Need help/ideas for bob

Hey gang,

I'm gonna bob my '82 Maxim 400, something pretty mild. It's got the monoshock(?) in the frame so I won't have to go hardtail, I'm just gonna get rid of everything in the rear: fender, seat etc. I want drag bars and a bobber seat (springer if it makes sense). Gonna paint it satin black (of course!) with white accents. I figure to start I'll keep all the stock gauges and lights up front but need help figuring out where to locate the taillights and where I should get the parts I need/want for this project.

I have checked out a lot of bobber builds here for inspiration but haven't seen any maxim 400s like mine so I don't know if what I want to do is possible. I'd like to drop the seat a little bit and put drag bars on it.

So any ideas or advice? I'm gonna start buying parts as soon as the tax return gets here. Hopefully I'll only have to do a little chopping in the rear and a little welding to drop the seat a little.

thanks!

 

I hacked the rear frame up on mine and instead of plugging the frame, I used it to mount my lights....

 

Not real familiar with a 400 but as far as lights go, I like what bostonXJ did with his. Don't know if you can lower your seat without some cutting. You could go with a new pan and use some closed cell foam for a shorter seat and it'll look dropped (maybe). Keep us posted and take some pics...

skillet

 

I'm definitely gonna cut, hopefully only a couple frame members to drop the seat. I like your lights BostonXJ but I don't know if those are enough to be legal in Washington...great space saver idea though, I'll look in to it.

 

On mine that gets you into the air and battery box ...

skillet

 

it will on his too. look up hoopty on chopperfix.com as he bobbed the snot out of a 400 max. so did a member on here but he never finished it as far as I know. Mine is pretty tricked out too, however it is more speed rat fighter style.

 

You're right dwcopple, I won't be able to go down at all without hitting the monoshock, air box etc...On the other hand, your bike looks sweet. do you have a build thread? I'd like to do a seat/fender setup like yours since I won't be able to bob it the way I want.

My dad just picked up a Suzuki GS450 that would make a perfect bobber. He wants to keep his stock but I'm gonna start looking for another one we can chop up.