The old saw about shiny stuff certainly holds weight, but for pure chopper euphoria, nothing pops like good old-fashioned chrome. Flakes, flames, mattes, scallops and myriad other fads and fashions come and go like lazy friends on moving day, but chrome always manages to keep its seat at the head of the class.
What exactly holds the key to chrome's allure? From a fiscal perspective, today's tab for a full rack of triple-dipped gizmos can exceed the price of a good engine rebuild, and trumps powdercoating every time. No, if money were a factor, we'd all be riding rattle-canned CB750s.
Is it because chrome is practical? Practical for cotton-fisted OCD dirtophobes, perhaps, but if you prefer to ride your bike instead of merely polishing it, even chrome can be a bear to shine.
My guess is, our modern obsession with chrome stems from the finish's cost during chopperdom's Golden Age. I don't know this for sure, but I'd bet chrome was cheap in the 1960s. The Nixon Administration didn't launch the EPA intil 1970. Before then, chromers from Sacto to San Diego dipped rusty bike bits with impunity and poured the effluvia down the storm drain. This toxic soup did a number on California's coastline, but who cares? When your choices are curb appeal or a boat full of mutant tuna, any self-respecting chopper freak will choose DMF every time.
Thanks to Foundry Moto for letting us shoot their shiny shovel at Phoenix HQ.
There are a lot of nice details. There is a lot going on in the backdrop so the lines are harder to see. Glad I don't have to polish that thing though!
I'm going to be honest - and let me be the first to say it - it doesn't take much imagination or effort to haul everything down to the plater, and tell them to do it.
All chrome is just that. You look at all that chrome, and everything disappears into one shiney aura. All the exposed mechanical works (which is the big attraction to motorcycles for most) turn into one chromium mass, and that's all you see.
I'll take a finely detailed bike with a tastefull dose of the shiney stuff, but there's nothing like contrasting your chrome pieces against a nice mixture of gloss/semi-gloss/matte black, polished/beadblasted/anodized and natural aluminum, and a few brass bits thrown in for good measure.
Like Indian Larry said about motorcycles "It's the gizmo-ness", and with an all chrome bike like the one above, on a bright sunny day, you can't see any of the individual "gizmos".
I agree with Irish rich. It take more work to paint a part than to chrome a part. I prefer nickle, paint, brass and other finishes as much or more than chrome.
However the masses love a bike that is dipped in chrome.
I agree with Irish Rich, can't see all the awesome little bits if you're blind from the chrome. A tasteful bit of chrome looks good but i live by the beach & the salt in the air just ruins it. makes no sense to use a lot of chrome here unless you have time to polish your bike all the time. i'd rather be riding. guess thats why my bike is dirty.
the bike above is pretty rad, lots of cool little things on it & the stance is nice, but hard to see all of it.
CLEAN THE CHROME WITH SCOTCHBRITE. IT TURNS OUT BEAUTIFUL AND SHINY. I USE THIS PROSSES ON EVERY BIT OF CHROME I HAVE. GO CLEAN THE CHROME ON YOUR MOTHERS CAR THAT WAY. SEE IF YOU GET AN ATA BOY FROM YOU OLD POP. MAKE SURE YOU USE THE BROWN PADS FROM THE HARDWARE STORE KIDDOS.
like many people here I agree with Irish rich, too much chrome hides détails and is, to my taste, too shiny and "bling bling". We have to keep in mind what the goal was for this custom (isn't it an art piece after all ?) or what the customer wanted to get, may be other Foundry Moto productions are more in some of us taste line ? I check on their website....
Some good feedback on a cool story, but I have to say, that bike is pretty 2001 gay oddessy....with or without all the chrome. And I will go out on a limb and say I know I'm not the only one. last cool bike I saw all blinged out was Gilby Clarke's Pan at the Dave Mann show last year....there's a pic on here somewhere.
Gizmos:
Frame from Spartan George Square Stock Down Tube 8'up 4"out
Stretched GME Bishop Gas Tank
FoundryMoto (Rudy) Made Oil Bag
Custom One Off Dual Brake Caliper Bracket/Rotor/Sprocket
Narrowed 41mm MotorShop Trees with 8" Over Legs
FoundryMoto (Rudy) Made HandleBars
FoundryMoto (Rudy) Made Exhaust
88" Polished/Chromed ShovelHead - Spilt RockerBoxes
Baker 6Speed Trans
It depends on the style of the bike some bikes are cool with chrome some aren't. I know theres an anti-chrome movement going on these days. Some bikes look good with spray paint but some look like shit when you go overboard with that too. To each his own.
I think we all fell in love with chrome because it's sparkly . It catches you eye..and the ladies eyes too. It says to many that my ride is special to me! I want to waist money and time on her because I care! It won't get you home,but it can get you a bed where you break down!
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NHMike
Nice looking ride. I'd hate to be the guy shining it after a rain shower.
Nicko
eli777
irishrich317
All chrome is just that. You look at all that chrome, and everything disappears into one shiney aura. All the exposed mechanical works (which is the big attraction to motorcycles for most) turn into one chromium mass, and that's all you see.
I'll take a finely detailed bike with a tastefull dose of the shiney stuff, but there's nothing like contrasting your chrome pieces against a nice mixture of gloss/semi-gloss/matte black, polished/beadblasted/anodized and natural aluminum, and a few brass bits thrown in for good measure.
Like Indian Larry said about motorcycles "It's the gizmo-ness", and with an all chrome bike like the one above, on a bright sunny day, you can't see any of the individual "gizmos".
steffan
Torch
However the masses love a bike that is dipped in chrome.
dalebfast
BUT.......
I've seen bikes that were ALL chrome, and bikes that had none.
I think a tasteful mix is best.
But that's just me!
JoeNots
the bike above is pretty rad, lots of cool little things on it & the stance is nice, but hard to see all of it.
Slovy
ventu
Abeblinkin
suckerfree
upsidedownbob
Chuck
Chuck
eightthirtysixcc
DickFitzwell
philbey
brak
6oundryMoto
Frame from Spartan George Square Stock Down Tube 8'up 4"out
Stretched GME Bishop Gas Tank
FoundryMoto (Rudy) Made Oil Bag
Custom One Off Dual Brake Caliper Bracket/Rotor/Sprocket
Narrowed 41mm MotorShop Trees with 8" Over Legs
FoundryMoto (Rudy) Made HandleBars
FoundryMoto (Rudy) Made Exhaust
88" Polished/Chromed ShovelHead - Spilt RockerBoxes
Baker 6Speed Trans
The Devil Is In The Details
INDIAN LARRY BIKE INSPIRATION LINK BELOW
http://www.hotrodsplace.com/photogallery2/MarcusDa...
Richard
revmike
~Rev Mike
cHiCoD
Rudy builds some nice bikes.
alot of little neat details on this bike.
like the custom hood over the headlight.
nice going Rudy.
more power to ya.
pockets
cHiCoD
exactly.
BasterdChad
Really? Money isn't a factor? Then I say you have too much money, give me some why don't ya?
And for the record, I ride a rattle canned VF700C, so there.
denimdemon
turtle
c4ff31n3
And, I'll take powdercoating over chrome. The shiny stuff can look good, but too much looks dorky.