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First, here is a common question -what is the history of bobber motorcycles? And another common question is,” ‘why do people call them “bobbers'”? Now, a basic explanation is that a bobber is a motorcycle with the back fenders “bobbed” off/cut down. Another common practice with this style of motorcycle is unnecessary parts are removed and/or shortened the frame.
Next, there is a more in-depth explanation of the history of bobber-style motorcycles. Now another common question is – so when did bobbers first come out? Well, that answer isn’t as easy as it might sound.
First, as soon as there were motorcycles, people wanted to race. So even before Harley-Davidson came out in 1903, riders tried to lighten up their bikes to go faster.
Then in 1924, the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) was formed. And AMA racing before 1933 was made up of the manufacturers’ extremely expensive and custom motorcycles. Then in 1933, the AMA made the addition of Class C races. Motorcycles in this class had to be mechanically stock.
And, of course, this new C Class let a lot more riders race because they didn’t need a huge budget. Now without being able to modify the engine to get more horsepower, the other option to go faster was to lighten up the bikes. Subsequently, removing non-essential parts and bobbing the back fender was popular. Then in 1934, the first AMA Class C race was held.
Next, the popularity of bobber motorcycles grew after the troops came home after World War II. After coming home from the theater of war, many troops came back. Some did not want to settle back into a traditional life.
Additionally, troops came back with enough money to buy motorcycles. So getting a factory bike and bobbing it down made sense. This gave the troops the rush of riding on two wheels fast without spending a huge amount of money.
Over the years, bobbers have become more popular. And most aren’t made for racing but just for the vintage style. Another note is that these motorcycles were “garage-built” / changes done by the owner in their garage.
Then in the 1960s, some bobbers were given longer front forks, which was the beginning of the chopper. Now today, there are over-the-top choppers. But a lot of the old-school choppers that are garage-built follow the history of the bobber – simplified, without a lot of extras.
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