At a certain point everything becomes old. But not everything becomes classic. We want the Triumph in Santee frame that we found at Motorsloop (!) Woesthoff but just really call it classic.
A Triumph as a chopper
Choppers were invented after the second world war. At that time, many American former soldiers wanted fast and cheap transport in order to get used to peace as militantly as possible. There was an abundance of superfluous ex-army motorcycles. To make it lighter, and therefore faster, everything was chopped off. And 'chopping' is 'to chop' in American English. Those basic motorcycles were pimped fairly quickly afterwards and the phases where that happened have now all been given their own place in the motorcycle history.
Choppers were useless in Europe
Miles and miles of candlelit roads lay and lie in the States and the control of the speed limits is an important revenue model for small municipalities. A chopper therefore had to drive very well straight, did not have to brake very much and did not have to be fast. What was it about? Those were the looks and the sound. And the Americans went very far.
The used engine blocks were first of course Harley V twins, but later full two British cylinders were also used. And from the 1970s, the Americans effortlessly assembled the Honda CB 750 OHC four-cylinder in the fiercest bicycle parts. Because a lively market had emerged in the construction of special chopper frames, front forks, tanks ...
There is no arguing about taste
But the Americans did not go wrong in terms of craftsmanship. The grand way of American thinking was only made very clear by the fact that the Americans were fond of flowing lines. And where engine builders from England and Italy went to work with beautifully beaten steel plate, the Americans bravely molded this with 'Bondo', with filler. A number of metallic or flake varnishes were then applied to that modeling work. Pinstriping and special paint jobs completed the story.
Choppers in Europe
It was clear that with such a machine it was better not to take the Ardennes or the Stevio. For a European motorcyclist, a chopper was a thing that A) didn't look like. B) Not steered and C) Not braked. And those Europeans were quite right about that.
But there were also men in Europe who dreamed away with 'the American way of live'. And also here are boulevards where you can cruise back and forth all day to be optimally seen. That the tattoo trend among motorcyclists also started at that time is a colorful fringe phenomenon.
This Santee Triump
A sprung rear frame! That's for wimps! But it makes a little difference. And all bits help. But for the rest this chopper, on Dutch license plate, is a very pure example of its kind. The thing is said that the thing has not been running very well. The block would even be farm fresh. Meanwhile, his style is so dated that it is a true classic. The Triumph has since been sold. And in all likelihood, he will be included in a collection. That doesn't seem wrong. Because among us said and kept silent: Standing makes such a machine better than driving.
