[mark.lb]

Notaharley: I saw an interesting standard bike being built at Pitt Cycles Saturday. (They are also a Royal Enfield dealer) Someone was heavily modifying a 650 Interceptor. They were adding a 856 big bore kit, larger throttle bodies and high flow injectors. (Not sure if they were also doing cams.) The suspension and brakes were being upgraded as well. They were expecting numbers north of 80Hp. Back in the day the guys riding British bikes did this stuff all the time and the Cafe Racer was born! (Not sure if they were intending to take the fenders off and change the seat!)

 

[chrisdcraft71]

Everyone’s got their own thing. Personally I never understood the concept of bobbers. Someone actually thought to themselves, “Hmm, what can I do to maximize rock chips and increase the chances of throwing a rock at my buddies behind me? Oh and if I could just figure out a way to really shoot water right up my back side on a wet road… what to do?”

I absolutely love the looks of the Scout Bobber, especially with no fenders at all. If I didn’t live on a gravel road I would definitely get rid of the fenders completely. When I first started riding on the street, a neighbor that I started riding with had a ‘65 pan head with no fenders and wide forks and I always thought it was the coolest looking bike I’ve ever seen. Always wanted one similar since then.

Of course it’s not “practical” for everyday unless you live in always sunny California. I would only ride it on the nicest days. Having no fenders it could never be my only bike. But that’s what my Chieftain is for.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cameroni79]

I absolutely love the looks of the Scout Bobber, especially with no fenders at all. If I didn’t live on a gravel road I would definitely get rid of the fenders completely. When I first started riding on the street, a neighbor that I started riding with had a ‘65 pan head with no fenders and wide forks and I always thought it was the coolest looking bike I’ve ever seen. Always wanted one similar since then.

Of course it’s not “practical” for everyday unless you live in always sunny California. I would only ride it on the nicest days. Having no fenders it could never be my only bike. But that’s what my Chieftain is for.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Scout bobbers look great from the factory. I’m with you, though. I’ve had rocks flung so hard by my roadmaster I can hear them hit the fender at highway speed. My pan America has tiny fenders from the factory (odd choice) the exposed rubber looks awesome, but it for sure flings things.

 

[greasemonkey]

Custom Scout and Thunderstroke for those in need of inspiration. View attachment 670441 View attachment 670442 View attachment 670443

That Red Scout is the Beez Kneez!!!

 

[CarlosR]

Here’s what I think…

went through that, already, need to up my game and add cheerleader puffs to the bar ends... for winter-style.

 

[Pointless Comment]

Maybe just dry heave.

Removing the fenders does not make a bike a "custom build". Nearly every "custom" Chief, Scout, whatever is the same bike. Useless, fenderless ---
No offense to those who love the style.

It is nice to see a builder REALLY show off a custom bike. He didn't name it. He fabricated a one-off classic custom --- like it or hate it, you gotta respect the work and the style he presents.

You say no offense, and then proceed to call other's bikes "useless"....lol.

Just because it isn't your cuppa tea, doesn't mean it is useless. The first two bikes you pictures had tons of extensive work done to them (suspenion, forks, custom brake setups, paint, wheels, exhaust, tuning, bars, mirrors, lighting, seats, custom headlight nacelles, etc). Yes, many of those items are purchased from aftermarket suppliers.

You think that builder didn't buy any of his parts from suppliers? You think he forged those wheels in his garage? I see a laced front wheel with useless miniscule front brake, ape hangars, S&S rear fender modded for a two up seat, an aftermarket automotive drag style wheel and tire that renders the bike useless in turns, straight pipes, and a paint job from a 1970s carnival ride. It is supposed to be a drag bike I'm assuming but it has a two up seat and ape hangars...useless to some maybe? He envisioned it, decided it was what he wanted, and built it. Good for him. Not my dream ride but it is no more valid a custom bike than the others you mention.

Yes, he fabbed some of his own parts...good for him. I've got no hate for him, but just because he can build custom pieces for his ride, it doesn't invalidate the style and vision choices of anyone that doesn't have that capability. I've done custom work on bikes and cars that I've built in the past. Some of my work looked great, and some of it looked like crap, but I'm not gonna hate on anyone just because they didn't do it the same way I chose to do it.

Also, some of us actually have more than one bike to serve our riding desires, or even just one bike with different riding goals from you. I don't give a rats ass if someone removes their fenders from their bobber if it is what they like. Maybe some of us don't care if we get a little splash of water on us or if our bike pleases your tastes and sensibilities. I don't "gotta respect" your tastes or styles and you "don't gotta respect" mine. To each his own.

 

[WillyH]

It's ugly, but an amazing amount of work.

My initial "midol" rant was about the "custom" bikes where the "builder" removed the fenders and changed the exhaust and pegs and seat.....and ta-dah! Custom bike.

Times have certainly changed. Back in the day a "build" was more than a chopped fender and or a bunch of added bolt ons. But hey, I'm an older guy and still trying to figure out how the human race has multiple genders, so there's that

 

[chrisho]

I don't mind them taking brand new bikes and doing this type of work but I have seen some bikes some would consider classics or classics in the making get butchered this way.

 

[Dochardtail]

Everyone’s got their own thing. Personally I never understood the concept of bobbers. Someone actually thought to themselves, “Hmm, what can I do to maximize rock chips and increase the chances of throwing a rock at my buddies behind me? Oh and if I could just figure out a way to really shoot water right up my back side on a wet road… what to do?”
[/QUOeTE]
Used to be ,back in the day when motorcycle people got together,it was before video games and satellite tv with 500 channels ,we had drugs beer and jack.
And all night with parts littering the shelves.
With the drugs and jack,bikes sometimes took on a look of their own.
When someone bought a welder,a chopper was born.
Might be hard to visualize if you havent done it.
Ill bet a couple on here know what im talken about lol

 

[Cameroni79]

Drugs and jack would certainly explain some bikes I’ve seen out there! Great response.

 

[WillyH]

To quote @Dochardtail Used to be ,back in the day when motorcycle people got together,it was before video games and satellite tv with 500 channels ,we had drugs beer and jack.
And all night with parts littering the shelves.
With the drugs and jack,bikes sometimes took on a look of their own.
When someone bought a welder,a chopper was born.
Might be hard to visualize if you havent done it.
Ill bet a couple on here know what im talken about lol

Yep, been there done that, back when the Vtwin, the frames, electrical, etc. was all pretty much straight forward.

 

[rodent62]

I like custom/one off choppers and bobbers are my thing, but have to be rideable too, even for longer distances at a time. Home built or shop w/attention to small details is my thing. But then again I grew up around hard tail HDs, Triumps and the like that usually had a lot of thought that went into the build.

 

[dfresh]

Bobbers aren‘t my cup of tea, neither are a lot of other bikes and styles out there. I don’t really care what anyone else rides though, I only care about my ride.

 

[rodent62]

Just an FYI. To those that don’t like bobbers or customs, nobody else cares ! Puke away ! Lol.

 

[MilwDave]

I used to be attracted to bobber style bikes. But now with all the factory built bobber models it’s wearing off on me. King of like how the Honda Fury killed off the factory chopper style designs.
I’m working on my R18 to make it fit me but also stand out from that horde of R18s you see out on the road these days 😂. So I’m going with a more classic full fender look.

 

[PistolPeteSTL]

I think this comes down to dealers, bike and parts manufacturers marketing. There is a difference between "custom" and "customized" and the dealers especially conflate those terms all the time. Over time the terms have lost meaning for both "custom" and "bobber".

Bolting on a different do-dad than what came stock does not make it a custom bike. It is customized. It is not upgraded, there is just cosmetic changes that the next owner may or may not care about. I love the ads that list "over $5k in upgrades!". Nah, those aren't upgrades, buddy, you took a stock bike and made it ugly with a bunch of crap from China sold by brands with cool names.

But the manufacturers hold guilt with this too. Indian took a Scout, swapped out the fenders and called it a Bobber. It's not a bobber in the traditional sense, since the changes are cosmetic and didn't result in any real weight loss. The original bobbers were really cut down bikes, lot of them even ditching the front brake for weight savings. But the idea of a bobber is cool so now two companies have models they call Bobber, that are just solo seat version of an existing model.

This isn't new or unique to "custom bobber" as a term. Look at how many people misuse the term "suicide shift" or "suicide clutch" when they slap a hand shifter on a bike. To be a suicide shift the bike has to have a foot clutch, a hand shift and no front brake. The whole reason it got the name "suicide" is because you can only have one foot down at a time, so you have to release the rear brake, your only brake, to operate the clutch to get going. But over the years the concept got watered down and now lots of guys install a hand shifter and misuse the term. It's all just marketing and posturing. It exists in all modern industries.

 

[reinie]

I would say that of all the fad trend bikes, Choppers, Tail-dragger Big Wheel Baggers, and now Bobbers that the Bobber is the most rideable, practical one of the bunch. That being said I'm still not into them enough to actually own one.

 

[Troll31]

I would say that of all the fad trend bikes, Choppers, Tail-dragger Big Wheel Baggers, and now Bobbers that the Bobber is the most rideable, practical one of the bunch. That being said I'm still not into them enough to actually own one.

Agree, fun as a second bike.

 

[greasemonkey]

My guess is your probably not going to like the new Rogue.

 

[Legman37]

I've personally seen very few Scout Bobbers that look better than mine. Not necessarily based on aesthetics, but based on the fact that mines looks exactly like I configured it to look. And although we all say that we don't give a flying **** about anyone's approval and honestly mean it, we also at the same time get a charge when someone else admires our bike for the "customizations" we made to it. I am so conflicted! LMAO.

For this reason, I'd never judge anyone's modifications. If someone's bobber looks like crap in my opinion, I just keep it to myself. Hell I might even feign admiration. Just a little bit of consideration and kindness never hurt anyone. Bikes are like works of art. Who's the hell to judge?!?