I was a H-D mechanic for years and during the chopper craze I was amazed at how easily the public was suckered into buy garbage like Orange County Choppers etc.

@jon-marcodaughtery8868

5 ай бұрын

Just like how people are still suckered into buying garbage H-D.

@jrvane11

5 ай бұрын

@@Gone_huntingg Well done! 😅

@jnizzle7422

5 ай бұрын

@@Gone_huntinggwhat do you ride? I have a Harley but love all motorcycles. Happen to like my bike just fine. Do you or have you owned one?

@1dilligaf

5 ай бұрын

@@jon-marcodaughtery8868 Harleys just got a bad wrap because the jealousy of people who can’t afford them I am still riding a 1994 heritage almost 200,000 miles on it and it has never ever seen a dealership shop. And has never left me stranded on the side of the road.

@garymallard4699

5 ай бұрын

I started on motorcycles in the 70's..even back then anyone with a brain saw how dangerous and idiotic choppers were...and no real motorcyclist owned one.... but car guys did the same stupid stuff to many vehicles too... the last chopper craze was even dumber as they only cared about looks over quality / safety and ride comfort.... it was about .." Look at Me !! "

"Do you still have it?" "Well yes, but check out these real bikes over here..." Perfection.

@MrWolfSnack

3 ай бұрын

I also like how he quietly mumbled and stammered "It's not for the street i never ride it" to the Yamaha racing bike gift. You know he ripped that sucker down the 405 full tilt.

@jeffrey3498

2 ай бұрын

Then he never shows it 🤣👍

@meziahdanieljolley8842

Ай бұрын

He didn't say that... But nice job putting words in someone's mouth. You do that all the time?

@VerticalSound

Ай бұрын

@@meziahdanieljolley8842 He most certainly did. It's at 1:30....and of the first 90 seconds is probably the nicest thing he said about OCC. Maybe watch a video before commneting. Or do you negate that all the time?

@Deadguy2322forreal

Ай бұрын

@@VerticalSound Your use of the word "negate" is fascinatingly incorrect.

I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again: Leno is a mechanic and automobile historian who moonlights as a comedian. And I mean that with much respect to his humor.

@ganktuh

4 ай бұрын

He's not a mechanic, he hires mechanics

@leso204

4 ай бұрын

@@ganktuh: he does know what he's talikng about' and could use tools if he had to but he dont' he gets other guys to do what he wants because he has the money to do so ........

@Mr.Genesis

4 ай бұрын

@@ganktuh yeah cause if he did it a ton of mechanics would be out of jobs*

@dangerous8333

4 ай бұрын

He’s just a guy that does different things. That’s it.

@dangerous8333

4 ай бұрын

@@ganktuhWow…. Yeah, he’s a mechanic. 🤦

I like how he’ll give credit to what’s good. “The motor builder is a good guy. Very nice work. The painter, absolutely. Fabulous. The actual builders of the bike…”

@AndyFromBeaverton

3 ай бұрын

True. Anyone can be a critic. Jay will always point out deserved credit.

@jimwatson1013

3 ай бұрын

We did see that watching the show. The number of fights to get the one bike built "on time" for what is thought of as a show bike....yeah skipping steps and jury rigging just to get it together surely happened

@jacobg6528

2 ай бұрын

Engine*

@kleetus92

2 ай бұрын

@@jimwatson1013 You had 3 barely literate coked out monkey's flinging shit and banging wrenches together, seriously, what did anybody really ever expect?

@jeremyberry9422

2 ай бұрын

​@jacobg6528 why be a pedantic ass? Hang around a shop long enough, and you will hear the words: Motor, mill, powerplant, plant, pot, powerhouse, etc.. to describe the engine. When it is technically none of these.

"They weren't made to go across the Bar"😂 classic Leno line

@cliffordbowman6777

5 ай бұрын

voit ruined Harley for a while. And people didn’t demand American quality any more. That’s what happened to our cars in the 1960’s. And we’re still paying the real cost.

@donmacquarrie9161

5 ай бұрын

😂he still got it! lol

@laleyendadejesus94

5 ай бұрын

😂😂😂

@sergeantmasson3669

5 ай бұрын

@@cliffordbowman6777 AMF Voit was not involved in producing HD motorcycles. 1981, Willie Davidson bought back the controlling shares of HD and booted AMF out. He then revamped the entire HD Corporation.

@greg3030

4 ай бұрын

AMF facilitated the development of the Evo.

Jay tells it like it is. I think he was being kinder than OC deserved.

@donmacquarrie9161

5 ай бұрын

yes-I saw one episode where they cut a notch in the frame to fit the engine in! So much for structural integrity! unbelievable

@edwardgiovannelli5191

5 ай бұрын

Yeah, those bikes were pure garbage. I guess if that's your aesthetic, whatever, but I thought they were ugly. Still see a lot of guys around my little patch of suburban sprawl on their OC Chopper wanna-be's and they look ridiculous... if they hit the tiniest bump in the road - boom... that bike goes right up their a$$es.

@donmacquarrie9161

5 ай бұрын

some of them looked pretty cool...that was a different era for safety though...lol 😂😂@@edwardgiovannelli5191

@Lurch-Bot

5 ай бұрын

'Tacky deathtrap' are the only words suitable to describe OCC bikes. Y'all know you watched it for the soap opera drama.

@tracykingston9668

5 ай бұрын

@@edwardgiovannelli5191 The show was all for "show ". Their theme bikes got to be ridiculous after a few shows. Their "creations " were totally impractical for any length of riding. Maybe for a dude to ride 1 block to the local tavern or A&W so the folks can go "that is sooooo cool " . " You must be one macho dude. " ROFL.

Good for the presenter to give Jay an "out" to soften his stance, but I'm glad Leno held firm on his critique. Those choppers were $100,000 piles of crap.

Jay is a perfect example of following your passion. I wonder what will become of this collection. Thanks to Jay for sharing it with us via KZread.

@SD-pi9co

5 ай бұрын

Jay is a douchebag, let's not kid ourselves.

@JeffKopis

5 ай бұрын

I hope Big Dog Garage is one day The Leno Auto Museum, like the Peterson or the LeMay.

@jaimedeoliveira9216

3 ай бұрын

It will probably become a museum

@martinjrgensen8234

2 ай бұрын

It is already a museum, so my guess is that he has formed some kind of trust that will take over running it as an actual museum, and keep the cars in working and running order.

@kerrylee4633

Ай бұрын

It would be nice to incorporate it with Steve McQueen's collection in a museum.

I love Jay's honesty, no bullshit with him when it comes to vehicles and what a collection he has. Heaven on Earth to be able to afford such a collection as he has. Respect.

@lyleharrenstein7094

5 ай бұрын

yep lol

@NoMoreBsPlease

5 ай бұрын

That collection is paid for out of his Comedy and Car Show hosting! He said he hasn't spent any NBC money!

@Despiser25

5 ай бұрын

Making that much money making jokes is the real problem.

@michiganborn8303

5 ай бұрын

Sean at SRK cycles says the same thing about OCC's. They're garbage.

@raytaylor3077

5 ай бұрын

well he has no family . so he buys stuff. trouble is he has no heir. one day he will be gone and I guess they will make it a museum.

I love how Jay can talk about all of his pieces. True collector’s collector.

@johnnygeorgopoulos4072

5 ай бұрын

I absolutely adore Jay, he's great and has probably the best collection of driving, and driven vehicles of anyone, but he was asked about his Suzuki RG500 and didn't even acknowledge it and instead skipped to that damn Norton 😅🙄 Yes, the Norton is absolutely awesome, super rare and worth a ton and was the fastest bike of it's time, but damnit Jay, the RG500 is a monster in it's own right and we wanted to hear about it from himself.... it's a Suzuki 500cc 2 stroke U4.... not a V4 which is rare, a U4 2t!!! And they're Championship winning bikes!!! 😖

@tnbrfller

5 ай бұрын

The interviewer mentions the 500 Gamma, and Jay casually walks past a Walter Wolf edition... Wow, that was one of the nicest pieces I saw on Camera. Street legal back in the day in Canada.

@stringlarson1247

5 ай бұрын

I was thinking the same thing. It's so cool that he's got this amazing collection and he's out there working on his own stuff.

@ZennExile

5 ай бұрын

you spelled mentally ill hoarder wrong.

@stringlarson1247

5 ай бұрын

@@ZennExile ha. As opposed to the mentally stable hoarder?

I met Jay in 2002 at the Rock Store. He was on his Y2K, and was AMAZING to talk to. Probably 30 min talking about the bike, and even about the swing arm needing welded up from the power. Thanks for being a good person Jay.

@chadwells7562

Ай бұрын

I know a couple dudes who’ve run into him at the Rock Store and out on Mulholland, it’s great that he drives or rides all of his vehicles and doesn’t treat anything like a garage queen

Jay needs to make more videos showcasing his bikes, I could listen to him ramble about them alone in a garage for hours

Listening to Jay bag on OCC was pure gold LOL.

@barryshaw7304

5 ай бұрын

I remember seeing that fire engine bike somewhere and it looked like a death trap! Lol!!! I guess Jay's nightmare was a tonight's show bike if I had to guess it...

Jay is a real car/motorcycle guy through and through. When someone is being real, it translates, and people like it.

@donmacquarrie9161

5 ай бұрын

yeah-he's a unique; authentic individual - I think comedian has to be the hardest profession - "builds character" lol

@novaseline4u

5 ай бұрын

Jeff Beck was like that too. He loved to talk cars, as my music instructor found out first hand, having met Jeff a bunch of times. One of the guys on a car forum that I frequent was hanging at a place where one of Jeff's drummers also was. This guy was a drummer as well, and they got to talking, for quite awhile. He said something like, "If you ever get to meet Jeff Beck, just ask him something about cars. He'll talk your ear off for the next two hours! You better really know something about cars though, because he will see right through you if you don't!". Jeff had worked at an auto body shop for a time, during his youth. He did a lot of the work on his own cars.

@dangerous8333

4 ай бұрын

Other people that like cars and motorcycles aren’t real? 🤷🏻‍♂️

@jackdale9249

4 ай бұрын

Leno is WAAAY lame and a damn liar about Ferrari ! someone that is friends w/ him needs to tell him to STOP his damn lies about " having to buy one or more Ferrari to get a new one" that is total,BS and he knows it ! damn he pisses me off (Ferrari owner F430 spider here ! ) he is a friggin LIAR ! ANYONE can go into a dealer and order, put a $ deposit on and buy a regular production model ! NO hassles! as long as they are still available , being made ! or they could buy one a dealer spec'd and ordered for the dealership inventory ! Or buy one used ! ONLY the limited production, and special models may require having owned some before ! same as Porsche et all !!!! 😇 JAY ! you are a genuine hero to millions of us! MR gear head! PLEASE stop lying about Ferrari ! you know you are WRONG and Ferrari haters use what you said ,your vile missinformation to justify dissing Ferrari's and dealers!

@josephcox2201

3 ай бұрын

I don't like him

The chopper phase was when we went from having engineers design bikes for meatheads to ride, to meatheads designing bikes for engineers to ride.

Jay is just a real car bike guy. Awesome to see him interviewed!

Jay Leno's opinion on all motorized vehicles has my respect. A guy who grew up in middleclass Massachusetts's in the 1960's and worked in a garage, not for the money put for the passion and to be associated with American ingenuity. Love what Jay does; and his collection is pure inspiration.

@greglinsmythe3375

5 ай бұрын

His origins in Massachusetts somehow influences your respect for his opinion? And no one works in a garage for the money.

@rcdogmanduh4440

5 ай бұрын

Andover no less! Would see his dad putting the rubbish barrels out on trash day, he would drive the out with a lawn tractor. They were regular people!

@arcanondrum6543

5 ай бұрын

​@@greglinsmythe3375 Jay Leno comes from a time and a place where people spoke honestly. Too much heat seems to boil that out of... some people. The hourly rate may not all go to the guy turning wrenches but too many shops hire clowns with chips on their shoulders and a high school shop diploma (but we're not asking to get the roof fixed). Young Jay Leno meanwhile, left the auto-shop with less money than he had when he arrived, if he bought himself a soda that day.

@toddgaak422

5 ай бұрын

@@nateg.6187 What a dumb comment.

@LastBastian

5 ай бұрын

​@@nateg.6187 Your comment is pure jealousy.

Jay is totally down to earth. I love that he pointed to the Triumph Bonneville in his collection, which is a bike that is affordable to most. This is the difference between someone who is just wealthy and someone who actually has a passion. You can just see that Jay would just hit it off with anyone who has an interest in bikes.

@mikewurlitzer5217

5 ай бұрын

Never owned a Triumph but always loved how they looked.

@privateer4203

5 ай бұрын

I have owned several restored classic Triumphs, Bonnevilles' in particular...1967,'68 69 and 1970. Pieces of art. @@mikewurlitzer5217

@Pyrrho_

5 ай бұрын

He genuinely loves cars and bikes and doesn't need to impress anyone anymore. He has FU money, and is set for life to do and say what he wants.

@dickjohnson7845

5 ай бұрын

The Bonnie is an iconic bike. I have two Triumphs and every time I talk to a fellow rider older than me, I almost always hear.... yeah I had a Bonneville back in the day, did this and that with it, had a lot of fun. They were very popular bikes at the time and still are.

@Pyrrho_

5 ай бұрын

@@dickjohnson7845 Was impressed with a Speed Twin 1200 I test rode last year.

Being Jay Leno's head mechanic is a legitimate life goal. Dude has a serious collection.

Jay has always struck me as a stand up guy.

@irishguyjg_2ndchancerecovery

4 ай бұрын

He is, yet we got Jimmy Neutron pinning Senior on Leno and vice versa because of a SLIGHt c omment Jay made. It's absolutely ridiculous what this channel just attempted to do to get views, clicks (Revenue) MONEY!!!!! PITIFUL. if I see this guy at Sturgis, Milwaukee, tomahawk, Donnie Smith Bike Show, he's getting my opinion. Stop being one of those guys. Ur acting like your in cycle drag with heels 👠

@utuber1694

4 ай бұрын

I love the pun. Nice going.

@TheRockinDonkey

4 ай бұрын

A stand up guy wouldn't have screwed Conan like he did.

@pmh1nic

4 ай бұрын

@@TheRockinDonkey Two sides to every story.

@TheRockinDonkey

4 ай бұрын

@@pmh1nic Yet he's never told his "side". I wonder why...

Jay spoke the truth! Choppers are really gimmicks. Dangerous gimmicks!😂

@mattskustomkreations

5 ай бұрын

I think well-designed, well-built choppers are awesome. OCC just put out overpriced, overhyped crap.

@tinman7130

5 ай бұрын

that ignores the reality of physics @@mattskustomkreations

@swede910

5 ай бұрын

You simply have NO clue, most "americans" don't have a clue. Just the notion that they're dangerous is soooo behind! 😂😂😂

@NBSV1

5 ай бұрын

Many choppers are just built to look cool and be something to show up on. Some ride pretty well for what they are. But, nearly all the OCC bikes were static displays that happened to move under their own power sometimes.

@darkdaze3860

5 ай бұрын

Honda Fury, fun ridable chopper.

Well said Jay, I’ve said this about the OCC bikes for years. They are just art, they most definitely are not designed to be used at all

@andrewdriver3318

5 ай бұрын

Theyre kit bikes. All the cool bits they dont even make themselves, always send them out for someone else to make and then jus tbolt them on.

@Lurch-Bot

5 ай бұрын

It is only art to someone who has a velvet Elvis hanging on their wall.

@OneFlyingLap

5 ай бұрын

@@Lurch-Bot lol, priceless

@BlakeBarrett

5 ай бұрын

@@Lurch-Bot just because something isn't good doesn't make it not-art. Plenty of bad art is still art. Choppers from the early aughts are rolling sculptures, not really viable motorcycles, nor are they to my taste.

@allangibson8494

4 ай бұрын

Art but not Craftmanship. Craftsmanship is Art that WORKS.

Jay was a great get for the channel! He’s so brutally honest.

Leno's impressive. I enjoy listening to someone who is genuine, honest, learned, and kind.

Thank you Jay Leno, for not worrying about pissing anyone off. Being a motorcycle enthusiast turned motorcycle tech, I have always disliked the whole modern chopper fad. Loud uncomfortable, unreliable and way overpriced statements of excess trash! thank you for your honesty!!!!!!! I am sorry for people who sunk too much money into those rides, only to find out what a piece of $#!+ it is. Also not sorry if someone gets mad at that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@TonyRule

5 ай бұрын

Choppers are meant to be lightened, cut down versions of production bikes. I always considered the whole custom ground up chopper thing to be utterly ridiculous with the priority of form over function - which goes against every principle of good automotive engineering.

@markdittbenner9949

5 ай бұрын

It's the truth they were all ridiculous pieces of garbage

@tracykingston9668

5 ай бұрын

@@mementomori4972 Better stay in Europe then, pardner. Cheers, mate.

@mementomori4972

5 ай бұрын

@@tracykingston9668 You couldn't pay me enough to work in the US. The quality of life is just not at western European standard. Good luck mate.

@tracykingston9668

5 ай бұрын

@@mementomori4972 The Bribem family loves it in the USA. It has to be good. What is the better country in Europe ? Cheers.

My boss is friends with Jay…..and got Jay to autograph a picture for me for a Christmas gift, and he put a comment about my specific car I own…..he just seems so genuinely kind and obviously a true gearhead!!!

@yamoo5114

2 ай бұрын

Well I gotta know. What car do you have?

@randallfranklin2548

2 ай бұрын

@@yamoo5114 it’s just a 72 Chevelle.….but the joke is it had an electrical issue for about 3 months that I just didn’t take care of…..and Jay signed the picture and said….Hey Randy, fix your damn car!! To me it’s a super cool gift, from a good boss!!!

@nkw1985

Ай бұрын

@@randallfranklin2548 - That's funny...it's personalized with a both a joke and a jab. Very cool.

I used to watch OCC when it first started and when it was about making crazy design bikes. But when watching them getting wired up they really didnt look like they were getting done properly and Jay just basically told us.

I just so enjoy listening to Jay talk and reminisce about his passion. Good stuff

As an Australian I had the pleasure of running into Jay in one of his old cars years ago while I was riding my streetbike in the hills of L.A. We had a long chat about everything car/bike. Good fella, thanks for your time Jay 👍🦘

@BoingoCat

5 ай бұрын

Did anyone get hurt?

@Robochop-vz3qm

5 ай бұрын

@@BoingoCat after I 'ran into ' Jay we both parted ways with no injuries. 🤣

@johno9507

3 ай бұрын

Not much beats Glendora Ridge Rd in the LA hills...except the Old Pacific Highway out of Sydney...on 4 wheels, not 2. 🙂🇦🇺

Jay is really a down to earth guy. Living in Burbank it is common to see him driving one of his cars or riding a bike around town. He's always friendly when you see him and chats for a minute if he can.

@WernerRachtman

5 ай бұрын

I watched him growing up, every night for probably 10 years 😂

@SD-pi9co

5 ай бұрын

@@WernerRachtman Then you watched him cheat Conan O'Brien who is much more talented anyway.

@TheGyronator69

5 ай бұрын

@@SD-pi9cobeing a shark in your professional life doesn’t mean you can’t be a good, caring person in your personal life.

@HarryBuddhaPalm

5 ай бұрын

@@TheGyronator69 Yeah, it kinda does. If he were the "nice guy" he pretends to be, he would've wished Conan luck and moved on to something else instead of fucking the guy over.

@SD-pi9co

5 ай бұрын

@@TheGyronator69 It's the same person. A spade is a spade.

Almost 2 million views congratulations big guy your doing it , from backwater drag strips to some of the most beautiful collections you really keep motorcycling alive!!

@opiumtrail7032

3 ай бұрын

you're*

Leno is a true class act. Can never get enough of his charisma and charm. I bet he was so much fun to be backstage at all the comedy dives he would go to. Seinfeld said Leno is the GOAT. I hold that opinion in a high regard. ♥from Canada Jay

I have to be honest. I was never a fan of Jay Leno when he was on TV. But getting to know him as a car guy, a motorcycle guy and as a collector i Have nothing but 100% respect for that man , and man Does he have some beautiful beautiful toys

@cobracommander9138

5 ай бұрын

Jay has always been a car guy and he would often find a way to get some cars on the show or when he talked about cars you could tell he knew what he was talking about.

@MorganOtt-ne1qj

5 ай бұрын

Jay was the last late night host worth watching, until Gutfeld.

@mjb2093

5 ай бұрын

Couldn't agree more......I honestly thought he sucked as a comedian, but I totally respect his vehicle knowledge.

One thing a lot of people aren't mentioning on here, is that Jay can also WORK ON most of his stuff. I love that he has such a "blue collar" mentality when it comes to his collection. He's not afraid to tear into one of his Lambrghini's if he feels the need. And I got a chuckle when he was asked in a previous episode, why he didn't have any Ferraris in his collection. lol He took a jab at them too.

@paulwoodman5131

5 ай бұрын

Not too crazy about Tesla either.

@sheild1117

5 ай бұрын

You’re just assuming that most people don’t know that Jay works on his cars and bikes.

@spartanx169x

5 ай бұрын

@@sheild1117 You are just assuming most people do know. People seeing Jay in this video for the first time would have no idea he works on his own stuff.

@reno8122

5 ай бұрын

​@@sheild1117....I'm also assuming that you're a clown.

Jay seems like an incredibly genuine person

A man who knows exactly what he is talking about. What a gentleman, fantastic rider, driver and a collector. What's not to hate. Respect. Mr Leno.

Jay is a national treasure. He has done a hell of a lot for a ton of people that is never mentioned or talked about by him, and has asked for almost nothing in return. He's just a wonderful man. Greetings from AmishLand, PA

@tims8603

5 ай бұрын

He''s really rich but humble and he cares about truth and honesty.

@thomastarkanian8980

5 ай бұрын

AmishLand? Jay has a Amish buggy with a blown 502 in it! Still has carriage tires on it!

@frankcastle5294

5 ай бұрын

Probably 799 HP more than the 1HP real buggies we have here. @@thomastarkanian8980

@frankcastle5294

5 ай бұрын

Yes he does. Met him at PA car show several years ago....dealt with his bike mechanic several times....have 2 friends that know him pretty well. He's simply a wonderful guy in all regards and rightfully so, you'll never hear anything detrimental about him.@@tims8603

@sidermotorsports

5 ай бұрын

I don't know if you seen the drama with the Dodge demon 170, the military guy and everything, but some shit went down, Dodge is fixing it personally, and Jay Leno is going to have the delivery at his place for the guy. Such a cool dude.

This is purely Jay being gracious and humble. Even when he holds the stickers up proudly. What a cool guy!

@ps3shakes123

5 ай бұрын

handing jay decals was really inappropriate and cringe-worthy. jay was a good sport though.

@_Cheko_

5 ай бұрын

Hey Paul I love your channel

@pauloconnor7951

5 ай бұрын

Ah but has he got an "Ichiban" sticker ?!!!

@_Cheko_

5 ай бұрын

@@RepentandbelieveinJesusChrist. tldr

@DSAfgv

5 ай бұрын

@@ps3shakes123 Totally inappropriate and downright disrespectful.

Jay Leno is an absolute gem! just a great human being who is a car and bike enthusiast to the max!

Man... Jay really knows his stuff!! Dude is CRAZY SMART!!! And he looks good.

Thank god Jay's fully recovered from his accident. Love the man and what he's all about.

@GNXperimental

5 ай бұрын

He had two if I recall almost back to back. One where he set himself on fire working on a steam car. The other he lost control of a bike.

@mokokawi

5 ай бұрын

Amen 🙏

@morbidmanmusic

5 ай бұрын

God has nothing to do with anything.

@nervotica7991

5 ай бұрын

​@@morbidmanmusic- you'll SOON find out.

@bobjohnson205

5 ай бұрын

@@nervotica7991 So will you! lol

finally something I can agree with Jay on. the tuttles were massive part installing hacks.

@grinchthreeseventyfour5096

5 ай бұрын

Every episode of OCC I watched, they just pulled new parts out of boxes and bolted them on. No design skills required.

@Krulgrafix

5 ай бұрын

@@grinchthreeseventyfour5096I’m not sure about the design part. They can be built bad but Jr had great design sense

@orlandominichiello

5 ай бұрын

Agree, I would only ride a factory stock bike to begin with never a custom unless cosmetics only. We deal enough with staying alive.

@timprescott4634

5 ай бұрын

As was every other part slapper togetherer from that dismal period…

@just-incase3483

5 ай бұрын

All motorcycles are a waste of money and resources.

If I had the chance to spend a day with ANY celebrity, it would be Jay Leno.

Really respect Jay Leno's opinion and living in Southern Nevada plus from time-to-time over on business in Southern California, have heard the same thing about Orange County Choppers from those who ride. Thanks CD for a great overview on his bike collection!!

I worked in a bike shop during the chopper craze. We did not build bikes we just repaired. I was amazed how poorly some machines were built. Also the value of those things just tanked. There was one rider who bought a custom chopper and he told us he paid close to 50k for this machine and he could not even sell it for 10k.

@dudleydriller

5 ай бұрын

Thats everyday all the time for many years now

@KCadbyRacing

5 ай бұрын

Same here. We had the Snap-on chopper a the shop I worked at and I dyno tuned several other "builders" bikes as well (including the 'magazine cover' Hieroglyph Blower bike). Knee draggers and road racers always ask why I 'ruined my bike'(s) by lowering and extending them for drag racing but that's nothing compare to fat tire bikes (let alone choppers)...

@RKDriver

5 ай бұрын

A friend got one, not an OCC but some custom built that was bright yellow with flames. It would blind you in the sun and he paid around 32k for it. I don't think he rode it more than 10 times and tried to sell it a few months later but couldn't find any takers. I believe he eventually got around 14k for it. The OCC chopper craze was dying off quickly. I think by 2007 it was nearly dead even though the show was still airing.

@hdvictoryford5329

5 ай бұрын

When OCC was at the height of popularity, we took a ride to see the place and look at the bikes. We also went to Jr's place, and where Cody was working. And like Jay I was shocked at the poor quality of the work. Especially the welding on the customs. The paint for the most part was flawless. The custom do dads just looked out of place and made little sense for the build. You really had to look to find something I would call a great bike. When we came back home a local dealer had a Bourget, forgive the spelling, and it was worse. The owner of the shop ask me what I thought about the bike. I did not answer, he said he felt the same way. What poor workmanship and people were paying over 100K for these bikes.

@REVNUMANEWBERN

5 ай бұрын

Typically HOW FADS go

What always killed me, was how the only custom things on the bikes were SOME of the fuel cells & eventually the wheels & some decorative pieces when they got a C&C machine. They had the nerve to call taking a bunch of prebuilt pieces they had laying around & bolting then to the bike, building “custom” bikes.

@johnmoore8067

5 ай бұрын

Yeah the whole show was basically them "designing" something, ordering a bunch of stuff fabbed up by others, drama about what would come in in time, then migging the shit on a frame. Guy I work with was a biker guy. We've been in the welding biz for decades. He saw some of their bikes on display one time at Sturgis. He said the crap welds OCC did on those bikes was hideous. I wasn't surprised to hear that.

@jaceacekalgoorlie

5 ай бұрын

Glorified kitsets.

@Slugg-O

5 ай бұрын

I tried to like the OCC show but gave up. I couldn't stand the bickering, although I get why the old man was always pissed off. He had an immature son who thought he was the only one smart enough to use Crayons. I never saw them build a single bike, but I did see them assemble several after paying someone else to paint the tin and deliver parts to match Paul Jr's "vision." IMO, the best bike builder ever was Indian Larry. He stayed true to the chopper tradition by reaching into a pile of iron and pulling out a bike. J James is good. I don't care for his arrogance but he can build a bike.

@Mibootcamps_getfit

5 ай бұрын

It is hard to deny most of these "custom" choppers were simply JC Whitney catalog builds.

This is why they have always been called “cake decorators” in the bike world. They make a badass looking bike that can be displayed somewhere. None were ever intended for riding. Some don’t even have seats. Most have no suspension.

I think he was describing the gyroscopic effect of the supercharger.

Such a genuine man with a big heart for his fans and loves his hobbies .

thanks jay for being straight up!

Love th interview with Jay L, Relaxed Leno in his element !

I love Jay Leno. Always such a friendly guy in interviews. And like many here in LA, I’ve seen him several times riding around in his cars on Ventura Blvd. or in Burbank and he’s always been extremely friendly to anyone that notices him. Pure class and the last of the great late night hosts.

@1eljugo

5 ай бұрын

Who CAN'T notice him in a 1935 firetruck!?!? Haha!

@donmacquarrie9161

5 ай бұрын

the last....that's true. :(

Thanks Jay for always keeping your garage doors open for us enthusiasts.

I hope who ever get Jays collection keeps it in tact it is amazing

Jay is the best ...thanks CycleDrag

2:43 gyroscopic effect of the rotating mass within the supercharger. What a sensitive rider, knows the right feel, you go Jay!

@Roybwatchin

5 ай бұрын

Bingo, was thinking the same thing.

@Andrew-nh5zg

5 ай бұрын

I was thinking the H2 isn't the only Kawi to feel top heavy. I've got a Concours 14. It feels top heavy as well as does the Vulcan S when compared to a Yamaha Bolt or even a H-D Sportster.

@jerrykinnin7941

5 ай бұрын

I've never ridden a street bike only trail/dirt. I've heard streets are top heavy.

@gabrielg8826

5 ай бұрын

Gyroscopic procession, same principal in how attitude indicators in airplanes work

@mrb.5610

5 ай бұрын

I wonder if it goes round left hand corners differently to right hand ones !

2:59 Would have liked to hear Jay given an opportunity to expand on why the Chief was hysterical. His facial expression indicated there was a good story there IMO.

Jay knows things. Jay speaks the truth.

Mr Leno is a man of his word. Even after so many decades in TV he never became a TV clown like the OCC family .

OCC built show bikes and even Paul and Jr. had to admit in one episode that making the bikes road worthy wasn’t always a consideration.

@pauldelaney5990

5 ай бұрын

If it's not safe to ride, you're just wasting metal.

@KCadbyRacing

5 ай бұрын

And the buyer/owner's $$$,$$$@@pauldelaney5990

@FinkNZRat

5 ай бұрын

Making them rideable or good looking obviously wasn't a priority either. What heaps of rubbish.

@leftyo9589

5 ай бұрын

they had a hard time just getting them to run.

@jnorth5689

5 ай бұрын

Jays jet bike isn't even practical to ride a long distance. He must have something personal against occ

This isn't the first time I have heard less than favorable things about OCC. another KZreadr Bikes and Beards, had issues with a bike that he had gotten OCC. and this shows that Jay Leno isn't a bullshitter. and he always gives everyone his honest opinion. thanks again Jay Leno.

@user-uy9gp3rm7e

5 ай бұрын

I saw that video. They all were made for looks and not function. I didn't even like their hokey looks either.

@user-us5it8bq9w

5 ай бұрын

@@user-uy9gp3rm7e That's true, as the show went on they got more gawdy. and went away from traditional looking motorcycles.

@edwardgiovannelli5191

5 ай бұрын

Just from a physics perspective, those bikes could never be good to ride. The frames and forks were so exaggerated and streatched out that they'd be flexible as hell... they might as well have welded a big hinge right in front of the swingarm pivot. And those comically huge back wheels... LOL don't get me started!

@Lurch-Bot

5 ай бұрын

I saw that episode. Was hardly surprised. I watched a lot of their episodes, particularly when I was going to aviation maintenance school. If I were the type to scream at the TV, I would have been hoarse most of the time. But I didn't watch it for the bikes, I watched it because it was a soap opera for men. Hilarious watching a bunch of grown men act like children.

I am a 23 ase master tech. And I have not worked 1 day of my life. I also restore vintage metric motorcycles as a hobby but now it's more of an obsession owner over 70 of them. Still doesn't even feel like work. I love it.

Jay Leno is awesome. Different breed from a different era.

If Leno says it's crap I believe him.He is a serious motor head and collector.

@PaulHarris-sl1ct

5 ай бұрын

Truly. Did he make it onto "Top Gear"? If he did I missed that episode.

@andreiionescu205

5 ай бұрын

​@@PaulHarris-sl1cthe was on top gear

@krusher74

5 ай бұрын

"He is a serious motor head and collector" i'm glad you are the first to notice and point that out.

@wannabecarguy

5 ай бұрын

​@saltymember1062Jay doesn't understand trail and rake. Or SAI. But he's a nice guy.

@TheJoeyboots

5 ай бұрын

@saltymember1062 Not a fraud. Listen to his knowledge. He is a collector who does work on engines. He does not say he is a master mechanic. Why so spiteful? Your collection is minimal?

Thank you Jay, been tired of hearing how great they are when they were not.

Very good video. I watched OCC for the entertainment value. I often thought that the bikes they made were junk. Leno’s opening remark says it all.

What an incredible collection. He shops at the same Italian store I do and I always know when he is there because there will be an exotic collectors car in the parking lot.

I bought the Norton 850 commando because, as Jay said, it was the fastest production bike you could get. That motorcycle didn't disappoint. I drove it from San Francisco to Orlando and back. I was stationed in San Diego and I drove it home to SF every weekend.

@arthurbrumagem3844

5 ай бұрын

The Norton was a great bike. Rode one with my brother in law decades ago, 120mph plus on the white line. Scared the crap out of me

Mr. Leno just gotta love him...

mr leno is a straight talker, i like straight talkers. They talk straight, direct and to the point. Combine that with honesty and its great.

Never was a fan of Leno's late night, but he seems to be a pretty good guy, with a lot of passion for all things motorized.

jay is a class act, very humble and I loved watching the tonight show when he hosted it. I miss his headlines, a great start to the week

As an old fart myself who has seen and experienced more in my long life than I wish to remember. Just live your life with respect for those around you who deserve it and stay away from toxic people as much as you can and enjoy what you have not what you want.

@DavidVanHelden1

5 ай бұрын

As an old fart myself .... I highly respect this truthful comment and put it at the top of my list ....(there is not many of us left anymore who gets it) .... 😀

@ronyeahright9536

5 ай бұрын

i think i read that in a fortune cookie once

@letgo_racing9823

5 ай бұрын

I'm a mid age fart and wanted to say great advice. I'm going to work hard enjoying what I have not what I want. Thank you for that

@billienomates1606

5 ай бұрын

Indeed brother and we are dying at an alarming rate for those that believed the governments promises on how great the covid vaccine would be. I for one, being cynical of anything the government says did not take it.

@DavidVanHelden1

5 ай бұрын

@@billienomates1606 I myself do not believe in experimental jabs ...I new from the start they used the flu as a financial weapon against us ...

Jay appreciates craftsmanship and mechanical prowess both of which were absent on all OCC bikes. Cool dude.

I too remember when those campy choppers out of Orange County were getting way too much $$$ ... I thought to myself, I'd much rather tour the country on a brand new Honda Goldwing for probably less money.

I love how Jay just looks like a regular guy, while the other dude looks like his mom did his hair for picture day 😂

Jay, 1 of the coolest and down to earth bloke, joy to listen to, forget the money, this guy could talk cars and bikes in pubs and people would listen for hours, a true joy!!,🙏🙏🙏

i’m glad to hear that somebody with some juice mentions the fact that choppers are dead, choppers are dangerous, choppers don’t make any sense, to me it always was worse than owning a boat, which is a hole in the water you pour money in. A coworker of mine spent $45,000 on a chopper back around 2000.. Whoever built, it did, beautiful work, intricate well done paint job, the dimensions, and the set up were proportional not exaggerated.. when I was a Yamaha/Honda motorcycle shop mechanic. There were six other mechanics working there at the same time. We were busy back in the 70s and 80s. A local biker gang brought in a machine that was so long, they had to bring it in and old United parcel tape truck with the back doors removed so the front wheel of the chopper could stick out. The owner wanted an 810 750 Honda single cam motor pop-up kit installed. That was the ideal pop-up at the time for an engine with that stroke, and that much valve area. When the machine was done, none of those mechanics would take it for a test ride… The guy wanted it to have a Pennsylvania State inspection sticker put on it. There’s no way I was gonna risk my license by putting a sticker on that. The guy took the bike as it was, and about three months later he was killed on it, trying to keep up with his friends in the gang. The guy weighed about 350 pounds. That’s why he needed more power to keep up with the 750 Honda’s and the 903 Kawasaki bikes in the club. Turns out he was a fourth grade school teacher/drug dealer on the side. that machine had the longest four tubes I ever saw on any motorcycle/chopper, and it had no front brake.. I actually did not even want to move it around in the shop while it was there.. But let’s not forget, history has a habit of repeating itself. I mean, I never thought that a stock 1973 Kawasaki 903 Z1 would be selling for $25,000. I had one of those, low bars,koni shocks, Center stand removed, 4 into 1 Kerker exhaust.. I was road racing RDs at the time, and I watched all the other classes after my race. Those 903 Kawasaki‘s all went into tank slappers in the same corners at the different tracks. Skinny four tubes, skinny frame tubes, skinny, swingarm, tubing, on wire wheels, that adds up to a tank slapper. but few motorcycles were worse than the original Kawasaki, two stroke triple 500. The worst handling bike I ever rode. Everybody crashed them at the race track, and they did not survive crashes very well, because of how wide the engines were. So consequently, you never saw them for more than a few weekends in a row, they just got destroyed. That’s probably why they are selling for $10,000 and up in stock condition these days… I had one that I bought as a basket case. The guy didn’t put oil in the oil tank, I had it bored , New pistons and rings, I buttoned it back together, and I would not ride it. I knew how horrible they handled. But those 59 hp engines felt fast for the time. Hard to believe that here in 2024, stock 600 cc sport bikes have more than twice the horsepower of the old Kawasaki, two stroke, 500, and today’s bikes will actually go round bends, And you don’t have to touch the engines except to do basic maintenance to get 100,000 miles out of one of them if you ride with any sanity at all on the street..

I’m glad he was honest about it. The entire craze was about garbage.

There's no one better, than Uncle Jay.❤

Jay has an amazing work ethic. He’s worked in some of the biggest sh1t-holes starting out, and he’s never given up. I have immense respect for him. Glad he’s doing well.

Met Jay many times at the Rock Store on Sundays. Hell of a nice guy.

Several years ago, I sold a '39 BSA WM20 and a '52 Ariel Square 4 to a collector in Rhode Island. Both had left hand mounted sidecars, as they were from Australia. I delivered them to RI, and after concluding the transaction, the buyer took me for a tour of his collection and current projects. He went into great detail about the various machines. As we were following the buyer into Providence to have lunch, my buddy who had come with me remarked that this fellow was a lot like Jay Leno, in that he was not just collecting "shiny objects". He cared about the provenance and history. When we arrived at his establishment, we took a quick tour of his 40K square foot "garage" and passed through his office. There on the wall was a huge photo of him and Jay; they had collaborated on restoring a Dusenberg! The only hint I'll give about the buyers' identity is that one of his passions is very old Cadillacs.

Jay is the best. Amongst car people, he is "one of us" and does alot to keep the hobby going. Thanks Jay!

@YoshiYosheda

5 ай бұрын

How is he one of you do you own a car collection too.

Jay Leno is an amazing man. He seems to genuinely enjoy life. That is all one can hope for.

@michaelduffee6402

5 ай бұрын

A family friend was a plant manager for a large corporate entity in Central Texas. He hired Leno to do a corporate event several decades ago, early in his career, they kept in touch and remained friends for years afterward.

@travisreed5609

5 ай бұрын

He should be enjoying life,I would be if I had his opportunitys in life and have the nice things he has....

Cool, so humble of sir Jay to accommodate CycleDrag friends. God bless.

I saw Jay at UWM in Milwaukee way before anyone heard of him. He sat in a chair doing a set. It was not stand up but rather sit down comedy. I would never have guessed how huge he would before. Great Guy. I wondered about those bikes as the did not look ride worthy. Can't blame them for doing the building of stuff you can't actually ride because it is a reality show after all. I only lasted a few episodes.

Small world……we have a local bike collector who owns an OCC chopper and he couldnt say enough bad things about it as well. Spoke highly of the overall design and look but said it is hands down the worst bike to ride on. He said that $90,000 bike he bought is meant to be put in a showroom and never be started.

@RobKaiser_SQuest

21 күн бұрын

I've heard that was OCC's original market, promotional/ aesthetic pieces for business, to park in front of your wings restaurant so kids will want to eat there all the time to see the cool bike, or to bring to trade shows or enter as a float in the Santa Claus parade and make your business more memorable. Sounds goofy but I can see a 60k yard ornament paying for itself over a few years in the right business. They just shot themselves and their clients in the foot when they switched up the marketing to status symbols.

There’s an OCC chopper here on Marketplace marked down to $5K. It’s been for sale there at least 9 months now. They can’t give that POS away. 😂

@Cormano980

5 ай бұрын

5k ? Imagine the beer and prostitutes you can buy with that, no wonder nobody wants that crap

@bobjohnson205

5 ай бұрын

@@Cormano980 And all the Trump rallies you can travel to, too! lol

I really respect Leno for continuing to follow his passion and being a real historian.

Best advice ever from jay. Do what you love

Never watched them , never supported their show , never “bought into” the television BS drama of the entire pile of crap . Never “ knew “ anyone who actually owned one of their bikes ; and never EVER heard Jay bash anyone either ! I was not surprised to hear this ; this testimonial from Mr . Leno was refreshing to hear from someone who doesn’t have to suck up to those clowns .

You just cant replicate the time, energy and passion to collect what Jay Leno has gathered together. Its quite the achievement. Very impressive.

@donmacquarrie9161

5 ай бұрын

Blastolene speciallei 👌

@user-br1cm5gr7e

5 ай бұрын

Most people could replicate that, what you cant replicate is his money.

@omegaplumbing

5 ай бұрын

@@user-br1cm5gr7e Cant replicate one offs.

@PHUCKyoutube689

3 ай бұрын

​@@omegaplumbing No but you can buy them and with his money he can afford it.

@omegaplumbing

3 ай бұрын

@@PHUCKyoutube689 Im comparing the passion he had and what he's built. If you simply purchase a product complete, satisfaction of the journey is not conveyed, in a simple transfer of ownership.

My number one advice for anyone is don't let anyone stop you from doing your best. You don't even realize how surrounded you can become by people who hate it when you are successful, when they are even technically supposed to be "on your side". Family, classmates, friends, coworkers, teachers, coaches, etc. They can be anywhere and will drag you down if you don't ignore them.

"Don't take it seriously. You know if you do what you like, it's not work. And then you are doing what you like to do." I served in the military and love most of it. Now I am out and have my pension, and am a full time KZreadr and have started my own advertising business (basically I have an ad business that uses the KZread channel). I am happy and proud to have served, but I am my own boss now and love every second of the "work" that I do because I have fun doing it.

Glad to see him in good health and great spirits!

Hand it to Jay... a man who has accomplished great success. He is and always has been a "every day automotive enthusiast".enthusiasts.. who regardless of his "stardom" . He and Tim Allen both know what they are talking about. He relates to the guy who works in the garage and builds hot rods. He just speaks plainly and honestly. On top of it all he is humble. Old school and to all the young people who are in the business or want to be in the business... he is an example to look up to.

Giving him decals at the end was probably the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever seen 😂

I'd love to see Jay Leno and Mike Wolfe collab. Both are big bike guys

Jay we miss you on the tonight show we now have 3-4 clowns I can’t watch but still nobody beats Jonny