What is a \"bobber\"

Every time I see someone sell (or attempt to sell) a bobber, I just shake my head. Whatever constitutes a bobber, it must be really great stuff because prices are generally 6-10 times higher than what seems reasonable. Look at a KZ650 bobber for buy it now at $6800, starting bid $1900. Am I missing the great allure of a bobber somehow?
tinyurl.com/2xrva3

Here's another real winner, although not a bobber. This is a "custom"
:laugh:
denver.craigslist.org/mcy/449280187.html

I had seen that 650 on ebay... :sick:

It's my understanding that a bobber is supposed to be a throwback to the rigid-tail Harleys of the old days. As best I can tell, a bobber is a bike with rigid rear end and a sprung seat. Original Harley hard-tails also had big fat underinflated rear tires that functioned as part of the suspension to smooth out the road bumps.

By that definition, the KZ650 on ebay isn't a true bobber because it has rear shocks.

Different strokes I guess. No bobbers for me, thankyewverymuch...

That's my understanding of a bobber too, but what do I know.
As far as the one on craigslist, the way those shocks are mounted it seems it would be putting a lot of stress on the frame, but what do I know,,, :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Also, neither bike has a front fender on them with no brace between the forks at all,, I don't think this is a good idea either, but what do I know,,

Post edited by: The Milkman, at: 2007/11/01 17:25

I think the definitions of Chopper, Bobber and Custom have become pretty blurred lately, especially since ebay became popular.
Chopper should be pretty self explainatory, something was cut and reassembled, usually the neck.
Bobber should retain stock geometry but with extra bit removed. i guess for weight saving measures in the old days, when reducing weight was easy and making horsepower was hard.
Custom is every other travesty someone commits to a motorcycle.
I really do not care what someone does to there bike, somethings piss me off pretty good, like throwing away the stock seat in favor of a double bucket king queen-a-ma-bob. or slash cut exhaust, sissybars, well i better stop before i offend someone.
the ebay bike? ridiculous! multiple imputs lead to this problem. he probably took his bike to shop and payed someone 40 dollars an hour and realized "he" should get that much,then watched way too much American Chopper, then set about wasting 200 hours making his 650 look pretty bad.
my final opinion, if it is stock just leave it stock, or at least stock looking. if a machine has made it 25-35 years and still wears it original paint, pipes, and seat it deserves to keep it. there are plenty of crap bike out there that are all ready messed up that you can modify, make fast, chop, bob or whatever.

I've seen one or two bobbers that I liked.

In general they seem to be bikes on which every piece of metal that has been damaged in a crash has been ground off till the road rash doesn't show.

Oh Yeah, If the bikes have rear shocks, they don't work.

Sorry I couldn't resist.

kzcsi

I dont get it either ... I mean the asking prices and who in their right mind would pay that kind of money. At the Paris Ontario Vintage weekend last year there was some awfull junk - usually a half built brit bike engine shoved into a rigid frame with two wheels, no brakes, a beaten gas tank and a big sticker saying $2 or $3,000 for a chopper or bobber project. I just shake my head and think a fool and his money may be easily parted.

He butchered, umm "lowered" the seat to 20" yet he "HAD" the chain cleaned and re-oiled? A hard tail with shocks? But then at that angle they must work well.:woohoo:

I cringe at most of the bobbers, choppers, custom bikes that appear on ebay...

The majority are hacked around collections of mis-matched parts resulting in uncomfortable and difficult to ride bikes...

I get very frustrated with the term 'restored' being used for customized bikes.
I get frustrated with the term 'custom' when the owner really means I sold all the missing parts to fund a bad paint job.
I get sickened by perfectly good motorcycles butchered by people who shouldn't be allowed to own a hammer and screwdriver...

There are a few very well done custom motorcycles out there, but most attempts at customizing fall far short of something to be proud of...

A well done, vintage bobber does give me goosebumps, I'll admit. This one, however, does not. I've NEVER seen a yellow bobber and hope never to again. Somehow, only flat black or another dark color seem right. Also a real bobber needs spokes, not mags.