American Chopper

[gunpowder17]

Anyone else watch American Chopper? Its most amusing and very addictive. I was never really a fan of chopper style motorcycles but now im sold!

[T.C~Tamiya]

Is that the TV show where a bunch of bikers break stuff ?

[gunpowder17]

No its about a Father and his sons who run Orange County Choppers. They build superb custom bikes for people.

[T.C~Tamiya]

Hmmm... must have been a different show I saw then.

[Shodog]

I used to Tivo all the episodes. Honestly I love the work they produce, I just wish they would leave all the petty drama out of the program.

I prefer shows like Rides and Overhaulin where people get along and produce fantastic work.

[Stefan(2)]

Mikey is my hero

no, more serieus note. they put it on discovery channel over here,

Also not a big fan of choppers bikes , but what they make is very nice.

Love the toys they play with also (waterjet cutter anyone???)

Do think the drama/fights add a bit, it is more then just "this is how we build bikes",

i hate those "big brother" programs, but this seems for me at least, exacly the right mix

between info/docu & soap

Stefan

[gunpowder17]

I agree Stefan , just the right mix. That water jet cutter was amazing. Id never even heard of one until i saw that. Well i must be getting old, my thoughts have gone away from sports tourers (im too tall for race style bikes!) and im really starting to want a Harley!

Never thought id hear myself saying that! []

[fury_dice(2)]

Have to say that our favourite is good ol' Pimp My Ride (on various MTV channels). X is hilarious, and the fellas at West Coast Custom have cornered the market in turning sow's ears into silk purses. As completely OTT entertainment, you can't beat it and the craftsmanship is top notch too. Of the more 'serious' shows, American Hotrod is good, although as Jim said about American Chopper, the petty drama can get in the way.

BTW Avoid the uK version of PMR like the plague - it stinks [][]

[WillyChang]

Host of uK PMR (who's he anyway?) is dire...

But at least they've got Pinky (a girl!) on the team.

quote:Originally posted by Shodog

Honestly I love the work they produce, I just wish they

would leave all the petty drama out of the program.

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C'mon Jim, the Jnr-vs-Snr OCC brawling is HALF THE FUN!! []

American Hot Rod makes good cars, but the way Boyd treats his staff

I'm constantly amazed there's still any people working for him.

Monster Garage is a perennial favourite.

ps: anyone considered calling MTV (US!) and offer PMR a Tamiya!? []

[Shodog]

quote:Originally posted by WillyChang

C'mon Jim, the Jnr-vs-Snr OCC brawling is HALF THE FUN!!

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It was funny at first but then it becomes tedious as senior flies of the handle for the smallest things. I don't know why he complains so much. His business is thriving, he has worldwide fame and not too shabby on the fortune either. But he has got to complain when pauly leaves the tools out. What a ***.

quote:Originally posted by WillyChang

American Hot Rod makes good cars, but the way Boyd treats his staff I'm constantly amazed there's still any people working for him.

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I totally agree with you here. boyd is the poster child for how not to treat your employees. I don't even watch that show anymore becuase he is such a jerk off.

quote:Originally posted by WillyChang

Monster Garage is a perennial favourite.

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Bah! all they are good for is ruining perfectly good cars.

Pimp my ride is a great show. It's more comedy than customizing. Xhibit has some funy stuff. I like ish's little skits and you always have to wonder where that guy is going to stick a tv screen next.

[fatboyslim]

quote:Originally posted by WillyChang

Host of uK PMR (who's he anyway?) is dire...

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Tim Westwood, he's a DJ got a show on Radio 1 on Saturday night funny thing is when you hear him on the radio he sounds like he's a real gangsta' straight outta Compton!![:0]

Then you see him a scrawny white boy whose dad is a vicar!![)]

In fact he annoyed some people with his want tobe gangsta' style he was shot at in a drive-by the other year, but their aim wasn't quite good enough!![]

[stulec52]

I think I have seen most of this genre of show. Trucks is good, but only if you like, wait for it... Trucks ! Extreme 4x4 is pretty good too.

But the best, by a country mile, is OverHaulin'.

Quite apart from the great tricks they play on the owners, the main thing here is that Chip Foose is incredible ! nuff said.

[WillyChang]

Not such a huge fan of uS culture (200yrs?! what culture? []),

personally my anglophile tendencies definitely prefer the

good solid understated British sense of humour.

Recently came across Mark Evans and his "... Is Born" series.

http://www.i2itelevision.com/mark-evans.php

2004 A 4x4 is Born

2003 A Bike is Born

2002 A Race Car is Born

2001 A Chopper is Born

2000 A Plane Is Born

2000 A Car Is Reborn

1999-2000 A Car Is Born

Love it!

[terry.sc]

I love Overhaulin', Chip Foose is an amazing designer. The cars that they produce are brilliant.

But I really want Mark Evans' job. How he got the Discovery channel to okay the first series I don't know. "Hey, I've got an idea for a show, I'll build a car in my garage and have a laugh while doing it." A 4x4 is born starts with him throwing a bodyless Range Rover around in the mud, and turns into a full size version of building a crawler.

American Chopper started out like all the other similar programmes, like Biker Build Off, where the bike is the subject. Now it's the personalities that make the programme. Pauly is amazingly creative, but no wonder Paul Snr is stressed when he has Mikey (sort of) working for him

[XanderP]

I love most of the programmes mentioned here except from American Chopper[!] Its terrible! Like in one episode the big guy chucks a armchair through a huge glass window its all just show for the cameras! Pimp ride is by far the best it's so funny and the cars are STUNNING.

p.s did anyone see the episode where the put the biggest subwoofer in a car ever they had to lift it in with a crane! pimp my ride sucks so bad Tim Westwood is so annoying! no wonder someone wanted to shoot him anyone got a gun and I'll do it myself LOL only joking[]

[stulec52]

oh, if we are picking whose job we want, give me Alain de Cadenets please.

[WillyChang]

quote:Originally posted by terry.sc

...Pauly is amazingly creative, but no wonder Paul Snr is stressed when he has Mikey (sort of) working for him

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Whom I pity most is poor Vinnie. []

He's caught in crossfire so often, they should

dedicate that PoW theme bike to him. [V]

[gunpowder17]

He seems remarkably calm too! Vinnie seems to be a very talented guy. The one thing i dont understand is that Paul SNR yells and moans about them getting it done and not having much time, but then sends someone home for not being tidy?! [?]

[Stefan(2)]

Vinnie is good yes, [^]

but, that other guy.. the silent metal worker,

he is out of the picture most of the time, but that guy can do some

metal work old style !

" respect ! "

Gunpowder, same here! (but not old [] )

when being 2.06 that o so nice rice racer just does not fit []

For the guys who are normal size, try this...

Drive 250 km/u ... stick your leg outside the window!

Quite a sensation i must say

Myself more into the all-road aka "dakar" bikes,

dreambike ... A ducati! (like there ever going to fit.........)

must make due with a old xl500 for now, when i grow up and there

is more sence into me, i'll get me a quick bike [}]

Would not mind spending some weeks at OCC , just to watch & do some jobs , watch how they do it.

(and wreck some stuff, seems to be normal there [)] )

Stefan

[gunpowder17]

My last Bike was an excellent all rounder. The Yamaha xj900 Diversion. It had all of the Yamaha luggage cases etc on it and weighed a ton. It went well too. Im not that old, 32, but still all of my joints ache from 16 years of all weather biking. Its nice to own a car now and think of a bike as a luxury and not a necessity.

Rick must be the guy you are thinking of. He normally does the Tanks on the bikes.

[quincey]

when i first started watching american chopper it was so addictive,they spent 3 episodes on the build and the bikes were so special now its gone all weird.

its all about snr and jnr larking about and shouting at each other,the bikes are 3/4 built before they get them there's just nothing special about them anymore,one of the bikes they built could hardly be ridden.

i still watch it as theres not much eles on a monday night.

pmr uk is total dross compared to the us version i saw the 1st one where they destroyed a classic moggy minor it looked a right chav mobile when they finished it! the best bit was the bling steering wheel bolted to a uncowled and rusty steering coloum! nice feature!

and overhaulin is the best american programme by far the cars are to die for,chip foose is a design legend he does stuff thats so simple but it makes a huge difference.

he can overhaul my car anytime he wants.

[Tamiya1/10]

The trend is in your face, reality TV show with presentors with character or attitudes. Your either like them or hate them. Donald Trump, "you are fire", how can you fire someone from the ultimate job interview. Jesse James, monster garage, that cold stare, tatoos and censored language. Paul Sr. Orange County Chopper...per David Letterman, "Paul Sr. you don't do anything but yell at everyone for any reason....The list goes on...

Hate to say it but Donald Trump has the best plan,he gets to advertise his own products along with this friends and at the end no award is given but the winner gets to work for Donald and earn his/her salary.

[WillyChang]

Mr Trump gets paid only $100,000 for every episode... []

[jozza]

Pimp My Ride is one of my favourites, but the uS version spends too little time on how the car is done, and too much time on the person who it's been done for jumping up and down, screaming and saying stuff like "Check It Out, Yo, OHMYGOD" and so on. The uK version spends enough time on the car itself, but I find Westwood really irritating (he just seems to take himself too seriously whereas X-Z-ibit (dashes for txt spk filter avoidance []) seems to be amused by what he's doing) and the guys who do the cars just aren't as cool as the American ones. Oh, and the Brits having their cars done don't seem to be that excited either.. If there was a mix of the two (ie somewhere in between the OTT American version and the Stiff upper Lip uK version) I think it would be really good.