Els V8 Chopper NOT for sale

[KISS]

I have a wild guess! Els is after a Big Block!

[KISS]

Since Els is a BIG guy,i recommend this.(the one behind BH)

[V8VIRTUOSO]

Hey Wildman how you doing man????? Hello All!

I agree with you wildman. Big blocks are dead in bikes i think. ~These new lighter small blocks like DART are pumping out so much power and torque and keeping the weight down and handling better why do you need a BB. Im a big block guy and love my 502's and 572's etc and used to love my 502 Kannon but i love these DART engiens and cant wait to get one in my next Chopper. My ZZ4 is faster than my 502 so imagine what the DART is like haha. Lovely!!!!!!!!!!
Els Chopper is fucking gorgeous and who ever buys it will be getting one of the most beautiful machines ever built for sure. Cant wait to see Els and Stans next creation!

Cheers All
Jimbo

[Els]

Gents,

Hello and sorry I've been off the site so damn long! I tried to get on last week but it was down (story of my life) and just got in from a kick ass ride, log on here, and look at all this chatter!

My big block days are probably over as far as bikes. Smaller, more streamlined, lighter weight is more my style these days but don't get the impression I'm trashing big blocks...I love them. Snotty, big ass attitude, lots of bragging rights, and awesome torque are all things to be admired. I've never been a Ford vs Chevy, big block vs small block type anyhow. Yes Kim, it could easily be assumed I need a big block to haul my big ass (or more accurately "gut") around the block, ha ha!

Riding David's monsters was a treat and a rush. That much hp (590 & 639 respectively) is about as thrilling as it gets when going to one rear tire and weighing a bit over 900 lbs.

Mike, I don't know if the new Euro "stuff" you refer to is referenced on this site. I better start sniffing around because I haven't seen/heard of anything. Point the way if able please!

David Ward is a trouble making, stir the muck, get you upside down guy! Damn him...just when I was happy as a clam with the new 520 DART chopper and have all the new bike bugs "debugged", he gets me going to sell it and start a new project. Looks like Dave's getting a jump on me but we have some common visions.

Big block - small block....it's all a matter of size and fit. With the chopper having a svelt, streamlined design, emphasis on "less is best" which includes profile, center of gravity, weight, height, bolt on bling, etc, the small block is clearly the choice. Let there be zero doubt that much, VERY MUCH hp, torque, rpm, performane can be squeezed out of a small block. I've yawned for years at the ewwws and ahhhhs people give the Donovans when quite frankly, 600 hp out of 600 ci is well less than impressive. DART is able to easily get 650 hp out of a 434 +/- c.i. motor that runs on pump gas and has much better throttle response and more everything than the big block. Of course someone can take that Donovan and make a nasty monster out of it but it is a BIG motor, BIG bucks, and isn't an appropriate fit for the chopper.

Jimbo, you are right on. "LIGHTER" is the only direction IMHO. I struggled getting good rides out of a 1,300+ lb big block here in the mountains. Constantly scraping metal, constantly needing reverse, not able to effectively carve any of the good roads here. The chopper weighing in at 930 lbs with 500 ft/lbs torque and a "legitimate and verified" 520 hp has been a joy. As Ricky, Chris or any others can testiy, the DART 360 or the ZZ4 or modified Chevy 350 in that dress with that weight makes for an extremely friendly handling performer.

The "project" if my new chopper sells soon, will be 100 lbs lighter. Having 600 +/- hp with a gross weight slightly over 800 lbs (now we're in Harley territory) will be extremely cool...albeit at a price $$$.

I'm going to put the specs and pictures of my '08 V8Chopper w/DART 520 in the classifieds. The bike is new, perfect, under warranty, and extremely beautiful. If you guys would help me network it, I'd appreciate it. I'm not much of a Bike Trader or eBay type and quite frankly, if I don't sell it word of mouth, I'll be infinitely happy to keep it and let David spend all the big bucks, ha ha.

Best regards,

Elliot (a.k.a. "Els")

[Redtro]

Elliot, I put my BH on Ebay and Cycle Trader. The bidding on Ebay only went up to about $29,000 and didn't hit my reserve, but that's what I expected. I used it only because of the world wide advertising and that's the only thing I had in mind when I plunked down my $40.00 for the listing. Be sure to put your contact information on the ad. Cycle Trader is a longer running ad and the pictures are not as good as you can put on Ebay, but in the end, that's where it was sold from. Go ahead and list them on both. Set your reserve on Ebay for the least amount you would seriously take for the bike and don't tell anyone what that number is. Put many good pictures of your bike on your listing. You will get many emails wanting more pictures and asking questions. Respond to all of them. Be sure to state your shipping requirements or lack of them and how you are willing to take payment in your ads. Don't take any overseas cashiers checks. Have overseas moneys wire transfered into your bank acount. It's safe, quick and cannot be reversed. You shouldn't have any trouble selling it. There will be thousands of people looking at it and they wouldn't be looking at those ads if they weren't interested. Good luck.

[Els]

Ricky, I've never been an eBay guy and have heard all the shit about scammers and such so I've just shy away. I've used Cycle Trader before and the online process was pretty quick and easy. Recently sold a BMW and a Gixxer 1000 that way.

I'm only half ass serious about selling the chopper. As you know, took care in giving Stan the exact specs I wanted, was fussy about the paint, went through a number of new bike tweaks, and the bike is just so cool. I just didn't want to go to much trouble or effort to sell. I figure I'll network it through the two web boards and see if within our little community someone pulls the trigger. I'd like that a bunch as I'd then hear what's going on with it.

I feel 100% certain if I still have it by Bike Week '09, and I still entertain doing another, and Stan lets me put a "For Sale" sign on it at Daytona, it will go in a heartbeat. I guess I'm just not serious enough about selling it and spending a bunch of bucks on another to bust my ass with all the dumb ass questions, tire kickers and wannabees at this time.

Thanks for the suggestions and if I get more antsy, I'll follow your lead.

Els

[Els]

UPDATE TO THIS THREAD......

I've pulled the classifieds and decided not to sell my chopper. In spite of "Bad David" (my new name for Mr. Ward) dangling the almost irresistable bait of another 100+ hp and carving another 100 lbs off the chopper, I'm going to stay put. I kept asking myself is 520 ponies (for real, not BS claims) and 930 lbs such a bad thing, ha ha. The answer is; "no, the chopper 100% kicks ass just as is."

Thanks to those who contacted me with inquiries and/or interest. I really love everything about this bike and it just didn't make sense (or cents) to bail after having had it built so recently, being so proud of it and thoroughly enjoying it.



Elliot

[V8 Perv]

Elliot, How could you shave nearly 100 pounds off a V8 chopper?
That just seems nearly impossible to me.

I agree that David Ward is a serious troublemaker.
He has only cost me 50 grand so far but is still trying
to convince me to buy a chopper bike. He called
me about your bike a while back and I will admit
I gave some serious thought to what your bike
and my trike would look like sitting together in
my garage.

[Geezer]

Ok, that's it...............................................

No more beer for Dave Ward...........

[Els]

Elliot, How could you shave nearly 100 pounds off a V8 chopper?
That just seems nearly impossible to me.

I agree that David Ward is a serious troublemaker.
He has only cost me 50 grand so far but is still trying
to convince me to buy a chopper bike. He called
me about your bike a while back and I will admit
I gave some serious thought to what your bike
and my trike would look like sitting together in
my garage.

Man oh man, that bike next to your trike?....you would have had the garage that would be THE envy of all men. That paint, those motors, 2 and 3 wheel V8Choppers......! You wouldn't even have to ride. You could just go out and stare .

The 100 lbs (+/-) would be the result of an aluminum block vs iron. Although that weight is significant, it wouldn't actually be that big a deal when considering the hp, existing weight of not much above 900 lbs, and overall performance. That motor on the chopper now is as ample and thrilling as one needs.

Els

[KISS]

Man oh man, that bike next to your trike?....you would have had the garage that would be THE envy of all men. That paint, those motors, 2 and 3 wheel V8Choppers......! You wouldn't even have to ride. You could just go out and stare .


Els,i agree! But you forgot that somewhere in the garage is also a Big Block BH trike reminding of the time when engines
were BIG and beautiful ! WOW !

[Els]

K,

That's true...I had forgotten about the 502 trike. Ron may be mad at it though. As I recall, that big block was frustrating him at the track running consistent low 7's . Hey, a Triumph Rocket III will run low 7's all day long at the 1/8th mile track . Then he puts that lil' ol' small block DART trike out there and almost right off the bat starts running mid 6's . Hmmmm......

E

[V8 Perv]

K,

That's true...I had forgotten about the 502 trike. Ron may be mad at it though. As I recall, that big block was frustrating him at the track running consistent low 7's . Hey, a Triumph Rocket III will run low 7's all day long at the 1/8th mile track . Then he puts that lil' ol' small block DART trike out there and almost right off the bat starts running mid 6's . Hmmmm......

Els, You have a very good memory reguarding my Big block trike.
If I could turn back time I would have left it just like Niel Weber
had it. I still believe a Big Block Boss Hoss trike is a very cool
ride but if you want to be able to spank the little bastards on
the Jap crotch rockets the Hoss just won't get it done. The
day I took my chopper to the Eddyville dragway and blew
a GSXR and Hyafuckingbusa in the weeds was more fun
than this old man can describe. Just to see the look
they had after getting beat by a 50yr old grandfather on
a trike was priceless.

[V-MAN]

E -

That is a SWEET chopper you got ... glad to see you decided to keep her! Hopefully I'll be able to make Daytona this year and see it in person. I think Stan is doing a great job on the builds and I could see buying one of his bikes in my future. Ask him or David about my "custom jeans" from Myrtle Beach ... I think Stan felt guilty, he gave me a hat!

Don

[Els]

Don, if past experience is a teacher, I suspect the custom jeans may have something to do with headers?! BTW, how did I miss you in Myrtle this past May? I was there pretty much the whole week and spent quite a bit of time with David & Jerry at the trailer.

In any event, thanks for the kind words about the Chopper. I love mine big time.

Getting ready to put up a thread on Daytona. Not being in SW Florida these days, I can relate to your situation although you're not still in Maine right? We had 5" of snow and it hasn't gotten out of the teens for the last 2 days. Bike is in Ft. Myers .

Elliot