Customs built in the ‘bobber’ or hardtail style. On the typical bobber motorcycle, excess bodywork has been stripped away, and the fenders are usually removed or shortened.
All unnecessary hardware has been removed to cut weight—including the mufflers in many cases—and a single seat is usually fitted. Old-school handlebars are often installed too, with the wiring run inside for a clean look, along with classic ‘Bates’ style lighting.
For owners of bobber motorcycles, these custom bikes are the purest form of motorcycling.
Harley is the brand most commonly associated with the bobber style, but we’re also seeing many Triumph and Indian motorcycles—especially since those two brands have factory bobbers in their range.
If the thought of Firestone tires on a custom motorcycle makes your blood boil, avert your eyes now. Johnny Nguyen hasn’t just fitted his 1978 BMW R80 bobber with Firestones—he’s gone the whole hog, and fitted military-spec Firestone tractor tires. It’s turned the R80 into a real-life two-wheeled Tonka toy, and although it’s nowhere near…
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You don’t collect trophies from the illustrious Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show without being a master of your craft. But the full extent of Kengo Kimura’s talent goes far beyond just his skill with metal. The man behind Heiwa MC has a sharp eye and excellent taste—he builds elegant machines that defy convention without screaming…
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Run by the enigmatic Mr. Eak, Thailand’s K-Speed is one of the most prolific custom shops that we’ve ever had the pleasure of featuring. They build bikes at a blistering pace, often focussing on the smaller models that are more popular in Southeast Asian markets. K-Speed is also a massive parts distributor and manufacturer, with…
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If you have an old motorcycle stashed in your garage, backyard or basement, waiting for its turn on the workbench, you’re not alone. Old bikes can spark joy—but they can also take a lot of time and patience to get them to where they can spark joy. Jürgen Becker, a comedian and actor from Cologne,…
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Robert Sabel’s name is synonymous with ultra-clean BMW boxer restomods. His projects turn out so tidy, that it’s almost ironic that his…
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It takes a lot of faith to hand your custom motorcycle project over to someone else—and then give them free rein over…
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“Fender and Firestone police, here I come,” Winston Yeh quips, as we discuss the latest custom motorcycle to roll out of the…
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Motorcycles have long been the cheap way to go fast, but in today’s world of excess and insane tech, the concept of…
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Bobbers are pure motorcycling. They’re what happens when you take everything you can off a bike and strip it to its basics.…
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Czech hypercar manufacturer, Praga, unveiled their $92,000 limited edition ZS 800 this week. We take a closer look at it, along with…
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The value of a precious stone is rarely negotiable. Diamonds, rubies, and sapphires are priced based on cut, clarity, color, and carat…
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Kids are impressionable, especially when motorcycles are involved. That magical combination of sound, smell and danger has a way of imprinting itself…
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