World Famous Comics: American Chopper At Full Throttle
American Chopper At Full Throttle
By: Mike Flaherty Publisher: Discovery Channel Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Discovery Channel Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 176 Publication Date: October 12, 2004 Release Date: October 12, 2004
Great gift for American Chopper fans! My nephew lives and breathes this show. He absolutely loved the book.
Flippin' pages on the OCC For starters, you wouldn't be considering buying this book unless you were a fan of the show and liked to watch the antics of the OCC boys as much as see the bikes they build. I don't own a motorbike or have my motorbike license (yet) but American Chopper is one of my favourite shows on TV.
The book is fairly similar to the program itself, great eye candy and very entertaining, as a lot of the show's memorable moments are carried through into the book. Perhaps the most interesting parts of the book are the brief history and bio of all the major characters of the show and number of detail photographs of the bikes they build.
The bio's add another level of enjoyment when you're watching the show because you feel like you know the guys a little better, understand a bit more of what drives them and in Sr's case, what aggravates him the most!
Don't buy this book if you're looking for comprehensive technical detail or specifications and construction methods of the bikes. There is some further detail on the theme bikes (engine, wheels, construction, paint etc), but the information is really there to compliment the pictures of each of the bikes.
The pictures are definitely a feature of the book, because things move too quickly in the show for you to really sit down and just marvel at all the details of the bikes. Being able to look over the bikes in my own time gave me a greater appreciation for the aesthetics of what is really mobile art. These bikes are not utilitarian by any means, and for those of us not living in the USA or unlikely to be able to ever see one of these bikes first hand, the book is a way to get a little dose of American Chopper without being around a TV, and deserves a space on any fan's bookshelf.
WANNNABE MANUAL! FOR SIDEWALK COMMANDOS EVERYWHERE! Speaking on the authority of a REAL Biker who has LIVED the Lifestyle for over 35 of my almost 53 years, during which I have ridden the same '63 Harley Panhead, (which I built and rebuilt from the ground up with my own two hands), longer than the Turtle Kids have EVEN been alive, My Brothers and I all find Orange County Chumps to be some of the Funniest Comedy ANYWHERE! Their Ol' Man is one of the greatest comedians to try and call himself a "SELF-PROCLAIMED biker"; seemingly, the only thing that HE works at is running his MOUTH! What little I have been able to watch of this show without developing acute nausea, I have NEVER seen Turtle, Sr. EVER pick up a tool or lend a hand to help anyone at ANYTHING. The bikes built by OCC may have some eye appeal, but are otherwise a waste of parts & labor, as they are totally unridable; you would need an entire parking lot to turn one of them around, and the spider bike in particular, with its ridiculous rear fender, would give you a radical shower if one attempted to ride it on wet pavement, much less in the rain!(And I would LOVE to know what company sells them INSURANCE!) My Brothers and I have long debated which is more hilarious, the Turtles, with their hour long screaming matches, or the sidewalk commandos who give the mighty OCC free advertising, running around with WANNABE T-shirts & other gear, none of whom OWN, or probably even KNOW HOW to ride a MOTORCYCLE! Only Hang-arounds and Wannabees worship these comedians; REAL Bikers only LAUGH at them! As far as other reviewers who are so critical of my well earned opinion are concerned, just read their other reviews (if they have any)! At least Jesse James RIDES his creations to shows! The Turtles TRAILER Theirs everwhere (and then have to FLY IN their mechanics when one of their monstrosities breaks down!) JESSE JAMES may be terminally commercial, but at least he's HONEST!
Hooray for the Teutels For anyone that loves the show, this book is a great way to delve into the history and details that make the Teutels who they are...vulgar yet charismatic, tough yet endearing. It always seems as though you never get to see enough of the bikes they build, but with this book, you see every minute detail complete with a "how they did it" approach. I love the Teutels and enjoyed learning more about their personal histories and pet peeves. It makes watching their show even more interesting.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tailipoe
Trevor
