I have been pondering what to do to my BM. I have tried to sell it. Didn't really try hard to do this. I have decided at having a go at semi bobbing it. This will not be a quick flash in the pan project. This is what I have done so far today. This is what has inspired me. Mine will be matt black. I am thinking of smaller tank for mine like this one. I know bobbers are supposed to have no front guard. Mine will have a very small one. I have my eye on a solo saddle for it already.
I'd say the same thing. Making a very competent and capable tool into a useless fashion accessory that hurts to ride any farther than the nearest bar is kinda dumb to me, but hey it's your bike. Do what you want with it.
My thing is that I dont ride my R/T much since I got my V-Strom.I was thinking of making a bike I'd ride more in the summer,since it HOT here in the summer.The only time I appreciate my R/T is late fall,early spring.I tried to sell it,but no takers.So for now,it sits.Do what makes you happy.
argh now bolt the thing back together .have a lie down, get a life ,buy a sportster hope that works ....otherwise you my man IZZ farked c
Playing around with cardboard to mock up a solo saddle. The shape is not finale. I will have a go at making my own out of tread plate and see what it looks like. The RT handle bars are now off and set of rip-off Daytona wide lower bars are on.
Well, youre gonna do what youre gonna do so go ahead but my sentiments have been adequately covered by the previous posters. Just make sure as you mock things up, that you'll actually be able to ride the bike and that you're OK with the fact that you're turning a functioning bike, into something of reduced ridability and of little value. Oh well...
I agree, and I'll add my thought on the whole custom BMW thing since that stupid $19,000 "designer" BMW on ebay has me going.... The BMW boxer engine just doesn't work in a "bobber", more particularly, the later airhead engines. They just don't look right. If you want to build a "bobber", go find an old BSA or Triumph. Leave the bike alone, and ride it. That's what they're for.
AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!! Buy parts if you want to piece together something odd, leave the restorables/riders for others...
I'm with the others, that bike is too nice to fuck up. go buy a rusty heap to build a bobber. pu that RT back together and take it on a trip!
At the very least, you could get one of the aftermarket "S-model" fairings, some low handlebars and turn it into a back road scratcher. That's way more suitable use for a BMW than building a "bob-job" out of it. If you really want a nice bobber, look around for an old Triumph or BSA, they're out there, and in condition suitable as a starting point for a bobber (ie: missing sheet metal, trashed frame, etc.) they can be had for pretty cheap. I can guarantee that everyone will have good things to say about it, vs a BMW bobber, which will really annoy about half the people who see it. And the half that act as if they like it are just being polite.
Baaaaah It's an RT one the least attractive airheads made. Hack that thing up. Don't forget to put a strut in place of the rear suspension. And forward controls can be rigged up over the tops of the cylinder heads. Then you can get the seat really low. Good luck
Man you're a brave man starting a thread like this one here. I'd suggest you find a bobber forum & share cos I don't think you'll get much positive feedback here. I personally think it'll look quite cool & wish you luck, as with most projects you'll have a lot of fun (& frustration). Just don't expect much support from here
It's your bike, build it the way you want. More power to you for stepping outside of the box. I'm in the process of building to Airhead bobbers and one is a rigid frame. Keep up the creative work
Bah... don't listen to the purists. Turn it into what you like, even if it isn't popular. Its just like with Mosin nagant rifles... people say they're a piece of history which shouldn't be changed and blah blah blah. What they don't mention is that they were produced in the millions and are now sold for $79 at the local pawn shops. But they are terribly heavy brutes that can be hard to hunt with. If you 'bubba it' to your liking you get razzed for it by collectors, even though the mods make it more appealing and useful to you. But then again I cheated and bought 2 and left one original. While I do appreciate things being left historically accurate, it is your bike and not a museum piece. Besides, you can always rebuild it to stock if this fails. Some adventures happen in the garage.... Post pics! (but find a good home for the stock parts you are going to get rid of so a collector can restore his ride. I have an older bike and sometimes parts are scarce in good condition)
i dont much like bobbers at all, but i'm not keeping any of my airheads standard either so each to their own if you want a bobber build one, maybe you might be able to help out others going down that road i think you'll be fine as long as you don't decide to call yourself a "designer", that does not seem to go down well round here, good luck with it!
I am not worried about support or not here. I am also on some chopper/bobber forums too. Fuel tank thoughts. What if fuel tank was under the seat where the battery lives? Not too low that gravity still can't feed fuel to the carbs. Then I would have all that ugly electric stuff on the frame top tube that I could shroud over with sheet alloy. Kinda like a squashed diamond shape. Or squashed stretched coffin tank shape. Very thin. Maybe have this shroud flow into the tank under the seat. Off this shroud towards the front of the bike would come the headlamp. I hope the scibble below will give you an idea of what I am proposing? The headlamp off to one side is inspired by Shinya Kimura's 74 Ducati 'flash' This is the fairing for his Duc ... I want that kinda look but coming from the 'dummy' tank with the headlamp to one side. Top down on what I would like it to look like...
