Easy Rider was a great flick and actually helped perpetuate the two different style choppers seen there, the Long bike (Capt America's) and the bar hopper (Billy's). Both are still built, but it seems the bar hopper is the more popular now days, though you still see long bikes. I think the OP might have been referring to ape hanger bars, but a mere set of those on a bike does not make a chopper. It would take too long to explain the chopper culture, but it did rise out of the post war cycle boom, and the practice of "bobbing" or later "chopping" bikes, usually Harleys to remove all the extraneous stuff, lose weight and improve performance. It later became a styling thing too. Choppers aren't for everyone, but they are a unique American motor art form.

Like it or hate it, it's here to stay. And for those of you who have the snide "big bike, small junk" comments, I imagine that you wouldn't dare say that to a chopper rider face to face. Sounds more like penis, uh bike envy to me.....