Ed "Big Daddy" Roth on Choppers and bikes in 1969

"What is going on in young America?" Recently I have had to answer that question more often than before so that our products would seem more in step with the young set. To be groovy and "IN" can be a problem after a time becasue as time passes, these standards of "where it's at" also change. Publishers find this be the most prominent reason for th reduction of their magazines, when they stay in the groove of one idea or one theme and refuse to note the interest generated in different directions. The first clue to their inability to cope with hew rends is the good old dollar and cent "circulation figures." And then...only after considerable pressure will they swing with the "New."

To me, all modern things started with the Hot Rod! That mechanical outa' sight machine born in the junkyards of our country and bred with speed and endurance thru the trial and error method of such work great people as Dean Moon, Mickey Thompson, CRAGAR, Iskenderian and a myriad of others. These triers of ideas proved that we could replace violence and bad temperament with fast cars. Then as the words such as "Beatnik" and "Korea" disappeared into the American slang the new undergrowth of what we know as the modern Hippie started to rear itself onto the American scene. The basic foundation being a narcotic-aware-art-folk rock music beyond description. The Beatles and the other famous groups dominated the news and the basic structure of our youth changed from a build it yourself Hot Rod to a buy it and race it thing. What caused the change in that 20 years?

Our society is based on transportation. Most of us have a car or two around the house. So it is no longer to go to the junkyard to get enough goodies to build yourself a rod. Go down to the Dodge dealer and "BUY" one. Payments? Let the old man make em...he has a lot of bread. We tend to fall into a rut and even though we have this speed and power at hand and a lot of fancy clothes and a wide selection of drugs to put our head where we want it...we miss that ever increasing romance with adventure...that self-destructive, violent-oriented thing within ourselves that wants something to tell ourselves how neat we are when we have a "close call." So we look at transportation or the racetrack for this experience since the cops discourage street racing. Some of us are satisfied as an observer while the hardcore must own or actually drive this machine.

So here we are racing and doping and singing and have a little war or two when the news agencies start publishing stories and Hunter Thompson writes a best-seller about a much talked about group of motorcyclists named the "Hells Angels." Most publications wouldn't discuss or mention this activity because it didn't sit right with them. Hot Rod Today never shows a chopper. "The Chopper" or "chopped hog" is the name of the machine that these men ride, and to view an "Angel" jammin' down the street on his scooter is without a doubt one of the most adventurous sights ever seen. Here is the beginning of an era. Without HONDA, this would never have gotten off the ground. After all, the amount of old Harley Davidsons was hardly enough to support one of these clubs, much less the hundreds of other similar clubs that have popped up all over the country in the last 5 years.

Here is a ready-made piece of American folklore. A cowboy with a horse...the old west all over again. Never since the Hot Rod has such excitement been generated over a thing such as the motorcycle. Movies and TV series are all taking advantage of the situation and some real artistic endeavors are coming from the crude beginnings.

Yes...the "Angels" started something. We cannot discount the brave, exciting personal image aside from the bike that has caused many a kid to seek out a set of "colors" from his local embroidery shop. We cannot refuse the fact that all over the country guys are growing their hair and wearing dirty clothes for the weekend cruises in cars to enact some of the rough and tough he-man ways that the Angels and other hardcore bike clubs pursue. But aside from the personal angle of the standard of behavior that is followed in some of the early bike clubs, let's investigate the reason for this all...the motorcycle.

This greasy, troublesome "mother" has been the thorn in society's side since Messers Harley and Davidson produced their first bikes in 1905. Until 1930 they dripped their oil on the street. Until 1954 they dripped a part of it on the street. In all, they are a very dirty, fun-loving plaything. The one thing that most bikes had in common with each other, until recently, is that they are faster than cars and in most cases, cheaper. Strip it down and it is still faster. Early bike clubs found this out very quickly and for a fast getaway they would strip all of the fenders and other worthless junk off and the finished product would be a strictly utilitarian machine for short distances. Longer rides over 50 miles were uncomfortable and inconvenient as the fuzz too sad views of the early chopper rider as he did with the early hot fodder...although today the term Hot Rod is entirely acceptable.

This was developing mostly in the 50s and early 60s. No fancy chrome work...just replacements of the heavy parts with parts off of other bikes that were lighter. 30-pound Harley fenders were replaced with the lighter Triumph, for example. This was before Honda and to admit that you owned a a bike was instant catastrophe for anyone. THEN CAME HONDA!

Honda put the bike within reach of any citizen. It also got a lot more customers for Harley...cause as soon as a guy learned to ride he would need only one ride on a "Hog" to convince him to buy. Also, in this time period some of the early chopper clubs produced some eye-opening revelations as far as customizing bikes. They chromed and polished and used Honda's lighter parts to come up with a breed of custom bikes to compete with the custom cars at the shows in quality and certainly in performance. This wave of enthusiasm started in the 60s. Another thing that bound the bikers together into a tight organization was the use of drugs. In order to be a "Narc" the fuzz couldn't get anyone familiar with bikes to break into the rank of tight little clubs, so that each club flourished in membership cause there were no narcs...therefore no busts. Meanwhile, the race was on the build the perfect chopper. Hippies came and went...riots and Vietnam made the headlines...but each day new businesses were being formed to take care of the growing needs of these builders...yet no mention in any of the so-called Hot Car books. NOT ONE!

Close investigation revealed that the image of the bike was still undesirable and the top book "Hot Rod" was devoting several columns to dirt machines but no customizing or drag strip efforts. Then in 1968 three custom bike books hit the market. Big Bike...Choppers Magazine...Street Choppers. Now there was the beginning of disseminating the information. Building skyrocketed...there is no end in sight. Weekends finds choppers or near choppers on all highways. Papers are full of headlines about Outlaw clubs...the movies have only started. Fonda's "Easy Rider" proves that...it was good! Sure, there are still 3 distinct youth areas now as compared to the Hot Rodgers of 1950....Plunk the down on a new Detroit hottie, hippies and the bikers. The facts are Mr. Madison Avenue, all of these are at a stand-still and the bike "scene" is coming on strong.

From the curious-minded viewpoint it offers a mechanical challenge. It cures the hunger for so many American youths that there is no end to the quest for knowledge. It is hard for anyone to thoroughly understand more than one bike. Therefore, it is unlike cars where you overhaul one than you have overhauled them all. The social activities have changed. Whereas the guy on a dirty scooter with a mama on the back has been forced into a minority by the constant vigil of the cops. The "NOW" chopper rider and club is making a physical change to a "Outa sight" bike and cleaner appearance. The hardcore oldtimers find it increasingly harder to ride as good old fuzz can always find some infringement to delay a good "Run."

From the viewpoint of satisfying the ego you must get on a bike to understand the whole scene. Individual states have tripled their bike registrations in one year. Each one of these new bike owners will go one of several ways...street, strip, dirt, competition, tours. Two weekly newspapers support this theory. Chuck Clayton's National Weekly Cycle News and MCW Motorcycle Weekly from Paramount, Calif.

The AMA and the Harley factory look with alarm at this entire thing. Model and toy companies are retooling their products to make ready for this new generation of kids with their bike stuff. Harley Davidson itself "knows of the interest in choppers but we cannot admit it!"...and are in no way cooperating with any programs in that field, although their participation at Daytona got them a win in top money.

Here then we have a most unusual set of circumstances that are skyrocketing the custom bike field in general. Chopped bikes born in cellars and garages for top speed and acceleration. A comparable likeness to the stripped down Model A's with the big-bore flathead V-8s following the Second World War. NECESSITY! A necessity to be a someone. A reason for association. Get a set of colors...man! You don't have to have a bike that's running; "we'll take you as a member." Now you are somebody...now you are feared...now you have buddies that will "stick with you when the trouble comes." This kind of reasoning can be indirectly applied to the guy who spends a year and $2,000 to get his machine on the road. "Now I'm me...this machine is me. Anyone that doesn't like it can go jump. What are you lookin' at me for so funny mister? I'll bet you wish you were going and doing what I'm doing!"

A thousand reasons for the two wheels. One as good as the other. And that is why bikes are where it's at baby. Whatever the reason.

Ed "Big Daddy" Roth
Circa 1968