California Motorcycle Clubs

[robrat]

Bikes for Bobbin'

Hi guys, even though I'm a Brit I feel that the best lookin' scoots for the job are as follows:- Vl's, Flattie's, Knuck's, Scouts & Chiefs plus the odd Super-X.

[AdminGuy]

Maybe instead of thinking Class C. Try thinking "run what cha brung". Remember no one had alot of doe. You scroung around for parts. Not alot of fancy stuff happening. Think bad welding. Think brush paint jobs.
You dump the bike. You wreck something. You chuck it and slap something else on it that works. Quick and dirty. Custom exhaust -with a hack saw.

A high compression job had the heads lapped into barrels and maybe lightened up internally with a drill press. Heavy tech was for true racers. Not guys fooling around on weekends riding out to race the bike for fun. Just talk to the guys that did it. They'll tell ya.

Sure your going to come across the odd 80CI from the period.
Mid 50s.

A bobber can be anything you want it to be.

[petri]

Well here's a picture of me on my 1942 Harley 45 in about 1966. It's a bobber and I think represents the way many of them were probably put together ie.....quickly and cheaply. The lower rear fender was removed at the hinge and the light attached. I don't know what the front fender came off of. Anybody have any ideas? Notice the footboard extenders. I kept the bike out on my grandfather's place in the country in Indiana. It lived in that shed in back with the door open.

I lived in Chicago and I bought this bike out of Alpena, MI for $200. I got it running but had to replace the transmission, another $50. I don't know when it became a bobber, probably after the war. It's wasn't pretty, looked like it was repainted black with a brush maybe. No I didn't wear jeans, just kahki pants and a plain old shirt. My dress code remains the same to this day.......boring. I got married and life got serious. I traded the bike and a 1929 Essex and money in on Checker Marathon station wagon. Oh well, hindsight is better than foresight.

Howard

[koanes]

That's a great picture Howard. I bet you have some fond memories as well, tearing up the Indiana countryside on your buddyseat bobber.

[Flathead Jedd]

Beautiful bike Howard. Are you sure the pic was taken in 1966? If it was it blows my whole bobber time line out of the water Let's not start portraying bobbers as cheap and hand brushed painted. Yes many of the bikes were, but that does not define them. I see too much of that in the hot rod scene today. "rat rod!" I went through the whole car thing. Primer is a means to an end. Restricted by money and time. Plenty of guys were also stripping down newer bikes to lighten them for racing. They were the cool ones so it is only natural for other to "build" bikes in their style. Those of us growing up in California or the southern states were fortunate enough to not have to put the tails back on our rear fenders, put the front fender back or add a windshield in the winter. Ask a guy growing up in Wisconsin if he could leave that stuff off all year on his only mode of transportation! We can't forget "class c" because that is what started this styling trend.

[petri]

Yes Koanes I had a lot of fun on that old bike. The best place for it was out in the country away from the traffic and crazies in Chicago. Plus I was just married and didn't really have a place to keep it in the city.

And yes Flathead Jedd, this is really a picture from 1966, maybe 1967. I had bought the bike a year or so earlier when I got out of school. Now to be perfectly honest and objective, the black paint job was in pretty poor condition by the time this bike was in my posession. But perhaps it wasn't brushed on, just well weather worn. I just can't remember for sure. I imagine this bike got bobbed in the late 40's or early 50's. Surely not earlier than the date of manufacture in 1942. The handlebars were what were called "longhorns" at the time, not raised or high at all but very wide. I think they were stock for the bike but maybe the experts could comment on the terminology "longhorns". No doubt referring to the famous cattle of old. I don't think this was a military bike but can't be sure.

Like I said, this bike had seen better days by the time I got it. I even had to make up a small relay box to act as a regulator so I could get the battery to charge. I guess I could have bought one but I had the parts and made up something that would work. I remember having to take the gas tank off for some reason and cleaned it up in the bathtub in our apartment. That was rather a mess from grease on the outside but my wife put up with it without complaint. After that the bike went out to Indiana. Nice memories of my grandparent's place out in the country, my wife who has since passed away and my old motorcycle.

I'm not sure I ever saw any other bobbers in the Chicago area while growing up. Lots of dressers and then the british invasion in the late 50's and 60's. I'm sure they were there though as there were a lot of guys putting bikes together from basket cases.

Howard

[AdminGuy]

Thats great Howard- thanks very much for shareing some personal history.

Guys where I'm coming from is that I like stuff that is period correct modified. I like/prefer stuff that is original unrestored runners. Little time capsules with primarily correct parts. I love it also when someone puts a little modern twist on a period modified bike. Just for kicks to personalize it. Love it!

I like rust.

I have seen many original bobbers/racers in guys personal collections. Looking inside at the internal engine mods is also very interesting. These guys have tons of stories. Go get them!

If I were to build a bobber -I think I would start with an orfan 80CI knuck engine. That would be a bad boy. Some very neat bobbers have been in the magazine over the last couple of years.
Of paticular interest are the frame and engine mods that guys did in different eras. Purely for speed.

I also have a soft spot for 45s. They can be very quick.

[oddmystic]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by AdminGuy
[B]Yup! Nice paint- like it. Clean and simple.

I feel the bobber era ended in the earily 50's.
TRI no, Pan no. Knuck yes.


C'mon Paul, dont tell me you dont like pan bobbers??!!

[AdminGuy]

Ya, I know - that's just me. I know guys did it. I figure if your going to bob a big heavy machine for speed - make it a real big knuckle.

[cheifrider]

the farm acroos the river from our farm ...dont know the year or the year of the bike ,any ideas

[exeric]

I had a 1924 Big Chief. This bike is a Chief. The only tell tail thing I can see is the later rear brake. My guess would be '26 plus. in pictures like this, it's hard to tell the difference between a Chief and a Scout but the front fender tells you it has a Chief front end.

[jurassic]

80 inch knuck

this isn't really a bobber ,but this is what the bad guys rode when i was riding big wheels.mid to late 70's, one percenter style chopper ,truett and osborn 80 inch motor,jockey shift.

[robrat]

Period Photo's

Look at the Top Hatter's MC web site for great B&W pic's of bobber's n stuff from the mid to late 40's..........Fab!

[Erdos]

Jedd
Some emblems just showed up on ebay!

Item number: 120110817264

Emblems on Ebay

[Flathead Jedd]

Ha..ha... I know there are emblems on ebay. The second set in a week. I'm watching them. Now that I'm all self conscience about my badges! I killed the motor on my Flattie, so that's my focus now, but I'll be looking for badges.