Tech & Auto
Whatever Happened To Orange County Choppers?
By RICHARD SACHEK
"American Chopper" aired from 2002 to 2012, and followed the Orange County Choppers as the company built custom motorcycles for their high-profile clientele.
While business seemed to be booming, the Great Recession of the late 2000s hit Orange County Choppers hard as customers cut back on their spending.
This financial stress created a personal and monetary rift between owner Paul Teutul Sr. and his son and business partner, Paul Jr., who left to form his own company.
In 2013, the company was the subject of a reality show once again in Country Music Television’s "Orange County Choppers," though it only lasted one season.
After several years, "American Chopper" was rebooted in 2018, catching fans up on what had transpired for the Teutul family off-camera over the past several years.
Following the show’s conclusion, OCC faced financial woes again due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Teutul relocated the business from New York to Florida.
With the financial backing of Flordia businessman Keith Overton, the Orange County Choppers Roadhouse & Museum opened in the summer of 2021.