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Thread: Building a Bobber

  1. #16
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  2. #17
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    A chopper is about as far from a bobber as you could get.

    A chopper is the personification of the "look at me" approach to customisation.

    Bobbing USED to be about removing everything you didn't need from your whale of a bike. Guards, mirrors, indicators, license plate, chain guard, front brake, instruments and the headlight replaced by a small Vegemite jar with a glowworm in it.

    Hey CFWB! Speaking of bobbers, when is the HD Nightster coming to NZ?
    If a man is alone in the woods and there isn't a woke Hollywood around to call him racist, is he still white?



  3. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by dili View Post
    Hi

    Has anyone had any experience in building a bobber style bike at all?
    I'm keen to kick off a project and build one myself.

    Firstly need a frame to start with so wanting to get some ideas or opinions.
    You could talk to the boys at the Hogfarm, it doesn't get any more old school than those guys. Also Dave at HD Cycles has built some good stuff, or try Jeff Klein at Rocket Speed eqipment in Hamilton.

    Here are three examples of what's out there to whet your appetite.
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  4. #19
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    Nice! That first one is fantastic.
    If a man is alone in the woods and there isn't a woke Hollywood around to call him racist, is he still white?



  5. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim2 View Post
    Nice! That first one is fantastic.
    Yeah, pretty nifty, I like 'em all for different reasons. That first one is from Jeff at Rocket in Hamilton, they do some pretty cool hot rod shit too. Ironhead Sporty motors seem to be all the rage at the mo but the 883/1200 motor is a bit more reliable. I guess it depends on how much of a tinkerer the builder is.

    With all the bikes I see I have taken loads of detail shots and have a file for later perusal, pick the eyes out of the best. Know what I mean?

    Like trad' hot rods trad bikes are built from bits you find at swap meets, through mates or make for yourself. However, I can still appreciate bling bikes, it takes all sorts.

  6. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim2 View Post
    [LEFT]A chopper is about as far from a bobber as you could get.

    A chopper is the personification of the "look at me" approach to customisation.

    Bobbing USED to be about removing everything you didn't need from your whale of a bike. Guards, mirrors, indicators, license plate, chain guard, front brake, instruments and the headlight replaced by a small Vegemite jar with a glowworm in it.
    Yeah, the way the words are used has changed a bit.

    I reckon you could still build something definitely modern - 'new school' - with more than a nod to the styling and ethos of the '50's and '60's 'old school' bobs and chops. Build it from the ground up and keep it absolutely minimalist - no chrome, no flashy paint jobs, no frills of any sort.

    Start with a modern air-cooled lump, off a Ducati or a Buell or something similar (assuming you wanted to stay V-twin). Design the frame around it, get a front end (triples, forks, wheel, etc) 2nd hand off a suitable bike. Rear wheel, oil reservoir, electrics, drive train....dunno really? Make it up as you go along.

    Several pints of blood, sweat, tears and swearing later, et voila!

  7. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by El Dopa View Post
    Yeah, the way the words are used has changed a bit.

    I reckon you could still build something definitely modern - 'new school' - with more than a nod to the styling and ethos of the '50's and '60's 'old school' bobs and chops. Build it from the ground up and keep it absolutely minimalist - no chrome, no flashy paint jobs, no frills of any sort.

    Start with a modern air-cooled lump, off a Ducati or a Buell or something similar (assuming you wanted to stay V-twin). Design the frame around it, get a front end (triples, forks, wheel, etc) 2nd hand off a suitable bike. Rear wheel, oil reservoir, electrics, drive train....dunno really? Make it up as you go along.

    Several pints of blood, sweat, tears and swearing later, et voila!
    Modern machinery does have some advantages. Electronic ignition, better charging, hydraulic lifters, alloy components etc. How hard core do you want to go? We have a plan for a bobber but a move south means that the plan is way off, maybe a year before we can start. The profile is as follows and if anyone who is starting a project can glean anything from this then fine;

    It has to be rideable. We don't want to spend time/money on something we can't ride. Single saddle is right up there. trimmed rear fender, minimal front but it needs to be well placed. Possibly have two front fenders; one for the WOF, one for touring. Softail frame, get the looks without the buggered kidneys. Prefer big block Evo but see what's available at the time. Minimal electrics, early Evo with kicker would look cool. Not a long front end, prefer early (WLA-type) springer, could go for late but it would have to be black. Telescopics don't cut it. Minimal chrome. Bottom-mount headlight a must, prefer tri-bar. Maltese cross or tombstone tail light a must. Miniscule indicators, just big enough for WOF. LED's can look cool and are bright-as. Mid-mount controls, if billet, must be home made or home made mild steel, chrome or black. We hate peanut tanks so a custom unit would chew a large chunk of cash. Flames? Maybe, scallops, maybe, flat black probably. Not into skulls or bullet holes. Clean and simple is best. One mirror, small and useless, god gave you a universal in your spine. Loud pipes, fuck the law. HPC black finish on the pipes, it lasts and doesn't go blue. Simple grips, prefer rubber. Bar's not too high or wide, prefer short bars with dog bones. Good brakes but not over-braked. Spoked wheels.

    Do we have a picture yet?

  8. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by peasea View Post
    Modern machinery does have some advantages. Electronic ignition, better charging, hydraulic lifters, alloy components etc.
    Precisely. I try not to make life more difficult for myself than it already is. By all means go old school purist if that's ya bag, but it isn't necessarily mine.


    Quote Originally Posted by peasea View Post
    Do we have a picture yet?
    Yup. Not quite my style, but sounds good.

    How's this for a picture (attached)?

    Style-wise, almost my ideal cruiser-type bike (almost). Was originally a Buell X1.
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  9. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by El Dopa View Post
    Precisely. I try not to make life more difficult for myself than it already is. By all means go old school purist if that's ya bag, but it isn't necessarily mine.




    Yup. Not quite my style, but sounds good.

    How's this for a picture (attached)?

    Style-wise, almost my ideal cruiser-type bike (almost). Was originally a Buell X1.
    Where was that pic taken?

  10. #25
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    svrider.com is down at the moment, but a fella there named sarge built his own modern interpretation of a bobber from an sv650. I'll post it up when they're back online.

  11. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by peasea View Post
    Where was that pic taken?
    No idea (it isn't me in the pic..... ).

    Stumbled across it on the interwebnet while doing 'research'. Typed 'buell+bobber' into google.

    Main link below, with some other useful stuff linked through:

    http://thekneeslider.com/archives/20...custom-bobber/

  12. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by imdying View Post
    svrider.com is down at the moment, but a fella there named sarge built his own modern interpretation of a bobber from an sv650. I'll post it up when they're back online.
    Yeah, I've seen an SV1000 chopper that looked pretty good.

    The SV was my first choice when I stated thinking about a build project, because it's a good motor, and spares and expertise are everywhere.

    However, I've gone off it, mainly because:

    1) it's water-cooled (you need to stick the radiator somewhere), and;

    2) you need to think about what to do with the air inlets - do you replace the airbox or not? Replacing the airbox with pod filters on, say, the Ducati DS1000 motor doesn't seem to be hugely detrimental, from what I've read. Several Duc owners seem to have gone down that route. Same on the Buell - just stick a forcewinder pod setup on the side.

    But the SV.....? Not a lot of info out there on replacing the box.....

  13. #28
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    What about a harley donor bike, like a sportster maybe. I'm keen on building a bobber too and was wondering if many people used harley frames from a wrecked bike??

  14. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Conan the Dreamer View Post
    What about a harley donor bike, like a sportster maybe. I'm keen on building a bobber too and was wondering if many people used harley frames from a wrecked bike??
    I would guess it depends on how badly damaged the frame is, how close it is to your final design and how many changes are going to be needed, how good you are at welding and fabbing, whether you want to keep the geometry the same (rake/trail), etc, etc.......

  15. #30
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    Mmmmmmmmmmmm BOB,,,,,,funny name for a girl................

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