Vintage Bobber Build Thread

phil1rowe4

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Hi,

Ok, I've definitely got the bug now! Just bought a new project bike to start a new build.

I'm still deciding on the final theme but at the moment it's looking like a bobber style, with monoshock rear end, spoke wheels, maybe 18" F&R, flat bars, front controls, low tank, low stance. Not sure yet if I'll go old skool look or put some modern parts on (large brakes, billet aluminum etc.)

Still doing research and pic hunting, but here's some styling ideas:
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I like the bike at the front in this shot, more old skool look.
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If anyone knows if there are more pictures of this one ....
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Here's the starting point...
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Hopefully I can do it to the same or better standard as the café racer. There may be more opportunity for some creative bits or ideas, although Australian engineering and registration standards can be a bit limiting!
 
Still doing research while waiting for the new project bike to be delivered and playing with lots of ideas. None of which are original, of course, its all been done before, but maybe it's just the combination that will make it 'my' bike.

I'm changing to a more board tracker styling like the green bike in the earlier post.
At the moment I'm looking at a morph between these two examples:
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I prefer the thinner 21" spoked wheels on the Fong Bros bike but like the line of the tank and seat of the mag wheeled bike. Credit to the mag wheel bike builder, that's a really nice bike. I'm still planning on a monoshock rear in an original frame though.

Maybe put the instruments into the tank to get a cleaner headlight area, but not many smaller tanks around that have capacity for instruments.

Reverse levers would be interesting too but would need to fabricate a cable actuated front master cylinder. Not impossible, but not sure if it would be legal over here.

Not many places to put a battery and cabling in a board tracker bike either!

Does anyone know any other bikes that sound like this?

Cheers,
Phil
 
Hi Phil,
monoshocking a hardtail, eh? Good on you! Comfort rules, OK!
Don't sweat making a cable operated front m/c, it came that way stock on my '74 R90 fer Chrissake.
You sure about not liking the motor's blue job? Be less effort to go with an all blue bike than to get that paint off of there.
 
Well, you got a good start there, hardtail frame already done. I would imagine that would put one of the Aussie engineering standards off the list! Now you got to drop the front, change the seat, and you off to a great start already!

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Out of all of those, this one is probably the best looking one in my humble opinion!
 
The hardtail frame has apparently been registered here at some stage but not in my state, so might need re-engineering approval before it would get rego as is.

The bike, when it turns up, comes with a standard frame so I'm looking to transfer the engine, wheels etc to the new frame, which I want to change into a monoshock config. Airwolfe, I like the look of the hardtail frame but the back roads here would cripple you with a hardtail frame! So, does anyone want to buy a hardtail frame?

I'm also thinking of raw vapour blast or bead blast finish on the aluminium bits, rather than polished.I think it looks more old school, but not sure how that textured surface will go with oxidisation. A polished surface is easier to re-polish but a textured finish would be difficult to redo. Satin clear paint over textured ali or maybe a matt painted finish? Does powder coating come in satin/matt finish?

Still finishing the repainting of the cafe bike tank and waiting for the new bike to arrive, so all I can do at the moment is ponder options.
 
Ok, well it's taken forever but I've finally received a project bike to start working on. It came with a hardtail frame and a standard 76 frame so plan is to selloff the hardtail frame and transfer everything onto the sprung frame.
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Unfortunately this build will take a while because I still need to finish off a 2 stroke build I've started.
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Back on the bobber build and have made some progress. The frame has been chopped and I've converted the swingarm to a mono shock.
Looking to do a vintage influence bike.

Hi Phil,
if you are really after a vintage look, try building a frame with Indian Motorcycle style1/4-elliptic spring suspension front & back.
 
Fred, That's maybe a little too vintage.

Here's some photos of the progress so far, in reverse order.

Engine to be assembled from a bunch of parts but matching head and rocker cover. Top end has been vapour blasted and new carbs bought.
IMG_20180926_182451.jpg

Mock up with tank, seat template and fender.
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Standard swingarm converted to monoshock.
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Shock from a Yamaha xvs650.
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Wheels are 19" front and back, painted and satin clear coat.
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Seat base fabricated from ss sheet and reinforced with ss rod around the edges. I'll be mounting the seat on rubber anti-vibration blocks. I'm hoping that it looks like the seat is floating over the frame. Once they arrive I'll glue on the foam and start the upholstery.
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Fork inners have been rechromed and forks rebuilt with new seals. I'm also adding external fork springs and have made the spring retainers and now painted them.

IMG_20181014_172143.jpg
 
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