Hard Core 2 Chopper

by Richard Wilkins
(Santee, California)

I have always wanted a chopper. Not a harley...a chopper. The last time I rode a bike of any kind was 1974. It was a Honda 550 sportster. It was loud and fast.

For 32 years I have wanted to buy a bike. I finally decided that it is time. I am not getting any younger and I felt that if I did not do it now, I would lose the opportunity.

I checked out the local chopper dealers. WOW! The $45,000 price tag was WAY too much for this dude. So, then I started looking for something used. Most of them were too much money, or just too old. Then I came across Jims Cycle Shop out of Texas. They had bike kits for sale. I fell in love with the Hard Core 2 kit. I checked all over the net for something cheaper and found none. So, the wife and I drew out some equity for resurfacing the pool, upgrading the hall bath, paying off my work truck, and buying a chopper kit!!! I was stoked! I could not wait for it to arrive.

When the yellow truck pulled in the driveway in October of 2004 and off loaded a pallet containing some 550 parts I could barely contain myself. I could not unpack the cases fast enough! I was carefully inventorying every part with the parts list provided. Everything was there...except...where was the instruction manual??? You know, like when you buy a bicycle from the store...you have a parts list and an instruction guide on how to put it together. Not so for this chopper. I called Jims Cycle Shop and inquired about it. Sorry, they said...you have a harley davidson manual and a parts catalogue. That's it? Yep.

Long story short, I put the damn thing together piece by piece over a period of 4 months in my garage. A friend of mine had a motorcycle lift that he loaned to me. The neighbor across the street powder coated racks for his business, so I had him powder coat my frame. The rest was up to me. With the help of alot of great people on a web site called Club Chopper I put it together and fired my baby up for the first time in February. What an awesome experience. I was overwhelmed with excitement. I rode it down the street, and back, with great respect for the 110 cubic inch engine. It was sooooo quick, and fast! It was a moment I will never forget.

Since then I have removed the handlebars and put on some I bought off of ebay. Great looking Zbars. Changed out the LAF stock pipes for a pair of slash cut pipes. Still loud but the sound is out the back a bit more. Painted the Jessee James tins 4 times, and 4 different colors. I am a painting contractor by trade so I had some fun.

So, there you have my story. Just another old man with one hell of CHOPPER! Check out the pic.

Thanks,
Richard