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American Chopper 5

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

For the uninitiated, American Chopper revolves around two men: the moustachioed Paul Teutel and his sons, Paul Jr and Mikey. Their family business involves building mean-looking custom motorbikes, but personalities often clash as they struggle to finish their jobs on tight deadlines.

This instalment showcases some particularly shameless product placement: Paul Sr and his employee Jason are creating a huge bike for Craftsman Tools, while Paul Jr sets about building one for Die Hard Batteries. While Sr has so many ideas for his bike that he overwhelms Jason, Jr struggles to think up a tough enough design.

The episode isn't just about the challenges of constructing a kick-ass bike: the family heads off to South Africa to explore the local biking culture, where they're welcomed with open arms by roaring crowds. Sr is especially pleased when he takes a wildlife safari with his boys and encounters his favourite animal: the rhino.

American Chopper is cleverly edited so that it's macho without laying the testosterone on too thick. Even non-revheads can enjoy this one.

American Chopper airs on the Discovery Channel on Thursday, August 21, at 7:30pm.

Sam Downing, August 2008

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