Annual SATURDAY Efforts

Each year trickles along and its business as usually. Springtime kicks off tremendous volumes of service work that it takes throughout the Summer to catch up on. The Fall comes in suddenly with clients wanting to enjoy those last rides of the year, then they slide their scooters away for warmer weather.

Gangster Choppers is an amazing company that doesn't get a break! The winter is already fully scheduled with "full tilt builds" and heavy customizing action. That's when the necks are raked, Complete bikes torn down for powder coating treatment. Motor rebuilds get pushed of the work benches and onto the assembly table.

There is a magical time though when it is "just right" to catch up on building maintenance. It could be prompted by weather, usually the same  "perfect" temperatures would lend themselves to riding! We were blessed in Richmond, Virginia with two back to back Saturdays just perfect for improvements and cleaning around 216 - the short nick name for The Gangster Choppers Global Headquarters located at 216 Belt Blvd, Richmond, Virginia 23224.

Here is Part 1 of the first Saturday. Again, perfect temps and plenty of help showed up, we cleaned up!

Life In The Ghetto

Life in the Ghetto - you dont buy new tires. Grab up what the rich yuppie scum throws away & run 'em for a few more thousand miles. If they hold air its good to go.

Who Is Curious About The Bikes "The Gangster Choppers 216Crew" Is Currently Building?

I know Gangster Choppers is Internationally known as the guys that turn out super detailed and really ride-able choppers. We have spent basically our entire lives perfecting our trades. Welding, fabricating, machine work, engine building, transmission building, wiring bikes (and hot rods) from scratch. The list goes on and on. What seems the most simplistic chores like mounting and balancing tires turn into a major task for two people when there is show chrome or Powder Coat or Kandy paint involved.
I go to shows (30 plus a year) and I am always asked by fans, "what are you building next" or "what are you working on now". My answers usually seem a little simple, maybe not entertaining enough...lol. But, I am honest and when I answer. I get all wound up and start the drama story about the final product made up of steel, aluminum, Kandy paint, leather, chrome, Nickle plated chains... etc.. and go on about how its a show winner, or gonna ride it to Sturgis.
So keeping all of this excitement under control on a daily basis can be a challenge. My trick is to focus on one (1) item at a time on a build project. Sure there is an overall plan to follow but, if today is the day for mounting a fender then focus on doing that fender a perfect as you can, leave the handlebars alone! Block out thoughts of the air filter design. Focus on one thing and knock it out.
The pictures shared here is a little 883cc Sportster build we are knocking out at 216 Belt Blvd, Richmond, Virginia 23224, home of The Gangster Choppers Global Headquarters.

Everybody Talks Weather Right? Here is 216 Weather

Day to day everyone talks about the weather, the temperatures, rain, snow, sun rise. Why? Cause we are bikers for one and everyday a biker wants to do one thing for certain and that's ride a motor scooter! Here are a collection of photographs taken at 216 Belt Blvd, Richmond, Va, 23224 - "The Gangster Choppers Global Headquarters" Obviously some of these shots are NOT motorbike riding weather. Sometimes its a drag when the snow is piled up, or the rain is flooding Belt Blvd. You know the day is shot as far as walk-in customers but, if we can get to 216 ourselves we open up, brew a pot of coffee to honor our posted business hours. Plus there is always bikes needing wrenching on or fabrication tasks or machine shop chores. Gangster Choppers is very well known all over the world for the TV and Magazine features displaying the custom choppers that wins 1st place trophies. What alot of guys in Japan, Australia, Canada, maybe even Ohio don't realize is Gangster Choppers is the largest independent bike shop in Richmond Virginia. The place where bikers bring their scoots for serious repairs after the "other" shops and/or dealers take advantage of them.

Yeah its good to be a Gangster! 216CREW

No Good If You Don't Use 'em

Cruising the "Doing Time" chopper built by the Gangster Choppers crew. 103" of Shovelhead power will get down & boogie woogie. FTW 216CREW

Dodson Family

Working away on the Sportster dirtbike project. DODSON FAMILY 

BLOOD MONEY runs again!

All it needed was Gasoline & battery, bike was "put away" properly! Drain the gas, drain the carb.

Gangster Choppers - the "Doing Time" bike

Family Biz

John Dodson's Gangster Choppers the "Doing Time" bike

The latest bike to hit the streets from the 216 Crew - the "Doing Time" bike

Gangster Choppers - Home of the Best Damn Bikes Ever Built

John Dodson's Gangster Choppers the "Knob Job" bike

John Dodson's Gangster Choppers the "Chocolate Mousse' bike

Home of the Best Damn Choppers Ever Built

Gangster Choppers the "Junkyard Angel" bike

John Dodson's Gangster Choppers the "Junkyard Angel" is back home at the '216' in Richmond, VA after being on tour at Cyclefest 2013

Gangster Choppers the "Junkyard Angel" Bike

Gangster Choppers "Toxxic"

Gangster Choppers the "Shoot First" bike

Gangsters at work

Gangster Choppers the "Blacky XL" bike

Gangster Choppers "Making My Bones" bike