Saturday, January 14, 2012

Define: Bobber

While I like the look of the 2012 Harley Davidson Street Bob presented in this review by Motorcycle.com, I question the use of the word "bobber" as a term to describe this motorcycle.



To me, a bobber is somewhat of a unique motorcycle where no two bikes are the same; bikes that are custom and built by people who have a genuine passion for motorcycling. They are cut up (AKA bobbed), chopped up, stripped down, light weight, fast and just down right "kick ass" motorcycles! Something like these:

Photo: BikerSwag.com

Photo: BikeEXIF.com

Photo: USA Bobbers.com

Photo: Brett Jordan (CC)

Photo: Mbike.com

Although a couple of the bobbers above are the result of custom motorcycle builds, a bobber isn't restricted to professional custom bike builders. A bobber can be built in a backyard garage by people who have a passion for building something unique. So I am left with the question, can a mass produced motorcycle such as the 2012 Harley Davidson Street Bob be considered a bobber? I say no, what do you think?

2 comments:

  1. I agree with you Faceyman. A "Bobber" from what I've read, started in the 40's and is bike which has been stripped of all unnessesary parts and (other than the frame) modified in a personal yet sporty fashion. I'm guessing the term Bobber came from having the fenders cut shorter, or "bobbed". A mass produced bike can't be a true bobber but it can be said to be designed in the bobber style.

    Cross Bones Aficionado

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  2. A Bobber can't be mass produced in a factory. That's about as grotesque as the "factory custom". It goes entirely against the spirt of things. That H-D Street Bob may have taken the "Bobber" style as an influence of design, but that's about it. Maybe that's why it's called a "Bob" and not a "Bobber". Not quite.

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