Indian Larry's Famous Daddy O

Yesterday I did an article about Jesse Jame's Sturgis Special which was one of the 2 bikes that got me into choppers. The other bike I that got me into Choppers is the late great Indian Larry's Daddy O! Like many I first saw this Bike on Biker Build Off and I fell in love it at first sight.
Overall I think Indian Larry's Daddy O is the best chopper I have ever seen! Its a bike built to perfection. I like how it has the appearance of a hot rod, which The bike was built as a tribute to Ed “Big Daddy” Roth. All the small details on the bike are amazing, their is so much detail on Daddy O that I notice something different everytime I look at.
One of the reasons for this is Larry loved detail and liked to do most of the work himself and make his own parts. He made just about every part from the frame, to the fender, to the gas tank to even spoking his own wheels!  He actually said this while building this bike “Y'know I like a bike to look like a hunting watch, when you open up the back you look in there and its all mechanical and gizmos going on and movement going on, you see a lot of little parts in there. Its more of an art than a science building a spoked wheel. To me it says just elegance. ”
The Frame of Daddy O (and all of Larry's choppers) had to be made perfectly. By Perfectly I mean, when it comes to the geometry of the frame it had to be exactly right so Larry could stand up and balance while cruising.
One of the best features of Daddy O is, the rear Fender. The Fender is actually made out of a Boat Carrier fender! Larry and his crew took a boat carrier fender, cut in half, at a small piece of sheet metal, cut more of it and rear shaped it into the rear fender!
The other main detail you will notice is the mustang gas tank made by Paco. This gas tank's shape fits the 60s stripped down shape of the bike Indian Larry was going for.
Of course the other big Detail of Daddy O is its wild Paint job! Ed “Big Daddy” Roth was a crazy artist who pretty much invented air brushing and also invented a lot of crazy characters like Rat Fink who was created because Big Daddy hated Mickey Mouse.
The Paint Job is done by Robert Pradke of Custom Auto Design. Robert wanted to make it look as 60s as possible so the base coat of the paint is Gold Metal Flake. Metal Flake paint was very popular among hot rods in the 60s, so it fits the theme. The Paint also includes the Gasoline Alley Logo and Indian Larry's name done in gold and silver leaf on the rear fender and true to Ed Roth's style his Character Rat Fink was airbrushed onto the gas tank.
Even though I have said it several times before, I will say it again Indian Larry's Daddy O is the best Chopper ever made! I don't think any chopper come close to the hard work, craftsmanship, attention to detail and art that was put into this bike. It really is a one of a kind motorcycle and I don't think that we will ever see another like it.
Tech Sheet
Year Built: 2003
Builders: Indian Larry, Gasoline Alley Crew (now Indian Larry Motorcycles)
Engine: 88 ci Pandemonium Motor
Frame: Indian Larry Wishbone Rigid
Front End: Indian Larry Twisted Springer
Wheels: Hand Spoked Wheels
Paint: Gold Metal Flake by Robert Pradke of Custom Auto Design

Top 10 Best Choppers!

For the past few years now I have looked for the 10 Best Choppers and I am surprised no one has made a list like this before. I couldn’t find any lists of the best choppers at all I started to wonder why that was. I decided I was going to make my own then since no one else has and while I was deciding and looking for bikes to include I realized why no one has done this yet! Its so damn hard just to choose ten Choppers because there are so many different styles and types of bikes its like finding the hay in the needle stack!

            As for the 10 I have chosen, I can just say these 10 are the 10 best choppers, this is the list of how I felt at the time and I probably will do more lists with 10 completely different choppers later on, since there are so many choppers.

10. Kevin Alsop and Big Bear Choppers- The Athena- Built during Discovery Channels Biker Build Off, the Athena is one hell of a bike! Its all American built by an Aussie! The big looks mean and aggressive, with its fire orange paintjob, devil inspired frames and handle bars that look like devils horns this is one badass bike!

9. West Coast Choppers- Motorcycle Mania Bike- I swear Jesse James and West Coast Choppers are the only people who do not have a gallery and list the names of the bikes they made. Anyway this bike is the one Jesse Build over 10 years ago in Motorcycle Mania.

8. Billy Lane and Choppers Inc- Money Shot- Now this bike has something really unique about it, its rimless! The rear wheel has no rim. Other great things about the bike are the unique handle bars that go downward, the mirror is the silhouette of a hot girl, there is pin striping on the forks and sink knobs for gauge covers. Impressive small detail is what made this bike!

7. Chica and Chica Custom Cycles- Ace- I gotta say I love this bike! The Bike has that classic 50s and 60s look to it. With its black paint job with red white and yellow strips, its low, with short custom forks, has a high up tank, and has that cool bend in the frame that Chica is known for. Making this a nice one of a kind chopper!

6. Ian Barry and Falcon Motorcycles- The Black- Part of Falcon Motorcycles Concept 10 series, the Bullet was built around a 1952 Vincent Black Shadow engine. What makes this bike great is the small details of every part. Just about every part on this bike is custom made and most of them are painted! The Black overall has a bit of a retro future like, it is like an antique art piece that you can ride!

5. Mondo and Denver-Mondo Choppers- 30^th Anniversary Chopper- Built by the Godfather himself back in 2001 to celebrate the 30^th Anniversary of Denver-Mondo Choppers. The bike looks straight out of the early 70s, from the long front forks, to the completely smooth red paintjob (no marks, no bumbs, no welds, nothing all smooth)and straight pipe exhaust all powered by a Panhead motor!

4. Hank Young and Young Choppers and Hot Rods- The Flying Pan- What I really love about this bike is, it looks like an aircraft (that explains the name). I love aircraft and aviation so this bike really stands out to me. Another that will stand out is the fuel tank hangs from the frame rather then being on top of it giving the bike a really unique look. The colors and the paint make me think WWI Aircraft or 20s barnstorming aircraft. The pegs like like they are made from an old machine gun which ads a cool effect to the bike, I actually have heard a rumor somewhere that Hank builds his parts out of old aircraft and car parts! (Which I think is cool)!

3. Indian Larry and Gasoline Alley- Grease Monkey- Built in the 90s by the late great Indian Larry. The bike looks just like a 60s Hot Rod or Gasser, with its candy red paint job, with white flames, the text have that 60s style fonts, the short front forks, and small style gas tank all make this bike look like its right out of the 60s. Also it features Indian Larrys Iconic paint on the transmission belt. The bike is a true Masterpiece!

2. Cole Foster and Salinas Boys Customs- The Beautiful Loser- It’s a Beautiful Winner in my book. It is one of the best motorcycles ever built! Its paintjob gives it a 60s Hot Rod look, which the ribbed fender and fuel tank add to. The “burnt orange” paintjob is flawless, along with the white. Another I really love is the rear fender is not just chopped but its also rounded and smooth giving the whole bike a nice clean look. Overall the Bike is a true Hot Rod.

1. Indian Larry and Gasoline Alley-Daddy O-  If I had to chose one bike in the world that represented what a Chopper is, I have to say it would be Daddy-O by Indian Larry. The Bike is a perfect! Everything about this bike is amazing, from the original gas tank that flows perfectly with the bike, to the perfect cut rear fender, to the custom built frame and forks, to the even an engine that is a Panhead and a Shovelhead in one! The Bike is perfect and it was built as a tribute to Hot Rodder Ed”Big Daddy” Roth! Making it the number 1 bike on our list!

            Like I said before there are way to many choppers out there its hard to say which bikes belong on the top 10 and which bikes really are the best bikes. There will be more Top 10s to come.