Custom ‘45 Harley-Davidson Bobber Offers Usable Vintage Cool

If the idea of a good-looking vintage bike appeals to you, but you’d rather spend more time riding on the street than trailering it to a bike show, this restomod Harley-Davidson Bobber could be for you.

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Post-Depression Innovation

As one of only two American motorcycle manufacturers to survive economic disaster in the 1930s, Harley-Davidson emerged determined to forge a bold new path.

Harley-Davidson planned to offer 11 models based around three motors with 61, 74, and 80 cubic-inch displacement. The smaller-capacity motor had overhead-valve technology, while the larger units made do with the classic side-valve cylinder head. Then again, the big H-D V-twins had a sturdy reputation for reliability. With war on the way, a newfangled cylinder head design was probably not advisable.

When the war was over, returning GIs recalled the Class C Dirt-Track racers of the 1930s built by Harley-Davidson and Indian. They wanted the distinctive, no-nonsense “bobbed” look but translated to the streets.

The Art of Bobbing

Bobbing a motorcycle, originally for racing purposes, was intended to reduce weight by stripping the machine of unnecessary parts. A key strategy was removing the front fender altogether and bob (or shorten) the rear fender.

While the early post-war days were strictly about function, it wasn’t long before the Bobber community added a little chrome, a decent paint job, and creative adjustments to the handlebars and exhaust.

Eventually the Chopper overtook the Bobber as the most popular custom style. Then, in the mid-1990s, Bobbers started to reappear in significant numbers. They’ve been a part of the custom scene since then.

Enhanced Performance and Reliability

The Harley-Davidson Bobber currently for sale on eBay was built in 2020 and 2021 in the spirit of the traditional Bobber. The seller offers an exhaustive list of the work and enhancements. It’s a long read but worth the time.

Crucially for a Bobber, the motorcycle presents well but hasn’t been finished to a level where you’d worry about parking it under a tree. At the front, we have the essential springer front end, which uses six external springs at the top and a rocker at the bottom. The springs absorb impact to the front wheel while the rocker allows for vertical movement. Few front ends look this good.

The striking tank was treated internally for corrosion. It looks great in its mild custom paint and is the correct tank style for a Harley UL. Below the tank, a 1200 cc motor (reportedly rebuilt by a reputable firm) shows its original case (rebored) and the later-style aluminum cylinder heads. The Harley-Davidson Bobber’s look is completed with a two-into-one fishtail exhaust which harkens back to the racing origins of the style: minimum fuss and weight.

Endless Coolness

The rear couldn’t be more straightforward or more stylish. A rigid frame means no rear springs and dampers, which is critical to the clean Bobber look. The same holds for the simple single-seat unit and the cut-down fender.

Then there’s the foot clutch and the hand shift. Everywhere you look on this Harley-Davidson Bobber you see more cool stuff. The seller’s comprehensive description covers a few imperfections, like slightly leaky rocker covers and the odd paint defect. But that’s part of running a custom Bobber.

So run it as-is—or work through the odd imperfection and throw a little paint at it. Either way, you really can’t miss with a bike this cool.