Within the transformation of motorcycles, one of the most sought after styles is undoubtedly the Bobber motorcycle. We are going to review what it consists of and what are the steps to build a Bobber motorcycle.
What is a bobber bike?
As we already told when we talked about types of converted motorcycles, the history of the Bobber goes back much further than that of the Cafe Racers.
It was the 30s when the ‘bob-job’ began to roll through the streets of Chicago. They arose from the elimination of the front fender of a J-series Harley-Davidson , which also trimmed its rear and lightened all its non-essential accessories.
If Cafe Racers grew out of amateur underground racing, Bobbers came straight out of professional American C-Class racing.
A Bobber is basically an American-style (Harley-type) motorcycle with the front fender removed, the rear end shortened ( bobbed in English), a small tank, a solo seat below the handlebar and numerous chrome.
10 Most used motorcycles to make a Bobber
When we think of making a Bobber motorcycle, American aesthetic motorcycles, such as Harley Davidson, come to mind, which are undoubtedly the best bases to make a Bobber , since in essence they are already standard.
However, if transformation is your thing, I am going to recommend a few models that are a good base for bobber. They are because they are cheap, easy to find and their original structure is perfect for making a Bobber.
1. Yamaha Virago
In any of its displacements, the Yamaha Virago takes the cake in terms of Bobber transformations. It is true that it already looks like a stock Bobber, so the transformation is very simple.
2. Honda Shadow 600
It is another of the most transformed motorcycles in Bobber. Its elongated and rounded tank and a seat below the handlebar line make it an ideal candidate for customization.
3. Kawasaki Vulcan
The Vulcan, in all its displacements, is another of the most modified bikes in Bobber. Their versions with a mask are simply spectacular. Like the previous ones, the low seat and rounded tank make it the perfect base.
4. Yamaha Dragstar
The Dragstar, also in all its engines, is another standard Bobber. As we do not remain calm we love to modify everything that passes through our hands, and the Dragstar was not going to be an exception.
5. Honda Rebel
The Honda Rebel is another good base for building a Bobber. Its 125 cc version can be a very good option if you are looking for a 125 Bobber or a cheap Bobber.
6. Daelim Daystar 125
As for the 125 Bobber, the Daelim Daystar takes the cake. Their stock lines are perfect for any customization, and you can find them pretty cheap.
7. Suzuki Intruder y Suzuki Savage
Another good base for Bobber, for his stock lines. Its dual chrome exhaust creates simply spectacular results.
I wanted to pair the Intruder with her sister Savage, another great base for Bobber, because I had promised you 10 Bobber bikes and with this one I had 11 left. It would have been sacrilege not to include her.
8. Yamaha SR
I recognize that this Yamaha is good for everything. We use it for our 125cc Cafe Racer but more and more people dare to use it to make a Bobber.
9. BMW K100
The K100 is not particularly a base that, a priori, has the characteristics of a bobber. The problem is that we love BMWs, we can’t help it, and that means we are able to create amazing bobbers with a K100.
10. Keeway Superlight 125
Both the Keeway Superlight and Keeway Supershadow are stock bobber bikes, and relatively cheap compared to their competition. This makes them two of the most converted Bobber motorcycles and we wanted to close our series with them.
How to build a bobber motorcycle
Making a Bobber motorcycle is not far from transforming any other type of motorcycle. I recommend that you spend the time to choose a good base for Bobber . To do this, in addition to the ideas that I have proposed above, try to follow these tips:
- Look for a motorcycle with a low seat, if possible lower than the tank.
- Look for a motorcycle with a small and rounded tank, the effect when changing the seat will be much more spectacular.
- Look for relatively long bikes.
- Look for bikes with large, long exhausts that are parallel to the ground. You won’t be able to change the exhaust, so try to make it look like your final idea.
