Error message

Deprecated function: The each() function is deprecated. This message will be suppressed on further calls in menu_set_active_trail() (line 2405 of /home/hulijedw/public_html/includes/menu.inc).

Fans speak out, suggest American Chopper: Live Build-Off is popularity contest

Mechele R. Dillard's picture
By Mechele R. Dillard 2012-12-14 13:21

Huliq readers have made their opinions known regarding the recent Chopper Live: The Revenge on the Discovery Channel.

The second—possibly final—American Chopper: Live Build-Off produced what was not unexpected results: a repeat win for Paul Teutul Jr. However, fans have had a lot to say since the announcement was abruptly thrown to the cameras and the show came to a close without an opportunity to hear from anyone, winner or losers.

Huliq fans have been commenting with their thoughts about the show, the participants and Discovery Channel itself. While some, particularly those who voted TeamJunior, agreed with the outcome, others have come to the conclusion that, yes, the American Chopper: Live Build-Off is all about popularity of the contestants:

  • Anonymous: Well, the biker build-off showed itself to be a popularity contest. Due to a lack rules on the build-off, a winner is difficult to pick. Unless these bikes are judged by professional bike builders, only the outside design appearance makes any difference. It takes a skilled metal man to appreciate the types of things that make an innovative mechanical bike. I think that Sr. and Jessie probably build a tremendous bike that would last forever and have lots of great fabrication. The Fast and Furious boys built a "riders bike" but that didn't help Jessie last time, so he went for a sport look. With voting as it currently is, they might as well have bikes with mock motors. The bikes should be judged by professionals who actually look closely, ride and test the bikes and then you would have something!
  • Anonymous: It is definitely clear the build off is a popularity contest. In my opinion all of the builders did a great job yea even Jesse although I don’t care much for his cocky attitude which is why I think a lot of voters did not vote for him. Regardless it is a chopper build off therefore PJD and the Gas Monkey boys came in their rightful place.

Of course, who knows how many people voted for Jesse or anyone else, because Discovery Channel did not bother to inform fans what the full results of their text-efforts were, not revealing who came in third or fourth, or by what percentages the fans voted their choices. As Huliq reader “Charlie” wrote:

Instead of trying to incite a fight on the build off show, why not let everyone know the complete voting percentages of the competition. It’s BS to keep third and fourth places and voting results hidden, makes the whole thing look like it is, fake! Very poor programming!

And, the idea that the winner or, perhaps, any of the participants, come close to representing the best bike-builder in the world is not supported by some Huliq readers:

  • Anonymous: There are a lot of bike builder out there at can build some real nice bikes PJD is not the best out there only because he is on TV it makes it look like he is the best. People should go to some real bike shows and they would see what is out there.
  • Domino: Jesse said he was building a mix of sport bike (Ducatti) and Harley (motor was V-twin, but not Harley). He said,"something no one else had done before"... REALLY?!?... Maybe he has never heard of Eric Buell? Or if you want a Big Twin sportbike try a Confederate. Both have been around for years. … Junior’s bike? I like rat rod style, but Hey, would you ride that thing? (embarrassing) A car bike??? Arlen Ness did such a nice job on his '57 Chevy bike....

Some Huliq readers indicated that they hoped that there would continue to be American Chopper: Live Build-Off shows, even though American Chopper was cancelled this year by the Discovery Channel. And, perhaps the build-offs will continue, if fans demand it. But, one Huliq reader may have had the best suggestion for a potential third build-off next year:

Next year’s build off should be a 3 way build off between the boys on Moonshiners, see who can build the best still and the winner will be determined by a "drink off". This biker build off is nothing but a popularity contest between guys with shows on Discovery Channel.

Cheers!

UPDATED: Fast N' Loud winners of the Build-Off prank war

Image: Discovery Channel

Video: Discovery Channel/Moonshiners

News Opinion

Comments

Submitted by gazzonie (not verified) on
I am wondering what part of "Chopper Build Off" Sr. and Jesse didnt understand. Their bikes were interesting. They would have been great entries in a "Sport Bike Build off"! I would have thought that Sr. would have learned from last year. Jesse is just Jesse. Talented but so far up his own @#$ that he cant bring himself to play nice with the oxygen breathing part of the population. So probly need one more of these and Sr. will finaly build a chopper.

Submitted by MXer (not verified) on
Where did it ever say chopper build off? Without seeing the votes, Discovery could have who ever they wanted to win. I would bet that a lot people wouldn't vote for Jesse because of things in his personal life. This was supposed to be a contest about building a bike. Being a welder myself, I agree with Jesse that the Gas Monkey's build would be about a 1.1 on the difficulty scale. Sr. agreed that they weren't in the same league. They took an old and tranny and put it in a newer frame. As much as people may hate Jesse's attitude, he does have a much higher skill set than the rest. He mostly hand fabricates everything on the bike. The OCC bike required some brilliant programming to make the frame but was done by a machine.

Submitted by RelelsWingman (not verified) on
The subject title saids it all! Jesse is a "P.O.S." and his momma knows it; along with Sandra and most of America. He likes the taste of his own "poo" which suggest that there must have been some in-breeding down the sperm donners chain in his family tree.

Submitted by John maggard (not verified) on
Clearly gas monkeys won this contest pjd built a theme bike and I think that's all it is and that's all they can build. Gas monkeys had only bike u could ride. Do u think u could ride jrs bike everyday or even just for a long time don't think so. I agree that they should be judged by bike builders or like motorcycle companies and not fans. Or to that point not people that just have cell phone and text a vote. It was pretty gay of a contest to that extent in my eyes. I liked jesse and srs bikes they were good. And I feel the extension was not an issue either. But honestly how much fab went into jrs bike seemed alot of pieces were just bolted on or welded on and nothing was really made More of a kit bike just as srs already have parts made put them together. But wonder how it would of been if the judging was different.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
How can you say Gas monkey Garage should have won? All they did was take an original bike and strip it and redo do it their way. Anyone could do that even your average mechanic. The rest of the group actually designed and hand made their stuff to fit their vision. Pjd's bike is rideable if you have what it takes. I'd definitely ride it. Clearly the judges made the correct call, and there is no denying Pjd is the best .

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
By definition, a chopper is a production bike that has been stripped of all non-essential parts (turn signals, fenders, etc.) and the frame has been modified, or chopped. The other bikes were custom built motorcycles. Jesse and Sr did some cool fab work, JJ especially because he built his frame by hand. Sr has several million dollars worth of machining equiptment in his shop but did crank out a cool and mean looking bike; though I thought the "girder" front end didn't really fit the style of the bike. Paul Jr did what he always does, he made a shiny puzzle peiced together from a bunch of parts bought to match a specific "theme." It's like Aaron said, "a chopper is built by a community." At their heart, a chopper is supposed to be built by (or at least for) the guy (or girl) who is going to ride it, built by hand, and not some production showpiece. F&L's bike was badass and the only "chopper" on the stage

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
I believe this show is Fake and always has been The majority of the people that watch most love soapoperas Cause thats what the show is Mechanically speaky Jesse wins hands down Paul sr and the boys also had a great bike The other two just fixed up a bike Maybe the people that do watch this show dont know nothing bout bikes Ifthere ever is another buildoff I would dare them to have it on a different channel or like everyone else says have judges that actually know bikes I still say its fake jrs bike was the worst I could take my bike and put a grill on it and use flat black from a spray paint can to paint it and my bike would be better for the fact I could ride over a copuple hundred miles and it would make that far too

Submitted by warrior (not verified) on
OMG #4 (Fake). You didn't use any punctuation which made your long comment difficult to read and understand. get help soon.

Submitted by warrior (not verified) on
OMG #4 (Fake). You didn't use any punctuation which made your long comment difficult to read and understand. Get help soon.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
There is only one bike that was a chopper in the true sense of the chopper origin. Sportbikes and Arlen Ness knock-offs are NOT choppers. A chopper is a type of motorcycle that was either modified from an original motorcycle design ("chopped") or built from scratch to have a unique hand-crafted appearance. The main features of a chopper that make it stand out are its longer frame design accompanied by a stretch front end, or increased rake angle. To achieve a longer front end, while the frame is being designed, the fabricator will tilt the neck of the frame at less of an incline and install a longer fork. Another unique aspect of a chopper design is that there is usually no rear suspension meaning the frame of the motorcycle will extend from the neck (or front of the frame) all the way to the rear wheel. This can make handling the motorcycle more challenging and the ride a bit more "bumpy". These attributes may seem radical to some but are necessary for the look that is desired. One look that is becoming more popular with chopper designs is a low frame to ground clearance or a low-rider look. Well known examples of chopper designs are the customized Harley-Davidsons, the "Captain America" and "Billy Bike", seen in the 1969 film Easy Rider.

Pages

Add new comment