The bobber was the earliest simple and
stripped down custom motorcycle hand-built by individuals with
mechanical skills and often part of the early biker clubs scene before
there were any such thing as choppers. It is a style of custom
motorcycle which took shape in the 1940s and 50s, generally thought to
have been started by returning WW II American servicemen working on
ex-military motorcycles and inspired by lighter European motorcycles
they had seen and ridden. The bikes reflected their owners and were
often homemade but today there are many companies that create such
vehicles. The style has also influenced motorcycle manufacturers such as
Harley-Davidson. The style continues to be favored by some to this day.
Hybrid styles have emerged such as as a "bobber chopper" and
retro-bobber. Bobbers are related to choppers in that they represent a
minimalistic approach where the motorcycle is stripped of parts or
accessories not needed but bobbers generally leaving the characteristics
of the stock frame.
