Metric bike wins "chopper" competition in Daytona

[c50trider]

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<A HREF=http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/money/moneysmarts/article_1378042.php>http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/money/moneysmarts/article_1378042.php</A><BR>
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One question.......did you see the comment on how he used a Yamaha because it was "cheaper" to buy than an HD!!!.....this guy spent $250,000 on this bike and he bought a Yamaha cos it was a few thousand cheaper!!!!........you gotta be kiddin me!!...LOL<BR>

[FlyingMerkel]

The dude said he'd <b>sell </b>it for $250,000, not that's what it cost to build.<BR>
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Still sounds funny.<BR>
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I'm more impressed by bikes that you'd want to ride more than a few blocks than showpieces. <BR>
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Bring back the FXRS, one of my favorite HD's.

[hachAsaw]

I can't get it to come up. Can you post a picture?

[MrCasual]

http://www.ocregister.com/newsimages/money/2006/12/09spendit_lg.jpg<BR>
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[c50trider]

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<b>Posted by:</b> Steve Honda919Rider<BR>
The exact quote:<BR>
Nehme said he built his chopper from a Yamaha original because the <b>Japanese-made bikes are more reliable and reasonably priced than Harleys</b>.<BR>
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Nothing about them being cheaper<BR>
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Not my type of a motorcycle, hideous comes to mind ....<BR>
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I think that "more reasonably priced" part means CHEAPER.<BR>

[c50trider]

<b>Posted by:</b> Flying Merkel<BR>
The dude said he'd <b>sell </b>it for $250,000, not that's what it cost to build.<BR>
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Still sounds funny.<BR>
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I'm more impressed by bikes that you'd want to ride more than a few blocks than showpieces. <BR>
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Bring back the FXRS, one of my favorite HD's.<BR>
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In every article or magazine I've read the word "COST" meant what it cost him to BUILD the bike. That article said "COST", not what he was selling it for.<BR>

[VStarMan]

<b>Posted by:</b> Steve Honda919Rider I just realized, if that is the "best of the best", we may of just witnessed the beginning of the end of the"chopper" as it is currently defined. <BR>
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Take about a poser bike ....<BR>
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<b>I wouldn't be caught dead ridin that thing around town...<BR>
It's Tooooo everything...</b>

[UncleErnie]

It's sculpture. Controversial perhaps, but a work of art nonetheless. By the time you get that exteme, I don't think it matters if the engine is HD, Japanese, J.A.P.or a Sachs- it's just something to hang more stuff off of.

[VStarMan]

<BLOCKQUOTE><TABLE BORDER=1><TR><TD><b>Posted by:</b> uncle ernie It's sculpture. Controversial perhaps, but a work of art nonetheless. By the time you get that exteme, I don't think it matters if the engine is HD, Japanese, J.A.P.or a Sachs- it's just something to hang more stuff off of.</TD></TR></TABLE></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
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<b>Well said Ernie... <BR>
That thing is supposed to be parked in somebody's living room with a television set sittin on top of it...</b>

[NorCalDyna]

I can appreciate that a lot of time and effort went into building the thing. It doesn't matter to me that it uses a Yamaha powertrain, but it's funny to cite reliability and price as reasons to start with a Road Star. First of all, this doesn't look like the type of bike for which reliability is a big concern. How many miles do you think this thing will see? Second, Harley sells engines and transmissions individually, so there would be no need to purchase a whole HD as a "donor" bike. I'm fairly certain Yamaha doesn't do this and it's hard to believe a Road Star would be less expensive than an HD crate engine and a transmission. It's not like there's anything left of the original Yamaha on this thing anyway, so paying for the rest of the bike was basically a waste!

[Geoff]

<b>Posted by:</b> VStarMan <BR>
<b>Posted by:</b> Steve Honda919Rider I just realized, if that is the "best of the best", we may of just witnessed the beginning of the end of the"chopper" as it is currently defined. <BR>
<BR>
Take about a poser bike ....<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<b>I wouldn't be caught dead ridin that thing around town...<BR>
It's Tooooo everything...</b><BR>
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I see a lot of Arlen Ness influence in the metric chopper's styling. The bike is an art form, not a rider. Using the color-matched trailer, you haul it to shows, rallies and Star Bucks on Sundays. Then you park the bike and watch others admire it, all while earning poser points.

[dj]

<b>Posted by:</b> C50T Rider <BR>
<b>Posted by:</b> Flying Merkel<BR>
The dude said he'd <b>sell </b>it for $250,000, not that's what it cost to build.<BR>
<BR>
Still sounds funny.<BR>
<BR>
I'm more impressed by bikes that you'd want to ride more than a few blocks than showpieces. <BR>
<BR>
Bring back the FXRS, one of my favorite HD's.<BR>
<BR>
In every article or magazine I've read the word "COST" meant what it cost him to BUILD the bike. That article said "COST", not what he was selling it for.<BR>
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In the context of the whole statement I think it meant what it will <b>COST</b> you to buy it. <BR>
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He says he will make only one Nehmesis, which is why it doesn't come cheap.<BR>
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<b>Cost:</b>$250,000<BR>
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I am sure the Yamaha engine is a good one and bigger than one than Harley offered stock. That isn't even a bike, just a big waste of money and a waste of a good engine. No wonder he used a Yamaha, he could have saved even more and used a 50 ci Suzuki engine. lol

[VORSM]

Reading and comprehension are not skills really appreciated around here. Read the article they used a Yammaha motor because the bike was comissioned by the Yammaha corporation. Yammaha are probally trying to tap into the home builder market usally the domain of S&S and HD. For the home builder more reliable and cheaper would be attractive traits. They are also probally putting certian stying features out there to see how they are reacted too by the public before putting them into production kinda like a concept bike. No you won't ever see thins thing in production.<BR>
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Umm since when have choppers not been poser bikes ever since they started getting away from the orginal bobbers which were cut down tourers so they went faster choppers have always been about image more than anything else the lack of rear suspension fat tyres and racked out suspension front brakes don't look cool will always severly compromise the riding dynamics.

[hacksaw]

when i re read it, i get the impression that its the cost of the build. when i firat read it, the format appears to be an ad listing selling it for 250k. so actually, i dont know what it says. for that kind of money, either way , i would buy a house. <BR>
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i do like the front wheel treatment. but the rest of it has nothing for me. <BR>
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the feeling i get from reading it over once again, is the builder didnt want to waste a harley, so he used yam. <BR>
nehmesis is a cool name though. like how he melded that.

[VStarMan]

<b>Posted by:</b> VORSM <BR>
Umm since when have choppers not been poser bikes ever since they started getting away from the orginal bobbers which were cut down tourers so they went faster choppers have always been about image more than anything else the lack of rear suspension fat tyres and racked out suspension front brakes don't look cool will always severly compromise the riding dynamics.<BR>
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<b>Yup.... You're supposed to park it in your living room and put your TV on it...<BR>
Or.. Buy a Trailer and haul it to Sturgis and Daytona every once in a while...<BR>
<A HREF=http://javascript:window.close() TARGET='_blank'></A></b>

[VORSM]

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<b>Posted by:</b> the feeling i get from reading it over once again, is the builder didnt want to waste a harley, so he used yam. <BR>
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I said previously<BR>
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"Read the article they used a Yammaha motor because the bike was comissioned by the Yammaha corporation. "<BR>
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Can some explain what parts of my reply are so hard to understand?<BR>
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Yammaha will not under any circumstances use a HD/S&S motor for any of thier projects where they can promote thier own product instead. Its marketing HD riders should be fairly across this concept me thinks.<BR>

[aallemand]

[Vlcnfire]

<div> Has everyone forgotten that the chopper movement started in the 60's. That guys were using anything they could get there hands on from Triumphs to Hondas to Harleys, and it did not matter to anybody back than. The builders respected each other. It seems in this day and age if it is not a Harley than it is not a chopper, just some wanabe. Mind you the bike is a little if not alot over the top, but so were the guys back than.</div><div> Does anybody want to tell the likes of Dave Perowitz that the Honda CB750 he built for a friend is not a chopper. No, I did not think so.</div>

[VStarMan]

<div><strong>Here... Here... Good Post... You are absolutely right... People used all kinds of engines in their &quot;choppers&quot;... Someone stole my 750 Honda and I've never seen it since... Polished the side covers and everything... </strong></div><div><strong>Always figured it turned up on some Fat Guy's chopper..</strong></div><div><div><br><blockquote><div><hr>Vlcnfire wrote:<br><div> Has everyone forgotten that the chopper movement started in the 60's. That guys were using anything they could get there hands on from Triumphs to Hondas to Harleys, and it did not matter to anybody back than. The builders respected each other. It seems in this day and age if it is not a Harley than it is not a chopper, just some wanabe. Mind you the bike is a little if not alot over the top, but so were the guys back than.</div><div> Does anybody want to tell the likes of Dave Perowitz that the Honda CB750 he built for a friend is not a chopper. No, I did not think so.</div><br><hr></div></blockquote><br><div></div></div></div>

[mikethebike1]

<div>&quot;THIS BIKE HANDLES PRETTY GOOD......&quot;</div><div> </div><div>right</div><div> </div><div>and my 77 XLCH out handles a 1098</div>

[mikethebike1]

<div>'and it didn't matter to anyone'.......what kind of bike you chopped? YES, it did...H-D or British were the only bikes accepted by the 'chopper' crowd I knew back then.</div><div>Seriously, can you imagine pulling-up to the local biker bar on a chopped 305 Honda in 1966?</div>