nCustom bikes, choppers and bobbers in particular, don't have to cost thirty thousand dollars. A chopper or bobber built at home can be had for less than five thousand dollars. The key is the use of a donor bike for most of the components.

How to Build a Cheap Chopper documents the construction of five inexpensive choppers and bobbers with complete start-to-finish photo sequences presented in full color. Least expensive projects price wise, are the metric bikes - like the Honda and Kawasaki projects documented here. Next up, price wise are bikes built using a Buell or Sportster as the donor.

Check the sequence from Redneck Engineering or Motorcycle Works to see how quickly a Buell can be converted into a simple hardtail. Most expensive, but still damned cheap by comparison with most of today's bikes, is the big twin chopper built in the shop of Dave Perewitz from carefully chosen aftermarket parts. If you're long on desire but short on cash, this is the book to buy.

The first thing you need to assemble that new chopper or bobber is in your hand. Spend twenty-eight bucks on Cheap Chopper and start building your motorcycle.