Bobber vs. Cafe Racer
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- Cookie
- Honored Life Member
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- RIP: 1950-2011
- Location: San Mateo, CA
The bobber goes back to just post WW!. When guys were taking the fenders off their Model Ts they were also cutting weight on Harleys and Indians and the first thing that had to go was 40 lbs of fenders.
Folks didn't have a lot of engine mod bucks back then but anybody could unbolt stuff. This is definitely a problem for folks who are now restoring old Indians as those huge gorgeous old fenders were dumped.
I've seen pictures of my dad and his friends around Greenville Maine back in the early 30s and one of them had a Harley that you would have to call a bobber. It had the front fender on the rear, no front fender and they had taken everything they could off.
These same guys used this bike in what was supposed to be the world's first in flight refueling of a Curtis Jenny.
The idea was to run the Harley up the lake on the ice while a guy on back handed a five gallon can of gas to a guy hanging off the Jenny.
My dad was one of the kids on the bike and he said ice is very cold and hurts when you are covered with gasoline.
Folks didn't have a lot of engine mod bucks back then but anybody could unbolt stuff. This is definitely a problem for folks who are now restoring old Indians as those huge gorgeous old fenders were dumped.
I've seen pictures of my dad and his friends around Greenville Maine back in the early 30s and one of them had a Harley that you would have to call a bobber. It had the front fender on the rear, no front fender and they had taken everything they could off.
These same guys used this bike in what was supposed to be the world's first in flight refueling of a Curtis Jenny.
The idea was to run the Harley up the lake on the ice while a guy on back handed a five gallon can of gas to a guy hanging off the Jenny.
My dad was one of the kids on the bike and he said ice is very cold and hurts when you are covered with gasoline.
Enjoy life,
Cookie
A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad.
Owner of 4.4 76s and one lone 75 Wings (does a spare engine make .2?)
Cookie
A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad.
Owner of 4.4 76s and one lone 75 Wings (does a spare engine make .2?)
- robin1731
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- mrflamewerks
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- Location: West Puget Sound
So would this be a Chopper-Bobber...?



The difference between Genius and Stupidity is that Genius has its limits.
> Unknown
He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither.
>B. Franklin

78 GL1000 Pending Resurrection
78 GL1000 Naked (gone to pieces)
83 GL1100 Interstate
99 GL1500CF Valkyrie Interstate (Gone to the Darkside)
99 GL1500C Valkyrie Standard (Gone to the Darkside)
> Unknown
He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither.
>B. Franklin

78 GL1000 Pending Resurrection
78 GL1000 Naked (gone to pieces)
83 GL1100 Interstate
99 GL1500CF Valkyrie Interstate (Gone to the Darkside)
99 GL1500C Valkyrie Standard (Gone to the Darkside)
- Whiskerfish
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Cute





"Agreement is not a requirement for Respect" CDR Michael Smith USN (Ret) 2017
"The book is wrong, this whole Conclusion is Fallacious" River Tam
"Yea I do dance awkwardly, and I am having more fun than you" Taylor Swift
2008 GL1800 IIIA "TH3DOG"
1984 GL1200 Standard
1975/6/7/8/9 Arthur Fulmer Dressed Road bike
1975 Naked Noisy and Nasty in town bike
Psst. oh and by the way CHANGE YOUR BELTS!!!!
"The book is wrong, this whole Conclusion is Fallacious" River Tam
"Yea I do dance awkwardly, and I am having more fun than you" Taylor Swift
2008 GL1800 IIIA "TH3DOG"
1984 GL1200 Standard
1975/6/7/8/9 Arthur Fulmer Dressed Road bike
1975 Naked Noisy and Nasty in town bike
Psst. oh and by the way CHANGE YOUR BELTS!!!!
- Cookie
- Honored Life Member
- Posts: 15821
- Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:37 pm
- RIP: 1950-2011
- Location: San Mateo, CA
- CharlieP
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AND just for laughs - the TON in Ton Up Boys etc etc is a term for 100 m.p.h.
Growing Old is Mandatory ** Growing Up is Optional
http://www.ngwclub.com/gallery/v/wingmans/Chasdog/
http://www.ngwclub.com/gallery/v/wingmans/Chasdog/
- Whiskerfish
- President
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- Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2006 9:34 pm
- My Album: http://www.ngwclub.com/gallery/v/wingmans/whiskerfish/
- Location: Norfolk Va
Been there done that. Just don't tell the wifeCYBORG wrote:and don't forget the mile high club



"Agreement is not a requirement for Respect" CDR Michael Smith USN (Ret) 2017
"The book is wrong, this whole Conclusion is Fallacious" River Tam
"Yea I do dance awkwardly, and I am having more fun than you" Taylor Swift
2008 GL1800 IIIA "TH3DOG"
1984 GL1200 Standard
1975/6/7/8/9 Arthur Fulmer Dressed Road bike
1975 Naked Noisy and Nasty in town bike
Psst. oh and by the way CHANGE YOUR BELTS!!!!
"The book is wrong, this whole Conclusion is Fallacious" River Tam
"Yea I do dance awkwardly, and I am having more fun than you" Taylor Swift
2008 GL1800 IIIA "TH3DOG"
1984 GL1200 Standard
1975/6/7/8/9 Arthur Fulmer Dressed Road bike
1975 Naked Noisy and Nasty in town bike
Psst. oh and by the way CHANGE YOUR BELTS!!!!