Does anyone know of online (or otherwise) places that supply custom chopper parts in the UK? Obviously the scene in the US is huge and as such there is a lot of stuff over there. Might have to resort to importing stuff...

While I am on about choppers, check these out...
http://www.exilecycles.com/

David

just look at the tyres on that bike!!

Talking of choppers.................

Here's my ride to work, isn't she a beauty? I know the wheels aren't the biggest but she is VERY powerfull !!!

quote:

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Originally posted by flak monkey
Does anyone know of online (or otherwise) places that supply custom chopper parts in the UK? Obviously the scene in the US is huge and as such there is a lot of stuff over there. Might have to resort to importing stuff...

While I am on about choppers, check these out...
http://www.exilecycles.com/

David

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quote:

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Originally posted by macnab
just look at the tyres on that bike!!

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Looks like a Super Puma to me.

Been round Glencoe in one, flying about the mountains with the door open. It felt a bit like one of those Vietnam movies.

I tell you, you get some downdraft when the thing is 10 feet above your head!

quote:

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Originally posted by daviep
Talking of choppers.................

Here's my ride to work, isn't she a beauty? I know the wheels aren't the biggest but she is VERY powerfull !!!

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I love exile cycles. The guy who set it up is from Brum you know!

There are quite a few suppliers in the UK as the 'scene' has developed due to american chopper and biker build off on telly.

My advise is to buy BSH (back street hero) magazine as it will have plenty of suppliers advertising.

What bits are you after? mate of mine has a lookup full of chops.

Pez

Hi Pez,

Not after anything just yet, just planning the next project

Trying to find some parts suppliers really. Got some good ideas and a mock up of a frame and girder forks design in cad.

The US prices seem almost 1/3rd that of some of the european ones!

Thanks for the input so far chaps

David

I look all over for parts, and usually whatever the number is in Pounds, its the same number in US Dollars.

The bugger is the import duty and transport costs

Regards

Fred W B

David,

I'd be very keen to see what you are working on for this project.
I had a video of Jesse James from west coast choppers (think it was monster garage) manually bending tube to make a frame.

I assume you will be making your own frame?

will you go for a beb or a ceb?

nice plan!

Im building one at the moment...

XV1000 motor with chopped frame, monkey hangers single carb conversion and stuff.

There is a lack of cheap bits though I agree - its hard to get the super clean chromed look of the US choppers but to be honest mine wont ever get there so its not top of my priority list!

Aggression Performance Engineering over in Cumbria somewhere built one along the lines of the one im building so it has been helpful to look at the ir efforts.

Any ideas of what you will build?

Geoff

Got a good idea of what I want, but it will come down to cost...

Would be based around Harley running gear, probably a 96 or 113ci engine. Would be nice to have belt drive for both primary and final drive but I think cost may be slightly prohibitive. Frame would be hard tail, fat boy. Highly impractical...but who cares?!

I am currently trying to work out how much the dream machine would cost, then knock bits off from there.

Will post some cad screenshots some time when i remember.

David

HD bits? Belt Drive? - a "proper" chop then!

There is something kinda attractive about separate engine and tranny units and I like the look of the belt drives - I like the idea of a suicide shift aswell - couldnt really built it into mine - will post some pics up if you're interested?

Geoff

Yep I'm interested in your pics

Oh yeah suicide shift is a must

Would love to see some pics...!

Ok will take a few tonight!

Slight change of plan - looks like im staying late at work!

Piccies to follow at a later date...

One from earlier....

Now has the twin carbs replaced by a single 1.5" SU sticking out the side, complete with ram pipe when it arrives!

Needs loads doing before its really ready but this weekends job is the tank which is still an unknown etity - I know what I want it to look like (you can see the shape from the curved plate) but achieving it without the unearthly metalworking skills of someone like 907 it might just look like a dogs dinner!

We shall see I guess!

Geoff
Rescued attachment DSCN0112 copy.JPG

Do you mean suicide clutch? It might work if you only ride on motorways but I wouldn't fancy your chances in traffic. I'm not a fan of Harleys, having ridden them but I live near the Rock 'n Blues site and see some poser machines. The best I saw was done by a Swedish bloke who made his own barrels and pistons to take it to 3 litre, and he still kick started the bike.

Cool

I like that, very nice

On a W plate - the best year!

Keep up the good work.

Neil

Very nice!

You can have a suicide shift coupled to a normal shift too if you want to, just complicates matters somewhat. I agree though, they are really for american roads...

The best place i have found so far are these people:

http://www.harleycustom.co.uk/

The prices are enough to make you cry though

Still I reckon you could do a pretty nice HD chop for about £8k if you fabricated most of the stuff yourself.

Thinking of making my own frame and forks, so thats a fair bit of cash saved already. The engine, primary and transmission is the very pricey bit! Looking at £4k for a complete ultima 127ci engine, £100 for a 3" primary belt drive and £1500 for a 6 speed box... But obviously thats the dream spec

Anyway heres a cad shot of the girder forks... based on 40deg rake and for use with a narrow glide wheel. But a doddle to modify. Need to finish off the frame model. Cant decide what width rear tyre to use at the mo... (should point out the forks are compressed in that drawing. The links are horizonal at ride height...)

[Edited on 4/2/07 by flak monkey]
Rescued attachment girder forks.jpg

Harley world is about 6 miles away from here in Chesterfield, look on Autotrader they have loads of bikes for sale. I don't go there but they must have some contacts for parts. Tim has one for sale in his shop but I don't know what model it is, I'll have a look tomorrow. Watch out for the raked forks, they make the handling interesting to say the least.

Have a look at Mutant Buells. One can build a bike like that for under $4k. If you don't like the Mutant Frames but insist on big American V-twin, check out the Buell's motor. It is HD made, but they do not keep their value as much as the regular v-twins.

Your budget of 8000 pounds is certainly doable. My friend built a chopper from a kit and it cost him around $15k. It included everything from a 115 billet motor to fork fluid. We basically painted it and assembled it. Email me for pics if you'd like.

--Chris

PS Ironically, I live in the US and I'm building a Brittish-style cafe racer!

[Edited on 5/2/07 by chrisf]

Flak - that is dream chop stuff - Id really like to do a seriously raked out chop at some point - its a lot easier that a car overall, but its a lot more work since everything has to routed well and polished or coated to keep the looks clean.

Ive pretty much given up on the idea of mine being a top notch chrome plated show thing and am aiming for a mainly black powder coated and polished work horse.

Should still be fun - I was revving it up at the weekend and I couldnt actually see straight when I was on it and had tinnitus through most of my tea breaks - its looks like its a petrol station hopping machine!

Geoff

Chris,

I will drop you a mail later today, would love to see some pics sounds like a nice budget kit, though I am determined to do a true scratch build chop. Its great to see pics of others for inspiration etc though!

Geoff,

Its all a big dream! But I like to aim high and see what I can afford. I love the look of the exile bikes, clean and simple, not a huge fan of masses of chrome, but i love the brushed or polished aluminium/stainless look.

At the end of the day whatever you build is going to be fun .

Not sure about the chop being easier, lots of tube bending, and absolutely critical the frame is straight, its certainly simpler though! Like you say, to get a clean look you certainly need to consider every minor detail (something I usually get criticised for!)

Thanks for the input gents, always appreciated! Keep it coming

David

The one in my mate's shop is a Dyna Glide Anniversary edition 1450cc. It's a standard bike .