Orange County Choppers - American Choppers

[Choirguy]

I don't get "normal" cable (I only pay for local access) so if I want to see shows like American Choppers, I have to wait for the DVDs to come out. Well, the first and second seasons just arrived at Target, so I picked them up.

I really enjoy watching the fabrication of the bikes, and I try to ignore the whole Paul Sr./Jr. yelling bouts (it makes you wonder if it is really necessary to include so much of it in the episodes)...

But the thing that really gets to me is that every time these guys are filming the bikes on the road, they're crossing over the yellow line into the oncoming lane, or changing lanes without signaling...

No wonder Mikey couldn't pass his motorcycle test the first time around.

Yeah, this is a tiny rant, but when a series like this brings so much attention to the motorcycle industry, I wish they'd take a little more care in showing safe...even more importantly...legal use of the motorcycles.

Doesn't mean that I'll stop watching the series, however.

And I know some people don't give OCC credit because most of the parts come out of a box or come from somewhere else, and are only assembled in the shop...but I really don't care. They're beautiful bikes. Still, I'd rather drive across the country on my Victory.

[JoeGopher]

Hey Chris -

I think the only time they cross the yellow line is when they are taking the "passing" shot of the bikle pulling away from the camera. I'ms sure it's so they don't run into the camera guy.

I have seen it many times on Ride On and American Thunder as well. The shots are usually in controlled environments where there is no risk to anyone.

I agree with you on the show. Even if they are "parts" bikes, I am still amazed at the creative process. And no, I wouldn't buy one of those bikes with someone else's money...

[RickJ]

I've seen them drift across the line on a few shots, but they are also riding side by side, at low speeds, with bikes that probably don't handle very well. They probably need to drift across the line to avoid hitting each other. If you watch on some of those riding shots, you can see a cop car or two blocking side streets. So I believe it's a controlled environment.

I saw the Lincoln bike at the auto show. Pretty sharp, very creative, but you can tell that these things aren't built to be ridden. Just expensive pieces of sculpture.

[Choirguy]

I know it was a mini-rant...however, I'm thinking about becoming a MSF instructor and I've applied to be on the MSF board, so I do have a desire for safe riding and setting examples. It's not a huge deal...but I just get worried about examples to mass population...Although Darwinism may hold true when it comes to motorcycle riding...I still would rather not encourage it.

I do appreciate that when they are riding, most of the time they are dressed with an eye towards safety...although half the season they're riding in snowy New York State.

I'd still like to ride one of those bikes..if not just to see if I couldn't keep it on the right hand side of the yellow line.