I'm one of the "old farts" that spent my teenage years in the 1960's hanging around at the local donut shop that was also frequented by members of the Hell's Angels, Satan Slaves and Galloping Gooses (the last two being absorbed by the Angels in later years). They all rode Harley bobbers as choppers really didn't make their way onto the motorcycle scene until very late in the 1960's. Many rode the late 1950's Sportsters that became my favorite. It was the combined engine/transmission of the Sportster that made it especially good for custom bobbers and choppers.

More general in remembering that era, that I call the Golden Age, we can recall that the typical bobber or chopper normally had an engine size of anywhere from about 500cc to 1000cc with some larger and some smaller in displacement. Outside of Harleys the most common bobber/chopper was based upon the 650cc Triumph for example.

In 1969 Honda introduced the CB750 4-cylinder and my brother happened to be the first in Los Angeles, and probably in the nation, to jump on building custom rigid frame choppers using this engine package. He didn't ride on the street but was an avid motorcycle racer and custom motorcycle builder. He built 18 custom rigid frame CB750 choppers where the frames were all TIG welded and nickel plated before lower quality and lower priced frames finally lead him to move on to other projects. Below is the only know photo of him with one of the rigid frame CB750 choppers and unfortunately I have no side pictures of the bikes... but I remember them very well.





A year ago on Thanksgiving morning my older bother passed away from an heart attack and this photo was used at his memorial service. Fortune intervened with the announcement by Harley-Davidson of the Street 750 and that inspired me to want to build a Harley 750 chopper in his memory. I'm currently involved in doing that today.

What this has also lead me to understand that the new Street 500/750 are perfect for the building of "old school" style choppers and bobbers. The displacement is perfect and the combined engine/transmission package offers the same advantages that the early Sportsters offered in the 1960's. The only critique I've ever heard is that the Streets are water-cooled but the only reason we didn't have water-cooled bobbers and choppers in the 1960's was because there were no water-cooled motorcycles in the 1960's. If we would have had them we would have made bobbers and choppers out of them.

The new Streets offer the most affordable platform ever for building a custom Harley rigid frame bobber or chopper. While I'm still developing the rigid frame, exhaust systems, and forward foot controls (that will be unique) almost everything else is available. There are still challenges though related to other after market items like finding a rear sprocket for wire spoke wheels but they are manageable. Ultimately the cost of a custom chopper or bobber using the Street 500/750, including the cost of a brand new Street 500/750, is estimated to be about $20,000 which is about 1/2 the cost of any other Harley based custom rigid frame bobber or chopper.

My initial goal is to have my custom chopper ready for Sturgis 2015. Dakota Digital has made a tenative offer to display my chopper in their booth at Sturgis and I'm hoping that materializes. The ultimate goal is to win the custom motorcycle competition at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show in 2015 and I believe that the materialization of the concept will accomplish that. I'm not working on this project alone and one of my best friends, a nationally known builder, is helping me with this project.

Yes, I will be posting pictures of the build as it progresses in the months to come. I also hope to tour with the finished chopper to events across the country in 2016, starting at Daytona Bike Week, and hope that members of this forum will get the opportunity to say hello in person and to see the finished motorcycle.

 

I hope you take lots of pics.

 

I like the fact that you are building this Bike in memory of your brother Smokin. Let us
know what parts you have to make on your own and what is available from the after
market. If these mid size Bikes start to become popular more manufactures will start to
make parts for them, and customizing kits will show up in the market place. Street trackers,
Bobbers, and Choppers will be very interesting to watch as they run around town. Like you
I grew up in the late 40's 50's & 60's in Oakland California, and was a hang around at a
few of the old motorcycle shops there. Most of the older guys were riding Pans & Knucs
and Indians, the young guys were on 30 & 40 inch BSAs & Triumphs all were considered
big Bikes then. I lusted after a BSA Victor 441, with a high pipe with the lighting kit when
in High School. In 1964 I went into the military, never got a Bike until 1970. Just after
the Honda CB750 came out in 1969, I knew I would own one, it was the greatest Bike at
the time it came out. Nothing was faster, not even the king of speed from the 60's the
Harley Sportster. Well I hope you have good luck with your Memorial Bobber, I will fallow
your post on your build.

 

I'm hoping that you finish by Sturgis. I will be there on my 750. Mine will only have minor changes like intake and exhaust.

There have been about five or six posts on the internet of completed projects so far. The dealer showed me pictures for the tins that he will get soon. It is to make the Street into a cafe racer style. I have seen the flat track style and a couple of weird renderings that seemed just customized but not to a theme.

The kit is built by Kick *** Bikes I believe. It only includes the seat, rear cowling and tank. Then it needs paint along with the existing front fender.

 

Looking forward to seeing your project progress. Only concern is my wife will want to tear into hers!!

 

I'll be there. Wanted to make Sturgis this year but that was based upon a very aggressive build schedule and the delay of delivery of my Street 750 until July sort of killed that idea.

In January we do the exhaust system development (twin drag pipes) and begin the frame. Currently working on billet aluminum forward foot controls because they mount at the stock engine mounting provisions.

An interesting point is that the early CB750 engine looks like it will fit in the same frame we're making for the Street. The forward downtube distance of 8" for the Street is the same distance required to split the exhaust pipes on the CB750 engine and the early CB750 engine is shorter than the later ones from the 1980's. My partner and I are considering building a reproduction CB750 rigid chopper very much like the one's my older brother built using the frame we're creating. Now that could be a lot of fun too.

 

What's a matter? Afraid she might have a hotter and better looking Harley than you? The fun part is if she can build it herself without your assistance. All she really needs is access to your checkbook. ROFLMAO

 

How is the progress on this coming?!?

 

Posted to wrong thread. Sorry.

 

Putting this image here as for what might have been a dream for Smokin. Obviously a man with a vision...