That one was thanks to the EPA trying to stop noncompliance motors. But I thought this was a national deal.

 

It is but some stages are refusing to inforce it

 

Built this ground up bobber for my son for returning home from Iraq alive several years ago.



After riding without suspension for a year, he was tired of the rough ride and was going to sell the bike. Instead, I purchased a soft tail chopper frame and should be done with the conversion to a soft tail well in advance of 2012 spring riding.

Agree with others, buy a bike and do the conversion work. You will miss out on all the custom work, but most folks do not have the fabrication background to make the bike look factory. Also, bobbers may look cool, but they are VERY short run bikes for a lot of guys. I suggest you go with suspension, as I think you will enjoy the bike a lot more.

A couple of things to think about:

1.Be realistic about your abilities. For example, Gas Tanks are difficult to build or modify. I just can't seem to keep my hands off the Gas Tank, so end up modifying, which adds time to the build to ensure the modifications are blended so they look right and the tank doesn't leak. Depending upon your frame, you may also have to think about gas delivery, as the petcock bung may be too high to be able to access all of the fuel in tank. On the current project, I cut off the original bung and moved to a location that allows us to access every drop of fuel.
2. Think ahead. Fuel delivery is one area that requires advanced thinking. Wiring is another. I build my own wiring harness and run all wires through the frame. This means I need to pre-drill the exit holes. Think about this kind of stuff while the frame is bare. You will be happy that you did...
3. Be realistic about your expectation. How perfect do you really want the finished project? If show bike, plan on spending a lot of money and a lot of time. However, a great looking ride doesn't have to be perfect, as folks are going to look at the entire package, not up close and personal. The tank is most obvious, so put your work there instead of trying to make every inch of the project perfect. I lay down my own paint, have for years, so usually go pretty unique. This time, I am using 100% powder coat. Even the Chrome is powder, and yes, it looks that good. Frame and tanks are starting with Chrome, then translucent candy apple red. This takes a lot of work, but I knew that going into the project and set my expectations accordingly.

As other have said, it's not fun if it doesn't get finished, so be realistic with your budget. Might want to ride your bike in stock form while you collect the parts before you even begin the project.

 

Good luck with yor project! I did a few jap chpps and bobbers, and dont regret them, but I enjoy putting 1000 miles on my wide glide in a day more than just a few hundred on a hardtail. They are great show bikes and parade bikes, but if you want to ride hard, you cant beat having suspension.

Hey Sniper, nice scoot, and great advice!!!