The History of the Bobber Motorcycle
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It can be said that bobber-style motorcycles are the cornerstone for customized bikes all over the world. Riders who wished to have a fast and unique bike would “bob” their motorcycles and strip the excess bodywork from the motorcycle to make them much lighter and faster for the ultimate motorcycle experience. There are no rules to “bobbing” a motorcycle and can be customized to the rider's taste. Bobber motorcycles have been around for a very long time and they do not seem to go away anytime soon. Here is the history of how the bobber motorcycles became the popular motorcycle-style they are today.
What is a Bobber Motorcycle?
A “Bobber” motorcycle is NOT a type of motorcycle, but simply a style of custom motorcycle. In an effort to make the motorcycle lighter and faster, anything that is seen as extra or unnecessary on a motorcycle is taken off the bike to reduce the weight and give it a minimalistic look. Back in the day items such as fenders, lights, mirrors, and anything else that did not contribute to making the bike faster was taken off the bike. Nowadays any parts that do not damage the function of the bike are removed. These minimalistic bikes are the generators of the bobbers we know of today.
The “Bob-job” Modifications:
The purpose of a bobber motorcycle was to keep them on the road at the lowest cost. Motorcycle owners would remove parts they thought were “unnecessary” to make them lighter and faster. Here are the most common bob-job modifications:
- removing the front fender
- rear fender would be significantly shortened
- Mirrors would be removed
- Headlights would be removed
- The handlebars were altered
- The seats would be made as light and small as possible
- Any chrome components would be removed
History of the Bobber Motorcycle
1920's: The start of the Bobber Motorcycle
Motorcycles have always been high in popularity, but it was during the 1920s that long and high style motorcycles began to get outdated as people preferred to have lower and shorter motorcycles. Motorcycle owners would modify their bikes to have smaller diameter wheels, a cut-down frame, and a shortened rear section so the bike can look and perform better. People did not like the extra accessories motorcycles came with so they took the matter into their own hands and started to bob their own motorcycles.
1930's: The Bobber Popularity Increases
The bob-job trend began to grow on the East Coast, Midwest, and California. Now, it was no longer about making the bike lighter and faster, but also about personalizing it to be unique and cool. However, bobbing a motorcycle was no easy task. Riders had a difficult time customizing their motorcycles because they did not have the skill or tools to modify their bike. The minimal tools they had were wrenches, hacksaws and acetylene torches.
1940's: The Rise of the Bobber
It was not until the 1940's that the bobber motorcycle really took off and gained its popularity. Motorcycles were fairly popular before World War II, but their popularity grew even more after the war ended. During the war, American servicemen got used to riding much lighter and faster motorcycles overseas that they wanted something similar when they returned home. Since many of these servicemen gained mechanical skills working on military vehicles while at war, they began to bob their bikes by tampering with and removing parts of their own motorcycles in order to make them lighter and customizable.
1950's: The Popularity Grows
The 1950s saw the immense popularity of the bobber motorcycle. People were getting more creative with their bob-jobs. Bobbers became ever more detailed with chrome plating, upholstery, or other finishes. By the mid-1950s, the U.S. Accessory market had its own motorcycle “custom” catalog so owners can customize their own bobber motorcycle.
1960's: Bobbers stay on Top
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The bobber motorcycle customizations evolved throughout the 50s and 60s. During this time, the “chopper” trend grew but it did not surpass the bobber trend. The bobber was the best of the best when it came down to custom motorcycling. Riders who wanted something totally unique and different stuck to bobbing their motorcycles. The bobber had become a style-setter with many market brands taking bobber influence into their new motorcycles.
1970's – 1990s: The Bobber Takes a Back Seat
It was not until the 1970’s that the bobber trend took a back seat behind the chopper. A chopper favored style over functionality, which the bobber put speed and performance ahead of style. Many brands began to make their motorcycles much faster as well. By the mid-1970s, most Japanese and European performance bikes would outperform all but the fastest bobbers. Although bikes were starting to be made much faster, riders who wanted custom bikes still did bob-jobs on their motorcycles.
2000's-2010's: The Bobber Reemerges
During the 2000s, the bobber resurfaced and gained massive popularity once again. Riders were going back to a more traditional style of customization and the bobber was the way to go. Motorcycle brands were joining in on the bobber trend as well. Triumph released its all-new Bobber Bonneville in 2001. Many other brands came out with their own versions of a bobber motorcycle, but none of them made the bobber mainstream like the 2017 Triumph Bobber. Although the brand motorcycle was popular, they were nothing compared to a legitimate custom bobber.
Conclusion:
The bobber motorcycle paved the way for the “DIY” riders who wanted the lightest and fastest motorcycle on the market. The bobber became an extremely popular motorcycle because not only was it cool and unique, but also affordable. The bobber motorcycle has definitely helped shape the future of custom motorcycles for years to come.
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