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Art of the Bobber
 
 
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Art of the Bobber [Hardcover]

Spencer Drate (Author), Judith Salavetz (Author), Jim Babchak (Introduction), Howard Kelly (Afterword), Gregg Sheridan (Afterword), Alex Mardikian (Foreword)
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)


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Book Description

November 15, 2006
Before choppers, there was the bobber. When American-brand motorcycle owners needed to change their rear tires decades ago, the rear fender featured a hinge near its center that would flip up to make room for the tire to be removed. At some point ,an enterprising rider decided to permanently remove the hinged rear portion of the fender - shortening the fender like the "bobbed" hair cuts popular during those days - or so the theory goes. The tradition of stripping down to a bike's bare essence and celebrating its simpler forms - making a bobber - was begun.

As these lean, mean machines come roaring back onto the scene in a big way, this book offers a look at where the bobber came from, where it’s going, and what it’s about. With over 200 exclusive photographs of the most cutting-edge bobbers, biographies of the men and women who build them, and inside stories on top shops like Indian Larry, Von Dutch Kustoms, Orange County Choppers, Arlen Ness, Mitch Bergeron, and more. This book captures the rebel spirit of the ultimate custom bike as never before.
Publisher's Note: This edition includes a poster on the reverse of the book's jacket.



Editorial Reviews

Review

Born to Ride, February 2007

“[Art of the Bobber] captures the rebel spirit of the ultimate custom bike as never before. Every bobber is beautifully photographed, emphasizing the smooth edges and geometric shapes, creating a whole new dimension and perception for the reader.”



American Cycle, April 2007

“Art of the Bobber traces the emergence of custom motorcycles and introduces us to the machines of today that are upholding the rebellious culture of the original Bobber. The pictures are the showcase of this book. Art of the Bobber is much like its subject matter, stripped down and raw with power and grit. Today the Bobber retains its original image, ‘short, low and fast,’ and Drate and Salavetz showcase these bikes with mastery.”

From the Inside Flap

The old-school look is back. Gone are the stretched-out, chromed-up, candy-coated luxury choppers that cost more than the garage they’re stored in and only saw action twice a year for fear of scuffing the footpegs.

The world of custom motorcycles begins and ends with the bobber. Sleek, fast, light, and dripping with character and personality, these bikes are built to ride. With classic 1940s and 50s styling, bobbed fenders, stock frames, vintage parts, and old-school paint jobs, the bobbers of today are using new techniques and technology to pay homage to the riders and builders who started it all.

Authors and designers Spencer Drate and Judith Salavetz have compiled the photography and stories of 49 hot bobber builders, from famous names like Dave Perewitz, the late Indian Larry, and Arlen Ness, to small neighborhood shops attracting major national attention. With essays on the history of the bobber and the future of the industry from noted motorcycle journalists and insiders, The Art of the Bobber is a treasury of classic and modern custom bobbers at your fingertips.


Product Details

  • Hardcover: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Motorbooks; 1st edition (November 15, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0760325316
  • ISBN-13: 978-0760325315
  • Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 10.6 x 1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,277,233 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews
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4 star:
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Average Customer Review
3.9 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Bobber?, November 7, 2006
By 
Lyle Landstrom (Moorhead, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Art of the Bobber (Hardcover)
Ok, Some books should be judged by their cover. This is one of them. By the books own definition, bobbers are "a machine that had things cut or bobbed off." It then goes on to explain using a stock machine as a starting point. The bike on the cover, like about 80% of the bikes in this book, does not use a stock frame or front end as a starting point. Many of them are aftermarket raked and stretched frames using overlength front ends and mag wheels. Clearly not bobbers. This book should be called Art of the Custom Motorcycle. It is a decent book about modern custom bikes, but if I had the opportunity of browse the book prior to purchasing, I wold not have purchased it. I would categorize this book as a book written by people who are taking advantage of the recent bobber craze without knowing the true definition of the term. On the flip side, the book is a good value for what Amazon charges and if you are into custom bikes perhaps you should consider it. But don't expect to see traditional bobbers.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars Art of the Bobber, December 5, 2007
This review is from: Art of the Bobber (Hardcover)
Not historically accurate. Items are in here that are not Bobbers. I would not recommend the book!
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4.0 out of 5 stars General Observation, December 15, 2010
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Art of the Bobber (Hardcover)
Very well photographed study on the bobber. The shots provide some good ideas if you are looking to work with your bike in the future. The quality of the shots will appeal to may even the non-bike obsessed out there.
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
Cyril Huze has a simple and powerful motto: "I will never design and build a bad motorcycle, because somebody could buy it." Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
motorcycle industry, foot clutch, primary drive
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Klock Werks, Performance Machine, Detroit Bros, Cyril Huze, Jailhouse Choppers, Total Performance, Mayhem Custom Cycles, Paul Cox, Indian Larry Legacy, Lucky Charm Choppers, County Choprods, Custom Chrome, Fat City Cycles, Johnny's Custom Shop, Suckerpunch Sallys, Colorlife Chroming, County Line Choppers, Jeff Cochran, Metzler Brakes, New York City, Von Dutch, Arlen Ness, Diamond Chain Wheels, Morris Magneto Controls, Timothy White
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