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Evolution of the Harley Davidson chopper
Bikes known as choppers began to appear in the 1960's and 1970's.
In the evolution of the motorcycle, they were the next step after the
"bobber". The bobber came about after American soldiers returning home
from World War II began to modify their bikes. While still loyal to the
Harley Davidson company, riders that had served oversees somehow just
weren't quite satisfied with the machines the company was producing at
that time. These riders compared the available Harley Davidson with the
motorcycles they had seen in Europe that were more lightweight and more
exciting. Many of these returning GI's had been trained to work on
motorcycles and automobiles in the service. As you might expect, they
began to get together and talk about improvements they thought the bike
needed.
First, they wanted to make the bike lighter. To accomplish
this, riders began removing or shortening the fenders. The front fender
was usually removed entirely, while the back fender was shortened
enough to just protect the passenger from the mud and water thrown up
by the rear tire.
This is where the term "bobber" came from.
Not stopping there, riders continued to make changes or customizing
their bikes and eventually the "chopper" was born.
The original purpose of the chopper was for dirt track racing.
The term itself, "chopper", comes from the process of chopping up the
bike. Riders began chopping off any part which they felt was
unnecessary. This thought process included windshields, front fenders,
big headlights, crash bars and big seats. Even the standard large
footrests were replaced with forward-mounted foot pegs. The fuel tank
was made smaller in an additional effort to make the bike lighter.
Next, riders began raking the front end of their choppers so that the
angle of the fork to the ground decreased allowing for an increase in
the wheelbase. They also raised the handlebars and called them ape
hangers.
Anything that was thought too big or unnecessary by the individual
rider was either made smaller or removed. The front tire was made
small; the rear tire was made fat. Each rider created the bike he
wanted to ride, and, as riders will, they shared their ideas with one
another.
As you might expect, as soon as this rage caught on, enterprising
individuals began designing and creating their own custom bikes to sell
to other riders so they didn't have to do the work themselves. Choppers
began to be built, not just created by chopping up existing
bikes. The trend slowed for a few years, but it seems to have
made a comeback. Custom built choppers created by top designers are
greatly prized and sought after.
Even a big company like Harley Davidson was not immune to the winds of
change swirling through the riding community, ant their Shovelhead FX
Super Glide was one model to come out of the chopper evolution.
To add fuel to the chopper fire, the film "Easy Rider", starring Dennis
Hopper and Peter Fonda, was released in 1969. This greatly
increased interest in, and awareness of, the chopper.
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