Switching from "cafe" to more bobber inspired, progress pics

Sat back and looked long and hard at this bike, and decided it is much more suited to a bobber/chopper inspired look than the cafe look. Plus sitting upright is so much more comfortable for as much riding as I do. So I started removing things. The goal here is to have a bike with that chopped/bobbed look, but still be comfortable to ride every day for my 40+ mile commute.

Started removing rear end pieces here, to see what there is to work with underneath.


Some of the leftover parts: old sissy bar, fender, etc


The rear shocks after taking them apart, cutting out about an inch and cleaning the worst of the surface rust off.


Transparent red paint on one of the old turn signal lights. Tore apart the lights and swapped the dual filament brake light into one of my old signal housings.


Here's how she sits today. Flipped the clubmans over, new light and tag is mounted to the brake arm until I finish my swingarm mount




Here are my ghetto-rigged highway pegs, mostly just to see how I feel about the pegs there before investing in real pegs or forward controls.


My rear shock after cutting it down. Bike is lowered about an inch and a half after cutting about an inch off the shock. Rides very nice, no bottoming out even with my wife on the back.


Tonight I'm going to cut the frame off behind the backseat mount until I decide how far back I want to cut. I'm making a solo seat, but I really want a way to be able to swap the stock seat on or have a good comfortable seat for my wife to ride on. I'm thinking of chopping the rear off the frame, then machining slides onto the rails so it can slide and lock into the bike frame when I want to 2-up.

Also ordering a MikesXS speedo and going to relocate the ignition, make a PVC intake, and rewire most of the bike to help clean it up. Comments, criticism is welcome.

 

Re: Switching from "cafe" to more bobber inspired, progress

Hi Brian,
Take a look at my gallery, You can have the solo seat bobbed look with out going to a hardtail I have a 60 mi round trip to work and MI roads are far from smooth.

James

 

Scooter is lookin' NICE. IMHO lowlifexj's seat is the way to go. I likey it...

skillet

 

Re: Switching from "cafe" to more bobber inspired, progress

Ya, the seat has to go. Just don't do anything for your project at ll. Solo is the way to go.

 

how did you cut the shocks down, I'd like a lower look without the complete bobber transistion

 

Re: Switching from "cafe" to more bobber inspired, progress

You have to compress them to get the spring keeper out to remove the spring. I made one out of plumbing parts and threaded rods.
Here's what it looks like:



You have to press the top of the shock down, around the keeper to remove it. Then cut 1" off the spring (no more or the spring will wobble around when you put it back together) It should lower the bike about 1-1/2" and still have enough shock travel. Cut the spring off flat and put the cut end up, inside the housing on top so you don't see the cut end. Simple but effective!

 

Does your side stand still work easy or do you have to lean a ways over to the right to get it down?

 

Re: Switching from "cafe" to more bobber inspired, progress

I shortened the side stand by heating and bending it out about 1". That works perfect. It leans the bike over so it won't get blown over from a strong wind (mentioned in a previous post here)
I never liked the way the bike was stock with the side stand that made it to stand up too straight with the kick stand down (like most older Jap bikes) I like ones like Harleys have, where the bike lays over a little more. You don't see many harleys blowing over in a strong wind.

 

Re: Switching from "cafe" to more bobber inspired, progress

I cut the rear springs to lower it, cut about an inch off of them so the bike is about an inch and a half lower with everything together. Just make a spring compressor like the one shown, or see if your local Autozone or Oreilly's happens to have a loaner one that will fit.

And I did not alter my side stand, gotta lean a little to the right to lift it up but it's not as bad as I expected.

Haven't made much progress the past week other than ordering my MikesXS speedometer. When it comes in this week I'll start my ignition key move and a big chunk of minimizing wiring. Been too busy out riding, rather ride it than work on it.

 

Re: Switching from "cafe" to more bobber inspired, progress

Sorry no updates for a while. Got the new MikesXS speedo on, otherwise just been riding and haven't done much work.




stopped by the lake on the way home the other day

 

Re: Switching from "cafe" to more bobber inspired, progress

I put upsidedown clubman's on mine, they feel great and I think they look cool.

 

Re: Switching from "cafe" to more bobber inspired, progress

that's because they weigh to F'n much... :lol:

I love white bikes. Yours looks great but it desperately needs a rear fender of some sort.

 

Clubmans look kick ass mounted like that.....

Looking good, but I agree with dw, you'll want a rear fener of some sort....

We have a guy in another forum that like to bob/chop 250 rebels, he super shortened the rear fender on his latest, got caught in the rain, and the tire threw a rooster tail of water up that pooled right in the rear of the seat, making for an obviously uncomfortable ride home..

 

Re: Switching from "cafe" to more bobber inspired, progress

Thanks guys. I really like the clubmans mounted like that, looks cool and seems like just the right riding posture too.

As for a rear fender, I'm working on the stock fender and I've got an idea I want to try out too, should be pretty sweet if it works out.

Still need to chop the end of the frame off behind the seat mount and get my new seat made. School semester is over in 2 weeks and I'll finally have some free time again!

 

Hey Brian, don't know if you've seen this idea before, but some guys go to their local small trailer supply and pick up a "Generic" fender and cut it down and paint it. They are usually cheap and you can paint it to match the bike without chopping up your good chrome fender.
The one I'm posting is chrome, but you can get them unpainted too.
Just a thought.

 

Re: Switching from "cafe" to more bobber inspired, progress

I had one of those for my first bobbed fender and it fit between the frame rails perfect. They sell at Northern Tool for about $25.