So what’s the recipe for a perfect chopper? A Harley engine, a low seat, a stretched tank and raked-out forks ought to do it. Over the last decade Orange County Choppers have been sticking to this recipe; raking out the forks and raking in the cash.
A hand-built custom from Orange County Choppers starts from £30,000 and for that price, you’ll sacrifice handling, a warranty, your savings and possibly your marriage..
So how come Harley, the self-proclaimed king of cruisers, took their eye off the ball? Well now it seems they’ve put their focus back into the Softail range, albeit a few years late. The Rocker comes in two varieties, the single-seater FXCW and the FXCWC which features a clever stow-away passenger seat and a more chrome.
Although the Rocker is part of the Softail range, you won’t find much from previous Softail bikes in here. The all-new frame has been developed specifically to fit the massive 240-section rear tyre and additional 4.5 degrees of rake to the 36.5 degree front forks.
It sits long and low and looks mean – just like a custom should. Infact, the seat is so low, it’s one of the lowest available of any bike - at just 625mm. Shorties take note. The trouble is, like any good custom, it’s not light – weighing in at over 300kg. Once you’re moving the weight disappears but if you misplace your footing, you’re going to struggle.
So what’s the recipe for a perfect chopper? A Harley engine, a low seat, a stretched tank and raked-out forks ought to do it. Over the last decade Orange County Choppers have been sticking to this recipe; raking out the forks and raking in the cash.
A hand-built custom from Orange County Choppers starts from £30,000 and for that price, you’ll sacrifice handling, a warranty, your savings and possibly your marriage..
So how come Harley, the self-proclaimed king of cruisers, took their eye off the ball? Well now it seems they’ve put their focus back into the Softail range, albeit a few years late. The Rocker comes in two varieties, the single-seater FXCW and the FXCWC which features a clever stow-away passenger seat and a more chrome.
Although the Rocker is part of the Softail range, you won’t find much from previous Softail bikes in here. The all-new frame has been developed specifically to fit the massive 240-section rear tyre and additional 4.5 degrees of rake to the 36.5 degree front forks.
It sits long and low and looks mean – just like a custom should. Infact, the seat is so low, it’s one of the lowest available of any bike - at just 625mm. Shorties take note. The trouble is, like any good custom, it’s not light – weighing in at over 300kg. Once you’re moving the weight disappears but if you misplace your footing, you’re going to struggle.
