The wind is blowing at your face. It cuts you slightly, but you don’t mind. You go even faster, just to spite it. After all, you’ve been taught how to act atop a trusty chopper, haven’t you? You know how to enjoy the freedom of the open road and the limitless perception of that horizon in the distance as you ride your chopper.

We probably all have different reasons why we love choppers, but we can definitely celebrate a few images that will remind us why we fell in love with them in the first place. So, grab the leather jacket and the bandanna, and let’s ride through the list, shall we?

15 The New Trendsetters

via Pinterest

These gentlemen cannot be forgotten. Because at the turn of the century, when the mainstream world had just about forgotten about the chopper and all it represented, these men were ready and willing to remind it. Choppers weren't just a thing of the past. They were something to be cherished. Like the priceless exhibits in the greatest of museums around the world, choppers are art too. And these men sure revitalized everyone's interest in them.

14 Something To Be Admired

via hdforums.com

Choppers aren't merely a way of getting from point A to point B, so to speak.; they're things to be admired and cherished. That's why you don't beat up a chopper with a difficult, bumpy ride. You take care of your bike, just the way you'd take care of a horse in the Wild West.

13 "Captain America"

via Hemmings Motor News

We're obviously not talking about the Marvel superhero. No, we're talking about Peter Fonda's chopper in Easy Rider (more on that film in a tad) - talk about defining a generation as a whole. That film didn't only do that but it also inspired many to get on the road, so to speak. Of course, it didn't end all that well, but still, what a ride!

12 On The Road With Dean And Sal

via hogtech.com

It was in 1957 that Jack Kerouac published On The Road. The novel spoke in glorious detail of how characters Dean Moriarty and Sal Paradise embarked on a seven-year journey on the road.

But just how awesome would their adventures have been atop some pretty incredible choppers like the ones shown here? Funny how the bikes shown are riderless, eh? Perhaps old Dean and Sal took that trip after all.

11 Things Just Look A Little More "Classic" In Black & White

via pinterest.com

Simpler times? Perhaps. But it's funny how we think that the generations before us had it better. Or is it just human nature? Regardless, shots like these actually make us want to have lived through those times ...maybe even been fortunate enough to ride some of the earlier bikes and choppers that graced this Earth.

10 A Stolen Glance

via hdforums.com

You know those moments in a conversation when you just can't pay attention. You like and respect the person you're speaking with, but there's something off in the distance that just caught your eye. In this case, it was the epic chopper just sitting there regally among the tall grass. Take note of the dude in this picture. He can't help but stare at the mechanical beauty dressed in purple.

9 The Biker Clubs

via reddit.com

Although they were definitely "bad boys," we couldn't have helped being influenced by the boys in the leather jackets tearing up the highway. Besides, it was in films like The Wild One, starring Marlon Brando, where we learned just how cool it was to be bad.

Maybe too, it was in the power they exuded as they rode down the highway, or perhaps the devil-may-care attitude they gave off. Who knows? We just know it was cool.

8 A Picture Worth A Thousand Words

via pinterest.com

That may be one heck of a bicep curl that guy is doing, but we're more impressed with the bike. A spectacular shot, though. All kidding aside, the man in the photo is Randy Smith - a famed custom bike builder of some notoriety.

7 Jeff McCann

via hemmings.com

If you don't know the name, then perhaps you should. The work that this man put forth is definitely worth remembering. Jeff McCann was a custom chopper painter and chopper builder. The image shown here is one of his greatest creations, and there are indeed many. Perhaps he is less known to the general public. But like any great artist, his work lives on, even after his passing.

6 The Modeling Industry

via rabalder-mc.com

Therein too lies something else that the custom chopper and motorcycle community can be thanked for. The modeling industry was immensely helped by the automotive industry as a whole. It actually gave the modeling photographers quite the backdrop for their subjects to stand before. And such photography has sure grown in scope over the years.

5 We've Come A Long Way

via www.pinterest.com

Not only where the aforementioned Teutul family the trend-setters for the new millennium (as far as choppers were concerned), especially so were their designs. Their bikes spoke for themselves. But it was when Paul Jr. branched out on his own that his true genius was unearthed. Pictured here is his famed Anti-Venom Bike. A piece that definitely made us fall in love with choppers all over again.

RELATED: 10 Wild Facts You Didn't Know About Choppers

4 A Shadow In The Night

via Pipeburn.com

A shadow indeed. That's a pretty good name for this chopper if we can say so ourselves. Especially considering the way it shines in the moonlight of that dimly lit street.

The shadow sits atop the lonely night road. It waits for its dark rider to return. Okay, we know very well that it's a set, but stay with us. We're trying to establish a mood here. Nevermind. We're sure you get the point.

3 A Look Back

via pinterest.com

Wherever a rider is going, there's always that important look back. That telling moment that speaks of how frustrating and maybe even dangerous the road behind him or her has been. In this image, those feelings show on the rider's face. Regardless, he's ready for more. Onto the future and whatever that road ahead brings with it.

RELATED: 10 Sons Of Anarchy Inaccuracies About Motorcycle Gangs

2 The Bike ...Or The Lady?

via babesrideout.com

There's that old backdrop we talked about before. The motorcycle sitting in the field by the tree. In this image, the model is looking off in the distance. And yes, the desired effect has been achieved. "That was a long, hard road I've been down," she's saying. But all of us watching know that the steed she sits atop is ready for more. True of choppers everywhere...

1 Epic Characters

via Little White Lies

Okay, we know that there isn't a chopper to be seen in this image, but please bear with us, as the men pictured are just as important. After all, they were responsible for bringing the world Easy Rider.

RELATED: 10 Hollywood Actors Who Are True Motorcycle Club Material

Even Paul Teutul Sr. has said that the film inspired him to get into riding and building choppers. Dennis Hopper (on the right) wrote and directed the film and also starred in it. While, on the left, we can see Peter Fonda who produced and starred in the movie as well. If you haven't watched it yet, do so. It is a classic.

NEXT: 15 Rules Motorcycle Club Members Need To Follow

 

Sources: Wikipedia.org, Hemmings, Facebook