There's nothing cooler than a vintage bobber. But let's be honest -- vintage bikes are a pain in the rear. They break down, they leak oil, they need constant babying, and they don't actually perform all that well. What if you could get the cool look of a vintage bike, but with the comfort and convenience of a thoroughly modern motorcycle? This an intro written by about motorcycles to present the Harley Crossbones, sounds like a great pitch to me.
Back to basics
A lot of riders out there have zero notions of what is categorized as bobber and what's the big deal about them.
At the end of World War II, Army surplus motorcycles provided cheap transportation for many American veterans upon their return to US soil. The vets gathered together into motorcycle clubs, seeking the camaraderie of shared experience that they missed from their combat days. Former aviators applied some of the lessons they learned from keeping their planes in the air, and stripped their bikes of extraneous metal parts to lighten their loads, make them faster and more efficient. The resulting motorcycles are known as "bobbers" or "bob jobs," distinguished by their truncated rear and tiny front fenders, bucking the then-current trends. Bobbers evolved into choppers, which emphasize more styling elements like raked front forks and other extreme elements. The bobber was all about riding, and getting the most out of your bike by taking off everything extra. The cool looks were a bonus!
Enter Blitz Bomber
The Biltz Bomber builds on the concepts described above, with more power and less clutter. I was sold on the Crossbones, however my financial advisor (My Wife) asked why not build it! And that what I exactly did. Although Harley might provide customers with a so called Bobber look, the Crossbones remains an assembly line bike that will set me back a few thousand of dollars in extensive mods.
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