Image: Victory Motorcycles
In biker speak, a “bobber” is a bike that’s had everything you don’t absolutely need removed to save weight. The front fender is usually the first to go, followed by the rear fender being cut short or “bobbed”, hence the name. Bobbers use a stock frame, as opposed to choppers, which generally have their frames modified to increase fork rake. Forks on bobbers are generally stock, while forks on choppers are usually stretched to provide a custom look (at the expense of handling). On the evolutionary scale of the motorcycle, bobbers represent the first climb out of the primordial stock bike-only-ooze, and they’ve still got a loyal following of riders.
