“Bearing in mind that Alan Oakley came back on November 3, 1968, I’ve got a hub-dated MkI Chopper which is from December 11, 1968. “I’ve got one which nobody has beaten yet,” he adds. Of alloy wheels, so a few came out with steel wheels on them. “768 special edition jubilees were made,” he explains. The holy grail of Chopper collecting, according to Sykes, is a certain version of the special edition Chopper released for Christmas 1976 to commemorate the Queen’s silver jubilee the following year. “Some of them come with pictures of the kid next to the Christmas tree, and some have the original receipt with them showing how much they paid down at Halfords.” Also, since they were handmade in Raleigh’s Nottingham factory, the odd ‘Friday afternoon job’ with upside-down stickers sometimes crops up too. The cult of Chopper even has its own creation myth: the late Raleigh designer Alan Oakley, flying back from a research trip to the US to see the Chopper’s pre-cursor, the Schwinn Stingray, famously sketched designs for the first prototype on the back of an airmail envelope. Raleigh made three ‘marks’ but hundreds of different options three, five and 10-speeds dropped handlebars and a few rarities where the factory had to shift old stock and blended old parts with new. Part of the appeal of collecting Choppers comes down to their sheer variety. I did a deal with a guy in America, for nine MkIIs and four MkIs for the bike.” “The most I paid for one was for a 10-speed, brand spanking new. Raleigh Chopper MK2 handlebars are the most iconic part of the bike and can be found in various conditions, from rusted and in need of some love to those that are nearly brand new.įind brand new replica reflective seat decals in bright colours like red, orange, yellow and blue, alongside other decals to add personal charm to your Chopper.“The most expensive I’ve seen went for over £7,000 and that was a boxed MkI 10-speed still wrapped up in its box,” Sykes adds. This is the perfect base to start your restoration project. Search for a frame with the front forks still intact, alongside the seat clamp and kick-out stand. Youll find blank frames so you can decorate it yourself alongside those with original Chopper decals. Raleigh Chopper MK2 partsīuild your Chopper from scratch and start out with a MK2 frame. Available in a range of colours, like black, silver and the classic red, the Chopper MK2 is truly iconic. An updated T-bar gear shifter sits on the frame in front of the seat. The ape hanger handlebars are taller than standard handlebars whilst the long padded seat with a backrest benefits from spring-loaded suspension to the rear. Taking design hints from Chopper motorcycles, these low-rider bikes feature high handles and a comfy seat. The design of the Chopper is instantly recognisable. Get yourself a Raleigh Chopper bike to remind yourself of your childhood, or get your own kids ones so they can ride around on a timeless bike. Youll find whatever bike collectable youre after here on eBay. You can even find specific parts for restoring a Chopper, from handlebars to the gear system and other Raleigh bike collectables. Throw it back to your childhood with one of these collectable bikes and find models in need of restoration, along with those that only need a new set of tyres. Originally designed in the earlier 1970s, the Raleigh Chopper MK2 is a truly iconic bike. Raleigh Chopper MK2, a blast from the past
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