The Hot Rod Chopper. A Telegraph picture

Darjeeling, Aug. 24: The choppers are back to rock the hills.

As those in love with their mean machines will know, a traditional chopper is a home-built bike that is customised according to the needs and fancies of the owner. Often all excessive accessories, that hinder the bike’s power, speed and looks, are stripped off. The machines are arrayed in a collage of striking colours and stickers made legendary by the bikers of the 60s and 70s.

Steven Dhendup Bhutia, the owner of the Kalimpong-based SJ Choppers, is now ready to roll out beauties for the bikers of the hills. “I have just finished a chopper and I have named it Hot Rod Chopper. I am now ready to start commercial production,” he said.

The 28-year-old computer science student builds the machines himself, though he does not have any formal training in bike designing. “It was my obsession with bikes since my school days at St Augustine’s here that has given me courage to venture into the business.

Bhutia’s chopper is modelled out of a 350cc Royal Enfield and local expertise has harmonised the charms of the “outlaw ride” with the luxury of modern comforts.

“I love the 60-70s era bikes and wanted to make a chopper that reflected the old school of choppers. These are such a welcome relief from those boxy motorbikes that have flooded the mainstream market,” said Bhutia, who does graphic designing for the bikes.

Chopper builders usually style their bikes according to their biking philosophy but Bhutia is ready to shed his preference for the biker’s choice.

While the first chopper cost him around Rs 25,000, Bhutia claims that a chopper can be built for as little as Rs 10,000. “It depends on the needs of the biker and the total time to make it will range from 6 to 12 weeks,” he added.