extra parts to make bikes lighter and faster. They often took off fenders and large seats. Choppers grew from this idea but used much more radical changes. While bobbers focused on speed, choppers focused on a long and custom look. This style grew from the hot rod culture of that era.

Choppers became famous all over the world in the late 1960s. This happened because of the 1969 movie *Easy Rider*. The movie featured two famous custom Harley-Davidsons named "Captain America" and "Billy Bike." These bikes were built by Benjamin F. Hardy. After the movie, many people wanted their own custom bikes. New shops opened to build them. Even Japanese engines, like the Honda 750-4, became popular for builders to use.

Building a chopper is a way to express individuality.

In the 1960s, builders used bright, candy-colored paint and metal flakes. Some famous builders, like Arlen Ness, created their own special styles. Other shops, like Denver's Choppers in California, became known for making very long bikes. Today, some builders still specialize in these "old school" styles. Even though technology has improved, the art of the custom chopper lives on. It connects modern riders to a long history of making things unique.

A chopper is a highly customized type of motorcycle known for its unique, stretched-out appearance.

To earn the name "chopper," a builder must cut and weld the motorcycle frame at some point during the modification process. This act of "chopping" the frame allows for radical changes to the bike's geometry. Some builders create these machines by modifying an existing motorcycle, while others build them entirely from scratch. While many custom bikes exist, a true chopper focuses on specific aesthetic and structural changes that prioritize a custom look over standard factory designs.

Several distinct mechanical features define the chopper's silhouette. Builders often install extended forks, which are the long metal tubes that hold the front wheel. These are frequently paired with an increased rake angle, meaning the steering is angled further forward to lengthen the bike. Many choppers use a hardtail frame, which is a frame that lacks rear suspension. To balance the long front end, builders might use "ape hanger" handlebars that rise very high or short "drag" handlebars. Other signature parts include a "sissy bar," a set of tubes connecting the rear fender to the frame, and larger-than-stock front wheels.

The history of the chopper begins with the "bobber" era between 1946 and 1959. Following World War II, returning servicemen in the United States began "bobbing" motorcycles to make them lighter and faster. They achieved this by removing excess weight, such as heavy fenders, turn indicators, and even front brakes. They also removed large, spring-suspended saddles so they could sit lower on the frame.

These bobbers were part of a larger hot rod culture that used dry lake beds and airstrips for top-speed runs. While bobbers were built for minimalist performance and dirt-track racing, choppers evolved to use even more radical frame and geometry modifications.

By the early 1960s, the chopper style began to take a specific shape. Builders often replaced standard 16-inch wheels and fat tires with narrower tires on larger 19-inch or 21-inch wheels. They also swapped large floorboard footrests for forward-mounted pegs and used smaller fuel tanks and headlights. This era saw the rise of famous builders like Arlen Ness, who led the "Frisco" or "Bay Area" style. Ness's bikes often featured long, low frames and highly raked front ends of 45 degrees or more.

Other builders, such as Denver Mullins and Armando "Mondo" Porras, became famous for "Denver choppers," which featured even longer front ends and higher, stretched frames.

The global popularity of the chopper exploded due to the 1969 film *Easy Rider*. The movie featured two famous customized Harley-Davidsons named "Captain America" and "Billy Bike," built by Benjamin F. Hardy. This exposure turned a regional subculture into a worldwide phenomenon. During the 1970s, new styles like the "Digger" emerged. Diggers were often extremely long and low, sometimes using archaic girder forks instead of modern springer or telescopic types. Builders also used heavy amounts of body filler, known as bondo, to make the bodywork flow seamlessly. They expressed artistry through candy-colored paint, metal flakes, and fluorescent patterns.

Engine choice has also been a significant part of chopper evolution. Early builders preferred older, air-cooled engines from Harley-Davidson, such as the flathead, knucklehead, and panhead models. As technology progressed, the Harley-Davidson Shovelhead became very popular. In the late 1960s, the Honda 750-4, a 750cc four-cylinder engine, became a common alternative for builders using parts from salvage operations. While most choppers favor air-cooled designs and rarely use radiators, the variety of available motors has allowed for many different builds. By the mid-1970s, however, standard Japanese and European performance bikes began to outperform most choppers in handling.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the industry saw improved engineering and a rise in aftermarket suppliers. Companies like S&S Cycle began building complete replacement engines, and frame makers like Paughco offered hardtail frames. In 1984, Harley-Davidson released the "Softail," a design that hid rear shocks under the engine to mimic the look of a hardtail. This allowed riders to achieve the chopper aesthetic with factory-made reliability. Today, the chopper remains a significant part of motorcycle culture. Many contemporary builders specialize in "old school" styles, ensuring that the artistic traditions of the past continue to influence modern custom builds.