OCC Gillette bike Auction blunder.

[Pumaking]

Well if anyone saw American Choppers on Discovery where OCC builds Gillette a bike to promote there new razor M3 Nitro. Anyways it cost gillette a little over $150,000.00 for the custom chopper. Gillette was also going to auction off the bike on ebay and all proceeds will go to the National Prostate Cancer Coalition. Well Gillette was expecting $250,000 to sell the bike and aparently that wasnt the case the bike auction ended at $50,201 sucks for Gillette could of used the money to donate to NPCC instead of paying OCC.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...=WDVW

[PoorManQ45]

Bahahah,

Hopefully they still donate the money

[seyath]

Damn, sucks for them... No rear brakes on the bike... I don't think I would be driving it uphill...Then again, it's a show bike. Don't really expect people to drive it too much.

[Veriest1]

Wouldn't that be down hill?

Anyway, rear brakes on bikes don't do much. I know a lot of people who never use the thing.

[Onizuka]

Such is the nature of an auction.

I have heard that OCC bikes are concidered "rough" compared to other show bikes in terms of fit and finish.

[Pumaking]

this is true, I've read numerous posts of fans actually going to see the bikes and there are issues with quality control. Perfect example on the gillette bike someone on another forum went to visit OCC and got to check out the Gillette bike and there are rough patches and the Chrome on the exhaust is actualy peeling off. Also the electrical on the bike is shody not even the rear lights work.

[Kalok]

Wouldn't that be down hill?

Anyway, rear brakes on bikes don't do much. I know a lot of people who never use the thing.

Actually, as a professiobally trained motorcycle rider, you sgould PRIMARILY use the back brakes and not the front. It is MUCH harder to control your bike using the front brakes than it is using the back.

On a motorcycle, brakes serve the reverse function as on a car. The backs are for braking and the front are for control. In fact, alot of modern street cruisers activate the back caliper and one of the two front calipers, and use the second caliper from the hand brake. This is called integrated braking. You do NOT want all of the weight of the bike coming down on the front pivot point (the triple trees) of your motorcycle when trying to stop a large motorcycle. That's a good way to lose control, even more so if the brakes lock up.

I've been through the same riding courses that the police go through. I had to when I worked for a year as a motorcycle escort officer. I did escorts for VIPs and funerals. Which, here in Arizona, is more than sitting in front, or behind the car. You also have to "break" the intersection, which is where you pull into the intersection and shut down traffic, even if you're pulling in against a red light. Which is why escort bikes ghere in Arizona are required to be licensed emergency vehicles, and have red and blue lights and a siren.

The first thing they teach you is how to control the bike. And one of those things is to use the front brake as little as possible.

[DAEDALUS]

I have heard that OCC bikes are concidered "rough" compared to other show bikes in terms of fit and finish.

Well, yeah! Have you ever watched the show? The shop hammers seem to get a disproportionate amount of use compared to most other tools.

[skylndrftr]

somehow im not surprised its crap. Its all TV bs having actually seen some other companies bikes in person (I went to strugis two years ago) several bike builders absolutely amazed me with just the pure perfection of there bikes. OCC just looked like wannabees with the biggest crowd biggest trailer and shoddy *** bikes. You could tell the difference in the crowd...all the people with kids and wearing loafers were over there the guys in leather with a beard longer than the hair on my butt where over at the other "small" builders

[Florida240sx]

Some of these bikes are just plain stupid.I got to see quite a few during bike week this year.For the amount of money some of these bikes cost, you have to be filthy rich or just stupid too piss your money away like that.

[xyster]

Actually, as a professiobally trained motorcycle rider, you sgould PRIMARILY use the back brakes and not the front. It is MUCH harder to control your bike using the front brakes than it is using the back.

I could be wrong, but I've been taught it's just the opposite; that the front brake does most of the stopping. I admit, I don't have near the training or experience you do, but according to the GA State motorcycle training, the front brakes are for stopping, backs for helping the fronts and holding you in place on hills...similar to a car. Now, I gathered from your post that you're talking about large, heavy, cruiser type bikes, and all I know are light sportbikes, so that may be the difference.

[Kalok]

I could be wrong, but I've been taught it's just the opposite; that the front brake does most of the stopping. I admit, I don't have near the training or experience you do, but according to the GA State motorcycle training, the front brakes are for stopping, backs for helping the fronts and holding you in place on hills...similar to a car. Now, I gathered from your post that you're talking about large, heavy, cruiser type bikes, and all I know are light sportbikes, so that may be the difference.

Yes, I'm talkiing large heavy bikes.

The front brakes on a bike grip great. That's the problem. Your front tire stops, but 700+ of motorcycle doesn't. It just tries to pivot around the triple tree. Nice way to end up on the ground pinned under a bike.

[1991S13]

My dad has an American Ironhorse Texas style chopper. Makes something like 107hp, all chrome, blue base with silver flames, beautiful bike, runs great...

And it cost $31,000. I don't see what else you would get from OCC by paying $100,000+ more. Maybe a cute little underglow kit and a big shiny gas cap.

I wouldn't buy a bike from a family that constantly fights anyway...its more annoying than a friggin' soap opera.

[AZhitman]

A quick cut / paste:

Myth #1: Use Only the Front Brake

This train of thought goes something like: "Since the majority of a motorcycle's braking power comes from the front brake, don't use the rear brake at all. In fact, as the weight shifts forward during heavy braking, the rear brake becomes more likely to lock up and cause you to crash."

Always question advice that suggests you do something because the other way is difficult to master. Unless you are braking so hard that the rear wheel of your motorcycle is in the air, you can shorten your stopping distance with proper application of the rear brake. It is true that as the weight of the motorcycle shifts forward, less traction is available to the rear tire for braking, but in order to master the use of your brakes, you need to use both of them for every stop. While there are instances, such as when a tire blows out, when you would only want to use one brake, the best way to master the control of either brake is to use them on a regular basis.

So, how do you stop in the shortest distance possible? The textbook response states you should achieve full application of both brakes without skidding. As you apply more and more pressure on the front brake (up to the point of lockup), you will have more traction available to the front tire (for more braking) resulting in progressively less traction available to the rear. To keep from skidding the rear wheel, you will need to modulate the rear brake. For every Racer X those pundits cite for not using his rear brake when stopping, there is a Racer Y who uses just a little rear brake to settle the rear suspension and a Racer Z who uses a lot. Also, these examples don't readily apply to street riders since skilled racers know exactly where the point of brake lockup is, while most of us are far from that point with the front brake—even in panic-stop situations.

My experience with sport bikes has been to use the front aggressively and modulate with the rear.

I could stop my V-Max without "pivoting" around the front axis, using about 70% F and 30% rear (and maintaining even pressure to retain directional stability on the front wheel)...

[Mr1der]

rear brake is a good thing.

[wydeglyde]

I'm new here, but couldn't leave this one alone. As a motorcycle instructor for over 10 years and a rider for over 30 years I have seen more than my fair share of these discussions.

It's simple and has been partly stated above. Every motorcycle is different however there is always a ratio of braking effectiveness based on many factors, but is generally expressed as 70% front and 30% rear. As stated before as you apply front brake, weight shifts forward allowing more traction and ability to increase pressure. You must adjust braking in the rear under heavy braking to avoid lockup due to reducing traction.

Bottom line, you have 2 brakes that provide 100% of your braking; use them both or one day you will wind up hurt or dead. Anyone that says use one or the other only is confused.

Thanks for the opportunity to comment.

[TU_MADRE]

I never understood how choppers could draw anything over 30k custom or not.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Did NICO accidentally quantum leap?

[Dittoz7]

I pretty sure there pfrofit is in the millions. Just publicity if anything.

[krash]

250,000 FOR A BIKE?

[Zydeco]

I have heard that OCC bikes are concidered "rough" compared to other show bikes in terms of fit and finish.

Well, yeah! Have you ever watched the show? The shop hammers seem to get a disproportionate amount of use compared to most other tools.

I didnt check the date of this thread, until I saw the name of Deadalus. then I was like WFT mate, how old is this. I guess the search button is still working.

EDIT: wydeglyde, welcome to the club.

[wydeglyde]

Sorry, I didn't check the date

[dusred]

It's just pocket change for Gillette. Meh.

[AZ89two4Tsx]

[Dattebayo]

Sorry, I didn't check the date

Exactly how did you find this little gem from the past anyway?

[93coupe]

Greg had a V-Max? WIN!

[Looneybomber]

I never understood how choppers could draw anything over 30k custom or not.

I don't either. They all use off the shelf motors, trans, and usually wheels. After that, you just bend some pipe for a frame, rig up some suspension that looks good but has not had the geometry perfected, and figure out the tank and handle bars.

The other 120k is for the passenger seat lined with whale's foreskin, so you can tell some chick to jump on and ride the biggest d*** in the world.

[Chaotic_Warlord]

I never understood how choppers could draw anything over 30k custom or not.

I don't either. They all use off the shelf motors, trans, and usually wheels. After that, you just bend some pipe for a frame, rig up some suspension that looks good but has not had the geometry perfected, and figure out the tank and handle bars.

The other 120k is for the passenger seat lined with whale's foreskin, so you can tell some chick to jump on and ride the biggest d*** in the world.

Actually OCC and West Coast choppers have water-jet cutters so essentially everything is made in house short of the engine and trans, and even those are hand built using custom parts.

[Red coupe]

I don't either. They all use off the shelf motors, trans, and usually wheels. After that, you just bend some pipe for a frame, rig up some suspension that looks good but has not had the geometry perfected, and figure out the tank and handle bars.

The other 120k is for the passenger seat lined with whale's foreskin, so you can tell some chick to jump on and ride the biggest d*** in the world.

Actually OCC and West Coast choppers have water-jet cutters so essentially everything is made in house short of the engine and trans, and even those are hand built using custom parts.

Hrm, maybe day to day things are insanely different but on the show they don't build much at all.

They use pre-built components for EVERYTHING. Yes, they have some pretty good manufacturing equipment, but they typically use it for s*** like water cutting flame accents to be tacked onto a fender.

In fact, looney says they do more then they even do. The typically don't really set up suspension, almost every bike I have seen on those shows is a hard tale and they don't scratch built most frames.

[alms24sebring]

Yeah I was like Gillette bike, that was like 5 yrs ago.

anyways, I dont see how they could expect more than what they paid for. Since its a sponsored bike from OCC, we should expect a $1/4 mil. Nice try but no cigar. I would have to think twice to even pay $50k for it.

Like in the current thread about the 50k paint job, totally overpriced 2wheel pos that ur afraid to drive