Customer Reviews

Billy Lane's How to Build Old School Choppers, Bobbers and Customs (Motorbooks Workshop)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is not a complete book on how to build a bike. That's a vast field including quite a few full careers, such as mechanic, fabricator, welder, machinists etc... Maybe some day, someone will actually write it down.

In this format all I really want is some fresh information direct from Lane, not ghost written or republished materials as in the Monster Garage welding book (at least they chose a good book). On that score I think this is a very solid addition. Lane does go into technical information; what years of what motor he prefers to use, how to align these old motor and drive train systems. What modern components are best, for instance brakes. How to wire. None of these are exhaustive, but they are what he does. For instance, he does not cover trail and rake calculations. He just comes out and tells you what his favorite front end on a chopper or bobber is. That's the inside info that defines a maker's look, and if a person followed that info they would not need to understand the universe of trail and rake, info that is on the internet anyway.

One of the things that impressed me is that, apparent beer ads for corona in the text aside, Lane seems pretty serious about the quality of the bikes he builds. A lot of his build-off stuff seems to break or catch on fire, and I have never been all that impressed with his signature tanks. However he shows a few hard core details here that as competent pieces of engineering, and very stout construction, are excellent. The book is full of details that never really get covered in the other stuff out there. I was just left feeling I could use a couple of other books in a series.

Books of this format, on everything from painting flames to cheap choppers, are one step up from a magazine. At their best, they cover a lot of ground. This one isn't perfect, but it covers a lot more stuff than several seasons of BBO, OCC, BOB, the horse etc... Those all seem to edit out anything more complicated than bolting an engine or tranny to a frame. I wish more builders would get into the nitty gritty like this. This is not a "How to build a Ford hot rod", by Mike Bishop, but it's about as good as it gets normally.

There is way too much in the way of welding skills and sheet metal fabrication. Certainly not a "How To" book but more of a "How I do it" book.

This book was very informative on how Billy does his art of chopping. And was helpful in knowing how he does it and why. Also great listing of tools that are needed to pull this stuff off. I can't wait to buy his other book "Chop Ficition".Billy's book has definitely given me the drive to start chopping my own bikes. This book is a must for any bike builder pro or novice...

Thanks Billy!!!

This is not a "how to build a chopper" book. It is a "how Billy L builds this or that, and sometimes 'why'". I've been out of the chop scene since my youth, so the info contained I found very interesting in a general sense and quite inspiring too. Quite a good book, but not great. If you like Billy's style of bike, buy this book. I certainly don't regreat buying it.

This is a very good book on how Billy Lane makes his bikes. There are some things in the book that make me cringe like Billy drilling a hole in metal while holding a metal plate in his lap. But he does lay out in detail about how he sets up the bikes he makes and his philospohy on building bikes. The is not a handbook to make a book just like Billy Lane but a pretty through overview of what he does.

That's the beauty of online shopping, must of the time you don't see it before you buy it. The book is nice, but that's all. It has a lot of Billy's ego, but the tips I was expecting from a chopper builder like him were not in the book. I looks like a transcription of a OCC show and I really expected more. Not that I wanted a step-by-step book on "how to build a chopper" since I have already build my own without this kind of help, but I really expected those TIPS that only a guy like Billy could give.

This is a very well written and illustrative book by a great bike builder. Billy Lane's reputation as a premier bike builder has risen substantially within the last few years. In this book he shows and describes assembly and fabrication of all the major components to build your own old shool bike. Billy also provides an overview of engine, frame, and component selection, and how they will affect your build. Filled with great step-by-step directions and pictorals that will help readers avoid minor pitfalls that could become major problems down the road.

Sprinkled with Billy's humor throughout, this book provides plenty of technical information with a entertainment value as well. I found it best to give the book a thorough read, and then keep it readily available as a reference. Given that you have the abilities and tools this book will aid you in building your own old school bike with ease.

Don't worry that I've only given it 3 stars, that's okay in my book. None of the other books would earn anything better. In my mind it needed more substance and details of how to do custom work, again like every other custom motorycle book I've seen. This is a better one, lol.

I've looked at several of these types of books now and I've found that no one book covers it all. Mr. Lane's book doesn't covery every aspect of bike building for sure, and on the topics he does cover the information is fairly high-level though stewn with details here and there.

I don't think this book is really about ego, corona ads, or whatever else that people have mentioned... All that was a result of it's casual and light style. But it's also truly not about building an entire bike. It's just about some areas of a build where Billy Lane tries to give you hints and tricks about how he does it.

If you are looking at building one bike from scratch for yourself, this book will not get you far. If you get several books and do a lot of Web surfing, you will get you some good information to get you through most every part of a build. If you are looking for a book to take you through every step with details, I'd say forget it, don't build a bike, have somebody else do it or buy a kit.

If you are looking to actually builds bikes as a business, you will not get anywhere with these books. They are still good to ready, but you have to have the ability and confidence to build a chopper without the books. The books are just actually ways for these builders to show you a project or two, and provide some details about what makes them unique. To get a business going, you have to be able to figure this stuff out in your head and turn it into something real. That's not the best way to design and build a bike, and I wouldn't advise anybody do it in their head... But if you want to be a professional builder, you should have that level of talent at least, which either you are born with or have to earn via experience.

Look this is not going to show you how to build a bike but it will give you some tips, some advice and imo some more inspiration. The pics are big and glossy, and it is easy to read and understand. Sure i wanted some more info but hey maybe its better not to be shown everything.

This book has been very helpful. Illustrations were good and fabrication tips were useful. Well written and easy to follow procedures; good blueprint for the project.