#CustomChoppers

For some, it is all a big joketh. Whilst the temptation is to scoff, hurl stones and jeer at the failure of the  pre-Recession chopper industry, a quick consultation in the book of Google reveals that Big Dog is still in business back in Wichita, good for them! Ten years ago, they’d just moved into a big factory showroom in Costa Mesa, California, where the Apostle Fonzie sampled all their wares, beginning with the bargain-basement $24,000 Coyote. It all goeth around and cometh back around in a big circle, now is the time to stock up on custom motorcycles at steep discount.

Another year and another Born Free down. This year marked the 10th annual Born Free show, a custom motorcycle event that started out as a chopper house party in Signal Hill, CA in 2008, that evolved into a block party, and then eventually one of, if not the biggest custom chopper and motorcycle shows in the world, and somehow they pack it all into two days. Shows like Sturgis and Daytona are obviously huge events too, but they’re a week long and more so a rally, plus they don’t place the focus on small-time DIY-type builders of vintage bikes like Born Free does.

Started in 2013, Mama Tried is an indoor invitational motorcycle show that showcases some of the coolest, craziest, rarest and most unusual homebuilt bikes. Having only been able to drool over the event through Instagram from thousands of miles away in years past, I finally got the opportunity to check the show out in person, and holy smokes was I not disappointed.