Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

INDUSTRIAL FOLK ARTTHE CHOPPER By AndY Brown To those persons famUiar with the "sport ofmotorcycUng," the term 'cbopper' usually calls to mind only a person - the rider - and possibly a scene In whicb a group of bogs thunders through a small town, against a backdrop of citiZens frightened, Incijgnant, or otherwise allenated. We are speaking now of the macb1nes themselves, as distinct from their riders, Peter Fonda and "Easy Rider" notwithstanding. A cbopper, Uke all of man's makings, suggests some function; where a competition machine Involves a tuned engine, ligbtened frame, and so forth, In an object Intended primarily for controlled motion, a cbopper Is the opposite: primarily a demonstration of craftsmansblp with materlals. Hence it Is less than useful to criticize a sbow bike for not being roadworthy, or to criticize a road racer for not being comfortable. A cbopper, then, Is an expression of Industrlal foik art, offered to the eye as an arUfac~ made of mlltal, fiberglass, and leather, and should be crit1Zed In these terms. Here, we encounter !bat nefarious rascal, 'taste.' A tedious majority of so-called cboppers are built In much the same fashion as the tedious majority of Drive-in Restaurant bot-rods, !bat is, with bolton catalogue parapbernalia, and afford endless e:mmples of bad taste via functiooless, cbeap ornamentation. A quality cbopper shows two basic tbtngs: attention to detail, and originality of form. Attention to detail means integrity In the builder - Ibis is what pleases us when we see careful cbromlng and close-fitting parts. Bikes !bat win at shows are clean, from top to bottom, and need no apology for sloppy workmanshiP. Orlg1nal1ty of form is the aspect of a cbopper that determines its relative 'taste: It pertains to the f1n1sbed whole, as opposed to the details of its seParate parts. Tasteful form is at once universal and Individual: it meets with the eye In an organic, graceful, yet unique, 'new' combination. WhUe a cbopper may be carefully bum, its overall form may not be pleasing to the eye; it may have harsh or unrelated lines !bat look like an afterthought, or ornamentation taste_lessly beyond control. We feel beauty In the overall form of a cbopper when ornamentation 'fits' or is functional.· SimUarly we can be grossed out bY obv:lous spending of money on sblny doo-dads whicb catcb the eye but do not please it. When a cbopper is ringed with smWng fans at a custom sbow, it's like a movie: people line up to see craftsmansblp, to feel tbe s1dll of someone who can putbts 1mag1nation blto steel, paint, and fiberglass, and form these materials Into sometbtng artful. .... taw of the lIO-odd chrome hatclletJ of aoor1IId Iizes _red .... OM chopper. H_ would you turn that exle nut? An impresive front end. Note the fib...._ betw.... frame me"""". Attention Motorcvcle Clubs: Trophy r-----------------------------------, :. Fill out this form and mail with check or money order (cash at your own ri sk) to: CYCLE NEWS, INC. (Trophy Dept.) I Box 498 I Long Beach, Calif. 90801 Pick-Up I July 29, 1970 LIGHTWEIGHTS M.C., last chance at Irophies dating back to early '68. It you tb1nk you have- a tropby coming, call (213) 424- 8770 or pick UP at 3838 Gaviota, Long Beacb, Call!. August 16, 1970 BUSHMASTERS (Adelanto area). phies for Dec. 21, 1969 European bald at El Mirage, can be picked Crestline's European Scrambles. (714) 849-6181. TroMolo up at Info: Your trophy presentation problems are solved. An ad in the trophy pick up column in CYCLE NEWS lets them know Who Where When and What. I I I Date to pick up _ Name of Club """7 What Event{s) ~ Where Event was held -:- _ Where to pick up Phone Number (a II trophy ads mu st have phone numbers) ~ _ _ ~ __ ~ 01 week ....••• $1.00 02 weeks•.•.•• 03 weeks ••••.. 04 weeks••••.• . $2.00 $3.00 $3.50 ~__ I I I I I I I I ...J I

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