Newbie in Phoenix

H3loJo3 · #1 (**permalink**) 09-03-2021, 01:16 PM

Hi all,
Newbie here.

I live in Phoenix Az.
Lots of great bikes here and I want to build my own.
I have been an aircraft mechanic for 35 years, 26 of those in the US Army!

Now I am a student at MMI and livin the dream!

Looking for good advice on building my first chopper?

Thanks in advance,
Joe

Spade115 · #2 (**permalink**) 09-03-2021, 02:50 PM

What kind of bike do you want to build?

A few companies still make kit bikes that you assemble with most parts accepted.

Exile
https://www.exilecycles.com/index.ph...lete-bike-kits

of course if you want to hunt for parts, you can do a rolling chassis (Malibu Motorcycle Works)

it just depends really on how much you want to put into it or find the parts yourself.

You can also buy a running bike and fully modify it.

This is a softail with Exile parts

STEINBVG · #3 (**permalink**) 09-05-2021, 12:40 PM

Yep, a kit roller would be a good start. One must have a good deal of knowledge and experience to build completely from ground up correct geometry frame chassis to handle well. Especially a radical chopper.

Short bobbers perhaps are more forgiving…

eBay has offers complete rollers.

I would suggest to built a chopper/ bobber with the rear not wider than 200.

Very cool and nice balance and handling. Normal Harley configuration and minimum offset of drivetrain.

It feels like the monster tires craze above 300 is so late 90,s- early 2000,s. So outdated.
Time to outgrow this silly immaturity.( as we have outgrown extremely long forks)

Cheers

pushrod243 · #4 (**permalink**) 09-11-2021, 12:28 PM

welcome to CC! Depends on what you want to build but if you watch classifieds like FB and Craigslist there are a lot of abandon projects out there you can pick up for pennies on the dollar. The second option is finding a build that was completed that is close to what you want to build and buy it cheap, take it apart completely and rebuild making it your own. Last option is if you are doing an old school build or something thsat not to far off the stock HD platform start with a used HD. Some of my best builds were rode in the shock as stock bikes......Rolled out retaining built in reliabilty of factory HD parts but a total custom look......