Strip it again to the naked necessities, and make it lighter, quicker and cooler. It’s a recipe for fulfillment that dates again practically so far as the motorbike itself, and it’s no shock that bobber bikes are one of many longest-standing types of customized bikes.
Accepted theories date the inception of the bobber again so far as the late Nineteen Twenties and early 30s, when riders began stripping off normal street tools to shed weight and stand out from the gang. Emulating competitors bikes of the day (predominantly AMA dust monitor), street riders generally stripped entrance fenders, exhaust silencers and different add-ons, and rear fenders had been shortened drastically. In actual fact, the bobber terminology traces its origins again to this modification, because the bikes had been initially referred to as bob-jobs, as in bob-tail.
Whereas tendencies come and go, bobber bikes have confirmed themselves to be a everlasting piece of the motorbike scene, and producers worldwide have embraced the no-frills, stripped-back spirit. Manufacturing facility bob-jobs are available all shapes and displacements as of late, and the next machines are a few of our favourite bobbers accessible for 2024.
Harley-Davidson Avenue Bob 114
At a look 1,868 cc, 45° V-twin engine, 94 hp, 161 Nm, 19″ F / 16″ R wheels, 49 mm telescopic forks, hidden coilover rear shock—43 mm stroke, solo seat with pillion pad.
A part of the scene for the reason that very starting, it will be an enormous misstep in advertising for Harley-Davidson to disregard the bare-essentials crowd. The Sportster S, Nightster and Softail Commonplace make compelling instances, however in the event you’ve been across the block a time or two, the 114 ci Harley Avenue Bob is your no-frills steed.
The Avenue Bob relies on Harley’s Softail chassis, which boasts a 43 mm coilover monoshock beneath the seat to protect that traditional HD body line. Energy comes from Harley’s 114 ci (1,868 cc) Milwaukee-Eight, with 4 valves per cylinder, digital sequential port injection and a mixture of air and oil cooling. Torque is the secret with this single-cam pushrod engine, and its 119 lb-ft pulls even certifiably husky riders round with ease.
Just like the Softail Commonplace, the Avenue Bob ditches all the same old cumbersome package individuals affiliate with the HD scene. Devoid of fairings and panniers, the Avenue Bob is simply outfitted with a 3.5-gallon gas tank, a single seat with a detachable pillion, bobbed fenders and a 2-into-2 shotgun exhaust.
Electronics are additionally the naked minimal, consisting of normal LED lighting and a small show constructed into the bar clamp with eight fundamental capabilities. Hell, even ABS is non-obligatory.
When it comes all the way down to brass tacks, the 2024 Avenue Bob enjoys a giant leap in energy and picture over the Softail Commonplace, and prices the identical because the Sportster S. Better of all, it seems identical to a bare-bones Harley ought to. [Harley-Davidson | Custom Harley Street Bobs]
Triumph Bonneville Bobber
At a look 1,200 cc parallel twin engine with 270° crank, 76.9 hp, 106 Nm, 16″ wheels, 47 mm right-side-up forks, hidden rear shock, cantilevered solo seat.
There are few extra iconic powerplants in manufacturing right this moment than the Triumph parallel-twin, and the retro air-cooled 1,200 cc engine is a major candidate for a manufacturing unit bob-job. Whereas the majority of its bits are borrowed from the Bonneville T120, this machine is excess of a Bonneville in bobber clothes.
Proper out of the gate, the Triumph Bonneville Bobber has a drastically totally different silhouette than the remainder of the Bonneville steady, ditching the twin-shock swingarm for a fabricated monoshock unit. With the shock and linkage packaged tightly within the body, the Bobber embodies the traditional uninterrupted body line from entrance to rear—much more so, with its slim single seat floating excessive above a Wassel-style fender out again.
Whereas some slight repackaging is important beneath the saddle to accommodate its transition, the Bobber retains the T120’s carburetor-esque multipoint sequential injection system, and the revised battery mounting incorporates a retro band clamp tie-down. Twin slash-cut exhausts and chunky 16-inch wheels are distinctive to the Bobber, and foot controls are moved additional ahead.
To associate with its low (however adjustable) 27.2 to 27.6-inch seat peak, the Bobber is match with low-rise bars and normal instrumentation—however there’s a good quantity of tech hiding there. Switchable driving modes, traction management, ABS, cruise management and an immobilizer are all normal truthful on the Bobber.
The Bonneville Bobber is out there in 4 hanging colorways, all with a liberal utility of matte black within the particulars. [Triumph | Custom Triumph bobbers]
CCM Bobber
At a look 600 cc Husqvarna four-stroke single, 55 hp, 55 Nm, 18″ Excel wheels, inverted forks—120 mm stroke, coilover rear—120 mm stroke, manufacturing unit customizable.
The place many bikes have an effect on the bobber aesthetic by shedding inventory tools, the design ethos at CCM Bikes is the naked necessities throughout the board. The CCM Bobber is a far cry out of your common OE bobber, weighing simply over 300 kilos and sporting a 600 cc four-stroke single, however contemplating its bespoke minimalist development and spectacular specification, we gained’t argue with its credentials.
A boutique producer based mostly in Bolton, England, CCM’s mannequin line focuses on a single versatile platform with an enormous emphasis on customization. Most each CCM product may move for a one-off when it leaves the manufacturing unit, and homeowners covet the agency’s consideration to handcrafted element and top-spec supplies.
All of CCM’s fashions make the most of the identical TIG-welded trellis body, inverted entrance fork, fabricated monoshock swingarm and Husqvarna-sourced 600 cc engine rated at 55 hp. It’s the ending particulars that outline every mannequin, and the Bobber makes its aspirations clear with a high-mounted single seat, shotgun pipes and 18-inch Excel wheels with thick Avon rubber.
Its modest energy output and upright ergonomics set the CCM aside out of your common low-slung bobber, and the bike is best suited to quick jaunts and corner-carving than the remainder of the sector. That being mentioned, few manufacturing unit choices match CCM’s ending particulars, and even fewer can help you be so concerned within the design course of. [CCM Motorcycles | Custom CCM Motorcycles]
Indian Chief Bobber
At a look 1,811 cc 49° V-twin engine, 146 Nm, 16″ wheels, 46 mm telescopic forks, twin rear shocks—76 mm stroke, ahead foot controls.
Outfitted with a 111-ci air-cooled mill, 16-inch wires and a timeless gas tank design, the Indian Chief Bobber instantly makes the grade as a contemporary traditional. Its nostalgic inspirations are greater than skin-deep, however the Chief Bobber additionally comes with an honest quantity of normal package for the value.
In the event you’re a fan of American bikes of the ’40s and ’50s, you’ll discover a entire lot to love about Indian’s line of Chief cruisers. The bike’s silhouette is dominated by the air-cooled Thunderstroke 111 V-twin, which Indian charges at 108 lb-ft at 3,200 rpm. It’s topped by a nostalgic 4-gallon gas tank, and all of the Chiefs include bobbed fenders and an attention grabbing headlight nacelle as normal tools. The Chief’s greatest characteristic, although, is one which’s not as instantly recognizable.
Trying previous the bodywork, the bike’s metal tubular chassis seems genuinely traditional. As an alternative of stamped or boxy sections, fantastically shaped tube sections and joints are used, very like the brazed frames of yesteryear, and the rear shocks are labored into the uninterrupted spine. With simply 3” of journey out again, the Chief gained’t return the smoothest trip when the going will get tough, however you could possibly say the identical for many bikes on this class.
The Chief Bobber builds on the usual mannequin in a number of key areas for a refined, however considerable impact. Chrome exhaust covers encompass the V-twin engine, working into blacked-out silencers. 16-inch wire wheels with black hoops and Pirelli Night time Dragon rubber exchange the usual alloys, and black shrouds cowl the suspension entrance and rear for a smoother look.
The Chief Bobber sells for a small premium over the usual Chief, they usually share the identical gauge show and normal electronics. Cruise management, gas vary and ambient air temperature reporting are good options in comparison with the competitors, as are keyless ignition, switchable driving modes and rear-cylinder deactivation. If that’s not sufficient to journey your set off, spec as much as the Bobber Darkish Horse mannequin for five further cubes and 120 lb-ft. In spite of everything, what’s a number of thousand bucks amongst associates? [Indian | Custom Indian Motorcycles]
Indian Scout Bobber
At a look 1,250 cc, 60° V-twin engine, 105 hp, 111 Nm, 16″ wheels, 41 mm telescopic forks, twin rear shocks—51 mm stroke, bar-end mirrors.
Chunky, blacked-out and slammed to the pavement, the Indian Scout Bobber is among the most spirited mid-size machines available on the market—and the brand new 2025 is scorching off the press. Whereas many updates for the present mannequin seem solely to the skilled eye, the brand new Scout advantages massively from a sleeker chassis and bodywork, and a extra highly effective 1,250 cc engine.
The Scout nonetheless serves as Indian’s most versatile platform, even after paring the mannequin vary again to 5 distinct machines. Regardless of its snazzier stablemates, the Scout Bobber stays a beautiful possibility for every little thing it doesn’t have. There aren’t any saddlebags, fairings or chrome bits, only a pair of bobbed fenders, a 3.4-gallon gas tank and a small headlight nacelle.
The Bobber’s slammed stance comes courtesy of the 16-inch alloys match entrance and rear with thick Pirelli rubber, and the rear coil shocks return simply 2” of journey—a worth to pay for curb enchantment. Low-rise handlebars with bar-end mirrors entrance a single analog gauge with a small digital show—conserving monitor of the naked requirements.
Whereas the Scout’s fundamental format stays the identical, the brand new liquid-cooled SpeedPlus engine does away with the previous mill’s machined and polished particulars for a extra modern look. It additionally comes with an additional 117 cc of displacement, good for 105 hp and 82 lb-ft of torque, and also you’re certain to really feel an uptick in grunt over the outgoing mannequin.
Indian’s designers have additionally executed an distinctive job bettering the chassis, which seems considerably extra trimmed again, and certain contributes to the Bobber’s decreased curb weight of 542 kilos. Along with eradicating bulk beneath the saddle and close to the headtube, the brand new Scout’s gas tank is inched again barely to disclose the air consumption, and the bobbed rear fender’s struts are hidden for a cleaner look.
The Scout Bobber is probably the most reasonably priced (and arguably the best) machine within the mannequin vary, and now comes with normal ABS. [Indian | Custom Indian Motorcycles]
BMW R 12
At a look 1,170 cc Boxer twin engine, 95 hp, 110 Nm, 19″ F / 16″ R wheels, 45 mm inverted forks, single-sided swingarm—89 mm stroke.
The brand new BMW R 12 is a cruiser by means of and thru, however in normal trim off the lot, we expect there are a number of causes it belongs on this listing. Past its stripped-down spec from the flagship R 12 nineT, the R 12’s extra relaxed geometry and chunky rear fender positively blur strains between genres.
We dug deep into the R 12 again when BMW introduced it in November, however in the event you’re in search of the cliff notes, right here’s the gist. The brand new R 12 line builds on the outgoing R nineT’s 1,170 cc air- and oil-cooled boxer powerplant nestled in an all-new tubular-steel chassis. From there, BMW relocated the airbox to beneath the seat, and the suspension is adjustable on each ends with 17-inch alloys as normal.
With the R 12 nineT on the prime quality, the R 12 is spec’d down in a number of methods to account for its practically $4,000 slash in MSRP. First off, the engine is obtainable in a extra easygoing state of tune, producing 95 hp at 6,500 rpm, and the wheelbase, rake and seat peak figures are softened barely.
The inverted fork and rear monoshock return practically the identical quantity of journey, however characteristic fewer knobs to show, and the usual alloys measure 19”F and 16”R. Instead of the nineT’s twin devices, the R 12 has a single analog gauge with a small display screen and two switchable driving modes titled ‘Rock’ and ‘Roll.’
As we’ve come to anticipate from BMW, there’s a load of customized choices accessible for the R 12, together with every little thing from eye-catching spoked wheels to exhausts, passenger lodging and trick Choice 719 CNC components. Perusing the accessible add-ons, it’s clear you could possibly cherrypick a number of key choices and have an actual head-turner for lower than the bottom R 12 nineT.
Whereas it’s a wholly totally different animal from lots of the different bikes on our listing, BMW has clearly designed the brand new R 12 to be a extra relaxed cruiser stripped again to the naked necessities—they usually go so far as to make use of the phrase bobber as properly. We gained’t argue. [BMW Motorrad | Custom BMW Motorcycles]
