Biker Build Off

[Singlestack]

Junior wins!

I liked JJ's bike but he's such a dick. "ALL my parts are handmade". Really? You hammered out those rims and the engine? How about the carb?

IMO, OCC copped out. They knew they couldn't win so they built a snow mobile for a bike build off.

[smokshwn]

Rest assured, part for part Jesse James' bike was much more crafted/built than Paul Jr's bike. You do know JJ has had his own line of wheels for quite some time right?

PJD didn't build a single significant component of their bike. Every single bit of its structural or functional components (frame, suspension, motor, trans wheels etc) were farmed out. They did do a hell of a job bolting it together after it was sent out to plating though.

Oh and a 1 gallon gas tank, further proof all PJD can build are coffee house bikes for the poser crowd.

[DrawandDuck]

I missed it as I was watching "MOONSHINERS".....

[Bsbllrooster]

Two gas tanks, handle bars, fenders, all 2000+ rivets, exhaust, seat pan, yeah your right he didn't make much at all did he? Do you honestly expect him to build the motor, trans, and wheels in house? The only thing that JJ made that jr. didn't was the frame. Big deal, Jr makes frames all the time. He had orders from multiple other clients and his time was restricted, hence the ordered frame. And remember it was his design that won after all. JJ's bike was very boring and plain and EXTREMELY similar to everything he built in the past. Sure you can say its more functional bike but the contest wasn't who can build the most functional bike was it? PJD builds some extremely impressive bikes and to deny that is simply childish.

[smokshwn]

Two gas tanks, handle bars, fenders, all 2000+ rivets, exhaust, seat pan, yeah your right he didn't make much at all did he? Do you honestly expect him to build the motor, trans, and wheels in house? The only thing that JJ made that jr. didn't was the frame. Big deal, Jr makes frames all the time. He had orders from multiple other clients and his time was restricted, hence the ordered frame. And remember it was his design that won after all. JJ's bike was very boring and plain and EXTREMELY similar to everything he built in the past. Sure you can say its more functional bike but the contest wasn't who can build the most functional bike was it? PJD builds some extremely impressive bikes and to deny that is simply childish.

My point was that for every part you want to claim JJ didn't build there were several more that PJD also did not build.

Thank you very much for being one to admit that PJD does not build their bikes rather simply just order in and assemble. Yes they can program the hell out of clipart and fonts into the water jet, but I tend to prefer actually building and beating metal into submission rather than surgically cutting it. 2000 cosmetic rivets? so what, drill a hole install rivet....repeat. Not a single one of those rivets was structural. If you will recall Jesse James years ago built a riveted tank that actually sealed up and held fluid, much more impressive.

Winning the design simply means that a majority of folks tend to value aesthetics more than function. If you belong to the crowd that trailers their bikes from rally to rally, only to park it at the bar so you can stand around in a tribal tattooed, leather clad crowd of costumed wannabe's, not to talk about the ride but to stroke each others egos over who spent the most on their bike....PJD's bikes rock. If you want to actually ride them they are a massive failure.

To each his own, but to call either OCC or PJD's creations a motorcycle is a stretch as neither can be ridden. Rather they are meant to be parked and ogled. Cool maybe but not a bike.

Edited December 7, 2011 by smokshwn

[rupture]

JJ did'nt have a thing on Indian Larry, He did build it all. Motor up

[Bsbllrooster]

Building aesthetically pleasing bikes is the business they are in so of course that is what they are going to build. I guarantee if you asked Jr to build a functional bike, he could do it and do it far better then JJ. For instance his very first solo build, the black widow bike. That was a very functional bike as was the Cadillac bike, as was the vast majority of the bikes that PJD has built. Sure they outsource some things that they aren't able to build in house but they do in fact do most of the actual manufacturing through their water jet and sheet metal work etc.

[Singlestack]

Rest assured, part for part Jesse James' bike was much more crafted/built than Paul Jr's bike. You do know JJ has had his own line of wheels for quite some time right?

That he builds by hand... Right. He didn't do it himself so how is that different than renting time on someone else's CNC machine?

PJD didn't build a single significant component of their bike. Every single bit of its structural or functional components (frame, suspension, motor, trans wheels etc) were farmed out. They did do a hell of a job bolting it together after it was sent out to plating though.

Oh and a 1 gallon gas tank, further proof all PJD can build are coffee house bikes for the poser crowd.

I don't get why you think it's different to toss your hunk of metal into someone else's CNC machine than it is to own you own? Somebody still has to design it. JJ's design was a repeat of a bike he has built many times. Big deal. It was cool and all but what about it made it different from thousands of other bike already on the road?

I liked PJ's bike because it was cool. Very different so I guess that makes me a coffee house poser.

I would not buy either one of them.

[Singlestack]

My point was that for every part you want to claim JJ didn't build there were several more that PJD also did not build.

PJD did not make the claim that "every part you see here I made by hand". JJ did and it was a big fat lie.

[hankfan79]

Jesse James has always been known for using old school methods to make and assemble his bikes. By far he is the best of the 3. His profit margin are also not as high as the others. I have known quiet a few people with OCC's production bikes and from the ones that I have seen, they are of poor quality. I would expect more with such a high price tag.

OCC has just recently started making their own frames. They contracted out all of their frames in the early (most popular) years. Paul Jr. is a master of making a standard choppers with added custom flair. Some people like that more. Some people are also turned off by Jesse's attitude instead of his skill. He can be an ass.

[twodownzero]

Rest assured, part for part Jesse James' bike was much more crafted/built than Paul Jr's bike. You do know JJ has had his own line of wheels for quite some time right?

PJD didn't build a single significant component of their bike. Every single bit of its structural or functional components (frame, suspension, motor, trans wheels etc) were farmed out. They did do a hell of a job bolting it together after it was sent out to plating though.

Oh and a 1 gallon gas tank, further proof all PJD can build are coffee house bikes for the poser crowd.

I couldn't agree more.

Two gas tanks, handle bars, fenders, all 2000+ rivets, exhaust, seat pan, yeah your right he didn't make much at all did he? Do you honestly expect him to build the motor, trans, and wheels in house? The only thing that JJ made that jr. didn't was the frame. Big deal, Jr makes frames all the time. He had orders from multiple other clients and his time was restricted, hence the ordered frame. And remember it was his design that won after all. JJ's bike was very boring and plain and EXTREMELY similar to everything he built in the past. Sure you can say its more functional bike but the contest wasn't who can build the most functional bike was it? PJD builds some extremely impressive bikes and to deny that is simply childish.

Neither Senior nor Junior has ever "built" a bike. Anyone can assemble parts.

OCC has been buying frames for years. Jesse James was a legend in bike building before the OCC crowd ever had a tv show or ever laid a bead on metal.

The idea that a legitimate bike builder could lose to a bunch of cookie-cutter customs is laughable at the very least.

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

I just plain didn't like the PJD Bike. It did nothing for me. He has a following and his win had absolutely nothing to do with his work. The voting was done all before the bikes were built.

As for OCC, they were not ever in the competition and Senior is just the band leader not a builder anymore which is too bad.

[Dan Hefta]

I am glad that PJD won and JJ is what he is... What the hell was Senior thinking? That machine he made is the dumbest idea they have ever came up with, perhap it would ok for a theme build but not a bike build off! Senior has lost it!

[sdm74]

Paul jr can't do anything by himself. He is all show and no go, and about the whiniest 37 year old I ever saw on tv. He is a spoiled brat. And his intitled attitude shows that. If it wasn't for his dad he would have nothing including the hot girlfriend. If you can't appreciate what jj built you too are caught up in the tv smoke screen. I loved when jj did the mock you tube "vote for me" video. I also love how it seems pld spends more time on making tshirts then bikes that don't run. Its just a popularity contest as pjd was leading before the bikes were even done, because all the little kiddies thing he's so kool. Even sr was laughing when jj called pj out about his junk bike. A pretty piece of junk is still a piece of junk, even if it sparkles

[2alpha]

JJ is a real biker, he walks the life not a pretender like so many, he might offend you. If not for the original documentary, "Motorcycle Mania", OCC and a lot of custom bike builders would still be unheard of and not rolling in the Discovery Channels big bucks.

The whole "theme bike" thing is boring, when OCC built a bike for Hair Club of America well what can you say? They are building expensive props and calling them motorcycles. Junior has some talent but I'm not sure he would be much of a force without the huge head start, Senior is a no talent idiot if not actually jealous of his son at least allowing himself to be portrayed as.

The 3 way build off was a joke, who didn't figure Jr would win? Discovery wants to keep that show going and Jesse is unpredictable. If you noticed at the big reveal Jr was holding a mic, Senior and Jesse neither had one so it was pretty obvious. I just hope Jesse got a paycheck.

[TMC]

I can't watch that stuff anymore, the bike are just too gaudy.

In the immortal word of Russ Mitchell (Exile Cycles) "when did bikes stop being tuff? all these new bikes look like a tarts handbag"

[Seth]

I crossed paths with JJ during the monster garage years. I worked for a company that built the axles for the ford bronco rockcrawler.

He's a fabricator... the real deal.

He's also a collasal douche bag and a narcissist. Made for TV to boot.

I respect his skills and dedication to the craft but think nothing of him as a human being.

Jr stayed out of the mudslinging, was humble and gave credit to his team anytime he was given a chance. Its a remarkable design and lovely execution, even if not entirely functional as a mode of transportation.

[gunracer38]

Jessee James is the real bike maker. You can ride his bike from the East to the West and it will still run. I heard a bike which was in a accident. The bike was built by Jessee. He told the the owner put it in several boxes and he would repair it. Which he did like new. He usually uses Patrick Racing Engines for his bikes .They are fast and powerful.The show yesterday was a joke. Jessee should have not even been there. They don't even come close to him.You have to ride a bike for awhile to know. My time is over 30 years.

[Ming the Merciless]

Jesse's remark about the sound of Sr/Jr building a bike was the sound of the UPS truck backing up to the OCC door...beep, beep, beep, beep was priceless!

[leas327]

I saw that JJ bike was hand made but it looked like all the bikes he built 10 years ago. It is clear he likes the frisco style bikes and that is his style. That frame was cool but it looked like it had the same geometry as the cfl frames that are mass produced. Was it really worth the extra time and money to make it out of stainless? He ran out of time and had to call in an 8 man crew to help him finish the bike. The topper was the clip 5 minutes before that when he talked about how he was going to do it all himself. As far as being able to ride that bike across the country. Yeah you probably could but it looked like it would cripple you to do it. All through the riding scenes you saw him shift around on the seat looking around the tank and bars.

Pjd's bike was a show bike built for a show. That was the contest plain and simple. You might not be able to ride it very far but you can ride it. I think the 30 inch wheels looked stupid but liked the front end and the exhaust tank thing. I just saw an ad for the easyriders bike show that had builds that looked a lot worse than that thing. They are show bikes. There is a market for that kind of thing.

Sr's machine. I agreed with Jesse when he said "thats not a bike but I want to ride it."

[smokshwn]

I can't watch that stuff anymore, the bike are just too gaudy.

In the immortal word of Russ Mitchell (Exile Cycles) "when did bikes stop being tuff? all these new bikes look like a tarts handbag"

Russell Mitchell rocks!

[Singlestack]

Russell Mitchell rocks!

On that we agree!

[RUSHARP2]

I didnt see the show... had no interest in it. As I dont much care for American Choppers anymore.

I would have watched if it had been the real "biker build off" of a few years ago. The show where 2 guys build a bike, meet somewhere and ride to a show to have the fans at the show vote on the bike. I have only ever seen OCC/PJD bikes go around the block on the test drive and the 10 feet during the unveil. Biker Build off introduced me to real builders... Indian Larry, Billy Lane, Dave Perewitz, and my two favorites from the show Russell Mitchell and Matt Hotch. OCC/PJD are not in the same class, if you ask me.

I have never liked Jr., his designs were ok, IMHO. I only watched the show, for the entertainment of the in fighting to get everything done.

JJ has always been about the bike and the process. He seems to be full of himself, and probably a big A@#hat, but his bikes speak to me.

Everyone likes something different.

[Jaxshooter]

I can't recall an OCC or PJD bike that could have been on Biker Build Off. I don't think they have built a bike you could ride cross country to a show.

[toddrod]

I think PJD's Venom shop bike could do it.