To bob or rake ...

... or to bob and rake?

I've got a 650 Seca frame that's cracked to test on.

I've got a 650 Maxim frame that's in good condition I'd like to make awesome.

I've got a welder with many years of experience willing to do the work in trade for firewood as long as he can do it in a few hours.

Suggestions? I like the idea of bobbing the back, raking the front and putting longer forks in. How hard is it to estimate angles and such? Is it a time consuming endeavor? What can I do to speed things along for him?

Thanks all,

Apato

 

I have about 100 hours into my bike with all the fab work, welding and refitment of fenders and such. And I didn't even rake the front end. Then again, I custom built everything from scratch from the exhaust to the shift lever, basically everything rear of the tank was a one off build. Still, I can't see doing a nice job in less than 50 hours.

 

raking is lame. the chopper fad is over. bob or rat it out.

 

+1

 

don't "rat it out". I love the look of old school choppers so I'd personally rake it.

 

thats my vote

 

Bobber's rule big time. :idea:

 

Ok. Here's my take on "rat". It's WAAAAAY over done, a whole lot more than raking. Everybody has a flat black paint job. Rat is the politically correct word for "I don't want to take the time or effort to polish up the stuff that's supposed to shine so I'll just spray cheap dollar store rattle can over it. I don't want to put forth the effort to fix a few dents and scratches so I'll tell everybody that's the look I'm going for".

If that's your thing, go for it. When I started my project I had visions of flat black and wide whitewalls dancing in my head. But after the hard work and effort I put into my bike, I just couldn't leave it half-done. A wise man once told me' "Chrome won't get you home, but it will get you laid." As for raking, choppers will never fade away. The only fad that is over is the one that involves bikes that some so-called "master builder" assembled from the latest J&P catalog complete with 300 extra pounds of billet and 12 different colors from House of Kolor, a steamroller back tire and comes with a pricetag that would rival the Federal deficit. The only reason the that fad is over is because they have already sold bikes to all the idiots stupid enough to buy them. Build what you like. That will never go out of style in your eyes. Unless you're in it to make money. Then follow the fads.

 

what /\ said
you can also buy raked tripple trees so you dont have to cut the neck.Then you can put it back stock if you want.

 

x2 x2 x2

 

650Rigid,
Admittedly, I like a lot of styles... but I like your style.

To the rest:
I think raking the frame is a bit too difficult a job for a freebie. A hard tail on the other hand... I'll look into it. I've already got a rat bike that's mechanically good. Guys think it's awesome. Girls think it's OK but they always want to ride my V-star. "Oooh shiny," she says.

Since the V-star is for sale and my other bike is a KLR, the next bike is going to have to be chrome and beautiful. I'm also considering a cafe racer. I'll probably do both eventually.

Thanks again,

Apato

 

Know what you mean about "what the girls like". Back in high school (somewhere in the Plistocene Era) owned a '56 Chevy. It ran like a stripped ape but it would have been charitable to have called it a "Rat Rod". Borrowed the parent's car to go on dates ...

skillet
BTW MAN! If I could put my hands on some of the things I have traded or sold...

 

cafe racers will not turn a ladies head,hardtail that bitch and chrome it up now that gets em wet

 

I never met a woman who OPTED to ride a hardtail.

 

Regardless, never met one.

 

Not only will a good woman ride rigid, she will sit on the fender and wrap her legs around your waist.

 

That's the last thing I need...A rigid woman.
I obviously prefer a softail but I'm not shy about admiring a hardtail once in a while.

 

I think that the rat-bike, look is a bit overdone myself, but I still like the bobber look. Why does everybody want flat black? A raked triple tree, sportster shocks and a new kickstand are on my shopping list. If you get the triple tree and not the forks, it'll lower the bike 'bout 2", and the sportster shocks the same.
Back in the beginning choppers were army surplus H.D.\s are they called them choppers because the chopped off all of the unnecessary accessories like fenders. They were mostly hard-tails already. But I see no harm done in having shocks. If form follows function the rake will improve high speed handling lowering will will also, not for the timid. There is also the theory that lowering will improve fuel economy and top speed. The fork stretch will improve the ride but it'll take 40 acres to make a u-turn, excessive chrome means more to steal. Make a statement, paint the bike to express your style. I know of some paint retailers that will can whatever paint you pick, for about $30 per rattle can its the current epa approved, Calif air resources board automotive grade paint. Show bikes are cool but I'd rather have a bike I can ride to work.

PS its not a chopper until you've cut something.

 

So, what's the distinction between a bobber and a chopper? Chopped means you've cut something. Bobbed means you've cut something. Is a bobber a bike with a short or no rear fender, stock rake and stock or lowered forks? Does that mean that a chopper has a 300 rear tire and is raked out with long forks? Seems like the RUBs decked out from head to toe in officially licensed OCC clothing and their wide-tire kit Harley Davidsons complete with the latest billet bolt on parts or the latest Big Dog creation made "chopper" a dirty word to some. Then something happened. When the RUBs started going to bike nights at the bars, they saw something they were never shown on TV. The guys they were trying to emulate didn't have fancy paint jobs and chrome on everything. The really rebellious RUBs started paying people good money for a "patina finish" on parts and flat black on their tins to give their bike a "rat" look because that's what the backyard builder was doing but only because he didn't have money for fancy paint or to get 20 year old parts rechromed. Again making "rat" a dirty word to some. People seem to be getting away from "chopper" and moving toward "bobber" even though at one time both words meant the same thing. The next label is coming. As soon as "bobber" gets overused and becomes a dirty word. Then "Bratstyle" or "Flat Tracker" will be the buzzword for the next few years. There's guys out there still building long forked bikes raked to Hades, and there's guys still building bikes with the front tire tight to the frame with a short boat trailer fender on back, despite what tag others will hang on it. There are 3 kinds of riders. The RUBs who want to be like bikers. The bikers who don't want to be like the yups. And finally those that ride and respect all riders. Catergory #1 wants to be like 2 and 3. Group #2 doesn't want to be lumped in with 1 and 3, even though they were there first. It is taboo soon as it becomes mainstream. If you fall into the 3rd category, then you don't care what the other 2 groups are doing. Afterall, YOUR bike should be what YOU want it to be.