• Articles
  • Motorcycles for Sale
  • Motorcycle Parts
  • Motorcycle Manuals
  • Collectibles
  • Contact

The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Chopper vs Sportbike Build Off

By Paul Crowe

After the last few days of thinking about the possibility of a sport bike build off, a few things slowly emerged in my mind. Do you see what I see?

Take a look at yesterday’s post about Tony Foale and run down the list of items in his seminar. Then mentally change channels and picture the shops you see in the chopper build offs. Then look again at that list, then back to the chopper shop. They don’t fit. There’s no crossover. Go to the Discovery Channel web site and check out the forums where you can comment on the build offs. One thread in there, started a couple days ago by a Kneeslider reader, has a few posts and replies. Read the other threads and replies. Again, no crossover. It’s almost like we’re from different worlds.

TV entertainment is just that, entertainment. Thinking about force/deflection curves and slip angles isn’t entertainment for many in the viewing audience and they would rather not do it. The numbers don’t add up for TV. Are there more viewers for a chrome and paint chopper build off or a computer aided design and testing process where weight transfer and center of gravity, slip angles and deflection curves are carefully considered? No contest.

On the other hand, a sport bike or standard road bike build off where performance and rideability are part of the equation, along with appearance, don’t have to be all computers and calculators, either. With many of the frames already built and offered for sale by some of the shops mentioned in the last few days, the selection of parts and engines could still be an enjoyable and fun process and it might even make somewhat acceptable TV. Shops capable of building from scratch could do that, too. However, if the show were to become too technical, most of the viewers would drift away except for those really into the tech factor.

Now, just a wild guess here, but I would imagine a large portion of The Kneeslider’s readers get a wee bit more into the tech side of things than your average biker. That being the case, I will continue to delve into technical subjects as they present themselves. Should we expect a high performance sport bike build off in the near future? I kinda doubt it.

Posted on April 8, 2005 Filed Under: Motorcycle Builders

Parts and Service Manuals and more!

Be sure to check out the new motorcycle manuals and literature listings. I just put it together to make your eBay search easier and it's pretty sweet. It's fun just to browse though it. Check it out!

« Motorcycle frame builders continued
V Max modifications »

Comments

  1. hoyt says

    April 8, 2005 at 9:53 pm

    Should an email be sent to Speed Channel ?

    A competitive track racebike doesn’t have to be built. As long as the motorcycle craze is raging why not build quality, custom street bikes that can be ridden…..regardless if it is a cafe racer, sportbike, “street tracker”, or supermotard.

    Thanks Kneeslider for providing more info. about the smaller shops…hopefully I’ll be using them someday to build that stylish cafe racer….perhaps with the new Aprilia 450cc or 550cc v-twin. That engine is making over 80 hp and a complete bike could probably weigh in about 360 lbs.

  2. Tom says

    September 22, 2006 at 2:10 pm

    Hoyt is right. The paintwork/artistry of some of the better executed streetfighters nowadays rivals anything the chopper creators are hammering together. And performance wise it’s pitting a “garage queen” classic muscle car against a NASCAR Nextel Cup racer; a one punch fight.

    I know of a shop in DesPlaines Illinois that regularly grafts different forks/frames/engines/wheels-tires-brakes/fuel tanks/bodywork/paint
    etc. into eye catching creations yet the things run on pump gas, ride down to the White Hen to get snacks yet do exceptionally well at the dragstrip or a track day and DON’T cost anywhere near 6 figures.

    Need more of them, let them stand up and be counted.

  3. Brian says

    September 22, 2006 at 6:45 pm

    Tom, could you put a name, url or phone number to that Illinois shop?

Search articles on The Kneeslider

Do You need motorcycle parts?

Everything from normal maintenance items to hard to find out of production parts, look here first.
Be very specific for best results! Use part numbers if you have them.
Be sure to check out our motorcycle manuals and literature listings, too!

From The Kneeslider Archives

Brent Soper's Suzuki VX800 with 900cc snowmobile power

Suzuki VX800 Gets a Snowmobile Power Transplant

Was this the Harley Davidson street fighter concept? A V4 powered monster to take on the world's best?

Harley Davidson was Planning Multiple V4 Motorcycles

Four Stroke Engine Rebuild

The Four Stroke Dirt Bike Engine Building Handbook

Motorcycle Engine Powered Cars

Copyright © 2021 · The Kneeslider · Website by Crowe Computer Services
US Army veteran owned and operated
This website proudly Made in the USA!
Made in the USA