First chop job

[zach82]

Well, I must say I'm fairly impressed with myself right now.  I just bobbed my 1991 Honda VLX over the weekend and I think it turned out pretty friggin' sweet.  Cut 21 inches off the rear end, and lost over 30 pounds of junk.  

I started Friday evening and just finished up around 730 this evening.  Honestly, I think the hardest part was taking the thing apart.  One of my friends did all of the welding, which amount to two beads to put the turn signals back on, and my dad helped me fab the tail light bracket.

Anyone else ever chopped a bike before?

Before




After

[Chazzman]

Badass ÂÂÂ


Got any before and after shots from behind?

[zach82]

I actually don't have much for rear angle shots, these are the best two I could find.

Before



After

[Chazzman]

Nice looking. I would move the turn signals in closer? IMO

BTW, Let me know if come across any cheap sportster's.  Looking for an AMF or older.

[6r8ph1X]

nice job lookin bad *** man

[zach82]

Thanks guys. ÂÂÂ I know it doesn't look like a pro job or anything, but I wanted to do something. ÂÂÂ It was one of those spur of the moment things. ÂÂÂ I still need to do a bit of painting to finish it up.  I'm planning on lowering it 1.5" too in the next month or so.  L.A. Choppers makes a kit that's only $85

After that it'll be done until I get another bike.   Once I have something else I might cut it down a bit more and rake it a few degrees.  I just don't want to do any work that's gonna give me a lot of downtime until I have something else.

As for the turn signals, I could move them in a bit, I'd just have to cut the rubber mounts and the bolts down a bit.  I might just change over to LEDs eventually.  The cost of doing this chop was $0, so I just reused the stock lights.

I don't know of any Sportsters around here really cheap. Guess that depends on what you define as cheap.  One of my friends' mom has one she wants like $6000 or $7000 for.  It's a '72 that's had some work done, different tank, seat, engine rebuild, etc.

My next bike is probably either going to be a 1200 Sportster or a Super Glide.

[Chazzman]

I see older 1200's  pop up around $3k. But it seems Its' always sold by the time  a call.

[zach82]

Really?  Around here it seems everyone tries to sell them for outragous prices... usually as much or more than the damn things cost new.  

If I do get a used one I want a 2004+ because of the rubber mounted engine and 5 speed trans.

I'm going to test ride several bikes before I buy anything next time.  That way I get a really good feel for what I'm going to be riding before I make a purchase.

Took a nice little ride up north today, getting some ink done next weekend and dropped off the sketch this afternoon.  Went up with a couple of friends, it was about a 90 mile round trip.

[Chazzman]

Wasn't '05-up they also got fuel injection?


AND More pics !

[zach82]

The Sportsters got fuel injection in '07, but I'm honestly not a fan of fuel injection in general.  Everything I have is carburated... way less stuff to break, even if it does require a bit of tuning now and then.

I haven't gotten any more picture of it since I finished.  I'll post more when I take them