Hand Beaten Copper Chopper

bobbercycles1

bobbercycles2

bobbercycles3Touring Europe to show you the custom bikes you may see in Sturgis competing in the AMD World Championship Of Bike Building. This one coming, big surprise, from a shop located in the beautiful Mediterranean island of Sardinia (a constitutional part of Italy with a special autonomy statute), located west of the Italian peninsula and South of Corsica. The bike is called “Chenz’e Arrenda” (No Surrender) and pays tribute to the local art of copper stamping and forming. Just look at the unusual shape of the gas tank and rear fender. Iron Head engine and 4-speed tranny are cradled in a hand made frame fitted with an ultra clean and narrow Springer front end with no brake. To remind you where the bike was fabricated, a Sardinian long knife is used as hand shifter. Bobber Cycles (picture HRF).

17 Responses to “Hand Beaten Copper Chopper”


  1. 1 Jeff Nicklus Jun 22nd, 2009 at 10:17 am

    The bike has a STRONG Billy Lane flavor.

    Over & Out,

    Jeff

  2. 2 jatinder pal Jun 22nd, 2009 at 11:58 am

    Yeah billy stuff but someone have to step in his shoes cause he will not be making newer bikes soon………

  3. 3 Bobber Jun 22nd, 2009 at 12:00 pm

    U G L Y !

  4. 4 Jeff Nicklus Jun 22nd, 2009 at 12:16 pm

    jatinder pal,

    Dude, that is cold! I didn’t even think of that when I made my comments ….. I suppose you are correct however.

    Over & Out,

    Jeff

  5. 5 Brandon Jun 22nd, 2009 at 12:32 pm

    Hey, Bobber. Send a pic of your bike to Cyril for evaluation.

  6. 6 Steve Carr Jun 22nd, 2009 at 1:31 pm

    This style bike is not something I would do, But that being said, I like the bike and understand very well the amount of effort that goes into a build like this. I also see some Billy Lane influence, but at the same time, its very hard to build something that doesnt have some influence from some bike that has already been built at some point in the history of Motorcycles.

    Bobber,

    Where can we see what you are able to build? Or can you only build negative comments……

    Steve Carr

  7. 7 Kirk Perry Jun 22nd, 2009 at 2:17 pm

    I like the tire. Whodaguy? Coker-Firestone? Or HDS (Japan)? 5:10 x 16 ?

    Looks like there’s more sidewall tread on that “Sardenian job” than on my ($52.00) Cheng-Shins, which get a little “drifty” in the apex of a canyon-clawing curve at 55 mph…..sometimes sicken-ly so. My ’57 Pan is stripped, but still weighs in around 480 lbs.
    I know I getting close to riding on the sidewall – because there’s a tide mark of road dirt on the tires, when I park it.
    •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
    Have you looked for tires lately? JC Whitney’s tire stock has be reduced. Sign of the times. Less choice. The Cheng-Shin 60’s “Speed-Grip’ tread went to Shinko and the price is $96.00.

    I went looking for 90/90-18 front and 130/90-15 for my ’87 250 Rebel (first year of Honda’s blatant rip-off of the Narrow-Glide :). Sold out at JC Whitney. No more will be stocked.
    I contacted americanmotorcycletire.com/ in Scottsdale. They were very helpful and “know” tires. He said that Cheng-Shin is getting out of the motorcycle tire business, and that the “economy” tire that was taking it’s place is Kenda®. He sent me the Kenda tires the 250 needed, $37. for the 18 front and $42. for the 15 rear.
    Check them out for tires. Fast delivery. Charged me $13.64 for shipping. No box, just strapped together.
    I wish they made a pre-shave that smelled like new tires.

  8. 8 Kirk Perry Jun 22nd, 2009 at 3:14 pm

    “‘87 250 Rebel (first year of Honda’s blatant rip-off of the narrow-glide.”

    Not first year, first model.
    ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
    imo, a motorbike needs at least 2500cc to be quick enough to get you out of trouble in traffic.

    The Vespa’s and that style of scooter don’t accelerate fast enough.

    Running errands on the motorbike, I can beat any four-wheeler off-the-line at a traffic light, easily, even after looking both ways and both feet on the pegs. I’m gone. Traffic’s way back there in the rear view mirror. You need punch. 250 cc does the job locally.

  9. 9 Kirk Perry Jun 22nd, 2009 at 4:49 pm

    Look closer at the hammer texture on the fender skin. It has a tradesman name, but it escapes me.
    I like the rear fender close to the tire. I bet it’s a light chassis. Something all Knuckle or Pan motor in a tight twin-cradle frame would look good with that rear clip. A road racing or TT or buckhorn internal coil wire handlebars would look good. Ribbed-rubber “squeeze-box” fork covers on a stock , Glide, ’49-59 non-adjustable triple tree would look good too. I’d like to see an (as hammered above) 3.5 fuel tank, with pop-up reserve (replete with indented tank emblems) and a Sardinia-hammered, sleeked-down rendition of the Brooks Stevens© 1949 original front fender.
    Nice metal work on the fender webbing.

  10. 10 Kirk Perry Jun 22nd, 2009 at 5:01 pm

    And heavy-duty “paperboy” spokes. 🙂

  11. 11 Dave Blevins Jun 22nd, 2009 at 7:43 pm

    I like this little bike, and I’m thinking it has more an early “Ness” look to it, more so even than Billy.

  12. 12 biker bob Jun 23rd, 2009 at 12:32 am

    How about this, it looks like it looks, period, and who ever built it did a good job no matter what you think.

  13. 13 James(Kiwi) Jun 23rd, 2009 at 2:42 am

    Well for me it falls between two stools!!
    Drunk but not pretty enough to Fcuk.

    Pity

    James (kiwi)

    Ps If you get Live to Ride in the US of A .The local show which is the Jokers bike show in Ashburton is in it and there is a picture of me..but a real ugly one (like all of them) but seriously it gives you a glimpse of what happens way down under if any one cares.

  14. 14 TROY-CTC Jun 23rd, 2009 at 8:17 am

    This might be a nice piece of workmanship, but it’s absurd to build a gas tank from copper. The vibration of a motorcycle will work- harden the copper and it will surely crack somewhere. When Jesse built the copper bike, I was wondering what he was thinking, and I still am. I was at a show a few years ago and someone had a bike with a gas tank made from epoxy, it was already starting to crack and he thought that made it look even cooler. My thoughts were leaning toward a good fire suit.

  15. 15 Jeff Nicklus Jun 23rd, 2009 at 5:30 pm

    Use steel for the tanks and fenders …… copper plate the items and clear coat them … same look and it will last!

    Problem solved ……

    Over & Out,

    Jeff

  16. 16 asarif Jun 25th, 2009 at 11:02 am

    Hmmm I think It’s unique bike, very simple and exotic

  17. 17 Daniele Mar 6th, 2010 at 1:02 pm

    Hello everyone, I am proud that my bike has come on this blog!
    is absurd how powerful the internet!
    is a great pleasure to hear your own opinion and I would be curious to know the true opinion of Cyril Huze, as our friend Brandon keeps us both!
    your opinion improves my quality …
    we feel the creature for the next …
    Daniel from Sardinia

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