Choppers: Heavy Metal Art

by Michael Lichter*

When a motorcycle has been built from the ground up, stripped of anything not needed for speed, power, and striking looks, and draped in rich colors and chrome, it has been transformed into a chopper.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0760320535
• ISBN13: 9780760320532
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Motorbooks International
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 4.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 10.9" x 12.4"

Customer Reviews

The Ultimate Biker Book For Young Readers

Sometimes you see a book cover that jumps right out at you and grabs your fullest attention - this is the case for a great book for teenage boys called "Choppers." Well the cover was just the opening to a wonderfully and well written book about custom choppers. These motorcycles are really works of art and the color photos of them are classic! The authors, Mike Seate and Linda Black McKay, have done a good job of taking us on a visual journey of the mind and spirit with this book. They give the reader plenty of information to make it an educational journey (including a "Chopper Glossary" at the back of the book) yet the reader is always entertained and amused by the text and the color photos. If you are looking for a gift to give to a young man in your life then this is one book that will actually be read and looked through from beginning to end. It is fascinating and pure "dream candy" looking at what others have done to those two wheel machines. The choice of bikes to display and write about is a perfect balance of art and function. This book is part of a great series of books and like all the books in that series this is not limited to just young men. All male readers will enjoy looking at and reading this book. I personally recommend this book for all young male readers and those who are still young at heart! Choppers is given The American Authors Association's highest book rating for young readers - FIVE STARS.

Simply the best chopper book yet

This is the only real history of choppers available, but even if it wasn't, it would still be the best. Excellent writing, excellent photography, and a cool design make this one of my all-time favorite books.

Cool Book About Cool Bikes

I was hoping to find a suitable Christmas present for the two motorcycle maniacs in my life and both my husband and son loved "Choppers1" Packed full of interesting factoids about custom motorcycles and the peopel who build them, this book has become a prominent and permanent part of our coffee table collection. The research is excellent as the author, a respected journalist who has written for Cycle World, Motorcyclist and other enthusiast magazines, unearthed hundreds of rare old chopper photos, some dating back to WWII. A must have for anyone interested in learning about the legendary chopper.

socio-cultural origins of this strange art form...

This is a really fun and interesting book. Well written, highly literate, very informative, it gives you the skinny on the real origins of these bikes, their place in motorcyle history, and their place in American history (grudging acceptance, in both cases.) Not just for bike lovers, this book would be appreciated by anyone interested in popular culture after WW2, especially the beat/hippy generations: what really happened at Hollister, CA? What's the story behind "Easy Rider" and its influence? Also, for the riders in the audience, you get lots of interesting insights into the mechanics of these bikes: what is the origin of the Wide Glide fork? How did bobbers get their name? Why did these bikes take on the unique look they did? It ends with a look at custom bikes today, which is sort of mandatory, but not as interesting as what led up to them, in my opinion. Highly recommended.

Killer old school and new cutting edge choppers

...Recognized by their long forks and chopped frames, choppers have found new appeal among today's motorcycle enthusiasts and continue to inspire motorcycle customizers around the globe. Choppers takes a unique look at these classic pieces of twentieth century Americana. Written by experienced motorcycle writer Mike Seate, CHOPPERS provides a comprehensive look at how choppers originated and evolved and what has fueled the current resurgence of interest in building and riding custom motorcycles. Early chapters explore the post-World War II bob job Harleys that predated the chopper. Interviews and historical photos detail the development of the chopper from its earliest days, through the outlaw longbike period of the 1960s and 1970s, to the twenty-first century chopper renaissance. There are a plethora of vintage photos from the 60's through today by renowned photographers Guiseppe Roncen and Dain Gingerelli as well as a forward by Easy Riders Magazine Editor Dave Nichols. Also features on today's top builders such as Billy Lane, Indian Larry, Jesse James, and "Chopper" Dave Freston amoung others...This book is a treasure for those who love vintage old school and new cutting edge custom motorcycle creations.TB