Do you like bobbers?

[rasta]

Pretty simple question, do you like bobbers? I for one think they're pretty cool and intend to own one sometime in the future. My uncle has a Vulcan 500 that he no longer rides, and I plan on cutting it up into a bobber.

[corksil]

No.

In GTA4 they were the bikes you'd hijack so you could find a dirtbike or sportbike.

Merely transportation, something to ride during a rebuild or before finding a performance machine.

I asked a group of bikers smoking cigarettes outside a bar late one night as I walked past..... "Hey guys, don't your hands go numb? Being 16" above your heart and all.."

They all gave me dirty looks and started scowling and muttering, so I giggled and marched along on my merry way.

[Kscreations08]

I think Corksil has the wrong impression, as a bobber is what ever you want it to be. Historically, the trend was created by soldiers coming home from the old wars. After ridding the cool bikes overseas, the old harleys and such seemed slow and bulky. Performance mods weren't big like today so they stripped them down to lighten them up, thus making them faster. The ape hangers and big bling isn't a bobber. Over the winter, I will be buying a building a bobber/brat/chopped/rat bike. Bobber is my main design theme but I think with 8 inch twister bars and hot licks exhaust set up. The bars and other extras technically mean its not a bobber. Suzuki Savage maybe. I don't know yet. The sky is the limit!


Custom Bikes Rule!

[corksil]

Perhaps I'm misinformed...

noun
noun: bobber; plural noun: bobbers
a small float placed on a fishing line to hold the hook at the desired depth.

And from wikipedia...
"A bobber is a custom motorcycle that usually has had the front fender removed, the rear fender "bobbed" (made smaller), and all superfluous parts removed to reduce weight."

And listed under "history"
"...style of custom motorcycle, which took shape in the 1940s and 50s, is generally thought to have been started by returning WWII American servicemen working on ex-military motorcycles, and inspired by lighter European motorcycles they had seen and ridden. When bobbers were first created, the intent was not to create a new type of motorcycle or sub-genre, the idea was to keep motorcycles on the road as cheaply as possible."

Interesting facts, I dig it. Why has no one posted pictures? (Of bobbers or boobies.)

EDIT -- as for the later, plz disregard -- this is a 'family friendly' forum. W/e that means.

[Singh2jz]

Only the ones that are done right!

There should also be a maybe option for the indecisive.

[corksil]

Someone should change the original topic title.. "Do you like boobies?"

The thread would get a lot more views and posts.

[rasta]

Originally Posted by Singh2jz

Only the ones that are done right!

There should also be a maybe option for the indecisive.

Ain't no room for indecisiveness in this thread . You either like em or you don't?

[Kscreations08]

Originally Posted by corksil

Perhaps I'm misinformed...

noun
noun: bobber; plural noun: bobbers
a small float placed on a fishing line to hold the hook at the desired depth.

And from wikipedia...
"A bobber is a custom motorcycle that usually has had the front fender removed, the rear fender "bobbed" (made smaller), and all superfluous parts removed to reduce weight."

And listed under "history"
"...style of custom motorcycle, which took shape in the 1940s and 50s, is generally thought to have been started by returning WWII American servicemen working on ex-military motorcycles, and inspired by lighter European motorcycles they had seen and ridden. When bobbers were first created, the intent was not to create a new type of motorcycle or sub-genre, the idea was to keep motorcycles on the road as cheaply as possible."

Interesting facts, I dig it. Why has no one posted pictures? (Of bobbers or boobies.)

EDIT -- as for the later, plz disregard -- this is a 'family friendly' forum. W/e that means.

Spot on for the definition of a bobber bike. Now, the issue still remains. All other custom bikes that don't have an insane rake (choppers) are now being called bobbers. In the right group of people, the topic of bobbers is as dangerous as oil preference lol

To avoid arguements, there are now customizing terms such as Brat bikes (japanese bobbers) started by a bike shop in asia I think. There are Rat bikes, favorite color is rust lol, then you have your chopped and slammed. The list goes on.

In the end, its amazing to see what creative people can do with these bikes. I think, even if the design is your style, craftsmanship and effort can be appreciated

[Singh2jz]

Originally Posted by rasta

Ain't no room for indecisiveness in this thread . You either like em or you don't?

There's always room.

Make it! Make it right meow!

[Kscreations08]

Link to original page on YouTube.

vs

[Singh2jz]

Originally Posted by Kscreations08

Link to original page on YouTube.

vs

This is one of the examples that make bobbers look legit...to me.

[cbinker]

I like bobbies.

[corksil]

http://honolulu.craigslist.org/mau/mcy/4493495913.html

[dfox]

i like them more than their cruiser counterparts, but I wouldn't want to own one.

[GHill762]

http://www.sovereign-cycles.com/files/DSC00507.JPG

this is more or less what I think of when someone says bobber..

edit: pic was HUGE, so I just linked it instead..

edit again: found a smaller pic of the same bike

[verboten1]

I have an '82 virago 920, I really want to do something like this with it:



Or this:

[CC Cowboy]

I'm not into rat bikes! I have a good friend who builds and sells them often but they don't do anything for me.

[mikromo]

First of all, most that I've seen are hard tails, and because most of the builders appear to be idiots, they bolt the seat right to the frame rails. Must give your kidneys a pretty good beating. Thats my theory on why you see so many for sale with very low miles. Why remove a perfectly good rear suspension? Love pain? And then some of them, remove the front brakes....really. I will NEVER do anything to a bike that makes it perform less, for the sake of style.......CRA CRA!

[Kscreations08]

Originally Posted by mikromo

First of all, most that I've seen are hard tails, and because most of the builders appear to be idiots, they bolt the seat right to the frame rails. Must give your kidneys a pretty good beating. Thats my theory on why you see so many for sale with very low miles. Why remove a perfectly good rear suspension? Love pain? And then some of them, remove the front brakes....really. I will NEVER do anything to a bike that makes it perform less, for the sake of style.......CRA CRA!

When I build mine, it will be a hardtail with a spring seat. For peace of mind, Front brake will remain attached. But I have the ninja for comfort and handling.

[KawiKid860]

Eh I'm not really into them, but if they're self built that's definitely worth some cool points. I'm more into the cafe style bikes which is the direction I'll probably push my 500 to.

[Trubin]

More into the last picture of the cafe racer, to me it appeals because of its timeless minimalism, going faster with fewer parts, doing more with less.

[sharky nrk]

I voted no because I personally do not see myself owning one. Most of the time it seems like they are more of a styling exercise rather than a useful motorcycle.

[rasta]

Originally Posted by sharky nrk

Most of the time it seems like they are more of a styling exercise rather than a useful motorcycle.

Yes, because nobody ever wants to look cool on a motorcycle

[sharky nrk]

Originally Posted by rasta

Yes, because nobody ever wants to look cool on a motorcycle

lol . But from what I see 99.9% of the time it doesn't work.

[Kscreations08]

Originally Posted by sharky nrk

lol . But from what I see 99.9% of the time it doesn't work.

Are you kidding? Ladies melt at my sweaty geared up behind. And have you ever seen those girls on the back of a Harley smile? I love the taste of smashed moths and flies when I kiss a girl

[EternalNewb]

Link to original page on YouTube.
Seems like this is relevant to a lot of the discussion and commentary in this thread. Also, http://hipsterbikevideos.com/creative-reality/.

The commentary on the link (about the video) is worth a read. For the TLDR types, the first line of the blog pretty much says it: "A fashion brand manager pays another man to build him a ****** motorcycle. Prepare yourself for this epic tale of hand wringing, drilling the well of his own creativity, and writing checks."

[PHMCS]

Originally Posted by verboten1

I have an '82 virago 920, I really want to do something like this with it:

I was going to say no, I'm definitely not a fan of bobbers, but this makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and I'm not even sure why. The copious amounts of satin black may have something to do with it...