Bobber donor for a fat guy?!

Hey way to go mister! It's a tough battle losing weight but being in a good relationship will help.

I'm not sure I totally agree with Von (which is rare), while you'd have to drop some coin on it, I think you could certainly get 'close' without breaking the bank/

Harley


Vulcan

So what I'm seeing is really just visual stuff...
drop the suspension an inch or so, ditch the pillion ,chop the fenders, lower bars, smaller headlight/lights, way less chrome....
Hell you could get wacky and sling a different tank on it if you wanted but I don't think the profile of the stock one is all that bad.
I think if you trimmed the fenders, blacked out some chrome and minimized some stuff you'd be well on your way. Hell, in the end you'll have a more reliable, faster bike that you built yourself.

I gotta agree with Swagger (sorry Von, still love ya). My only caveat would be your lack of a work space.

Thanks for the support guys (except YOU Von!!! LOL)
THe main idea is to strip it down this season... the budget is tight (which is why i am not buying a 48 instead)
and truthfully, as cool as the 48 is, my last harley (a sporty) always pee'd on the driveway, and a few electrical issues. The vulcan is cool and strong and no electrical/mechanical issues.

The plan is going to be
-solo saddle, Probably a spring type from Blue Collar Bobbaers.
-CHop the hell out of the rear fender or replace it
-chop/eliminate front fender
-repaint tank/new fenders flat black.
-wrap the exhaust.
-side mount plate/brake light
-maybe change the turn signals.

It all comes down to $$$ this season sadly... the new girlfriend is moving in this summer, which will free up a LOT of finances for next seasons work, but this season, I am tight... gotta sell some music gear to make it happen.

I certainly understand the money aspect. I'd rather ride a bike I still want to do more work on, than dream about a bike I can't afford.

I really think that if you spend some time taking stuff off your bike, modding a few things like the previously mentioned fenders, some superbike bars and a little time with some epoxy black rattle can and you're well on your way. Even the stock seat isn't bad once you ditch the pillion....

Well i went down to the garage to start it up this afternoon... and to take a critical look at it.

I am wondering what all i can pull of myself... I am worried about paint, just because I suck at it... no matter what i am painting, i am doing a low quality job. First thigns first, 95% of my riding is around town, so i need to lose the big ass windshield. and saddlebags too, since they are getting a little rough, and i doubt i will do much touring with it.
The fenders are WAY too big, i need them much smaller. I am considering No front fender, or a tiny tiny one, and a much chopped rear. and of course a solo seat. Truth is, the bars are pretty good where they are, the foot controls could be a little farther forward, but I am not one of those "stretched out" riders, I used to ride standards all the time, cruiser pegs are fine as is. I may end up just riding it this season stripped down a bit... I was hoping to chat with the guys at Back Alley Motorcycles about it, but i have been SWAMPED with work lately. and money being tight i don't want to eat up their time with my very limited budget.

Heres a quick pic of it running... maybe it will end up a "before" pic!

may want to do a progressive fork kit man and thicker fork oil. will help... i have bobbed 2 of these 800 vuclans now and to be honest the only way to do it and make it look good is to remove those frame rails... another option that really cleans up a stock bike is paint... just paint it and rock a solo seat man... then decide what you want to do from there like Von says... shooting it in army green like that will kill the resale/trade in... not normal things you hear on DTT but this is a much newer bike and your first... being so i would imagine it would be replaced soon i know my first bike only lasted a few months before i was on to the next one

did not see the above post before i put up a post pull off the bags and sheild then look at some of the blue collar bobber kits bud.. simple clean and easy to do ... this is one of those builds where you either go balls deep or just do a few little things
look ilke this




but this can be done with minimal work... for a big guy i always recomend apes!

Yeah the Blue collar kits are in my sights for now... it's actually not my first bike, first one being back in the saddle after a few years away. but my 6th or 7th overall. It's got lots of power for the around town type scooting i do, so for the time being it'll be my ride... I hear you about the resale issues of an army green bike... hell ANY customized bike. I see tonnes of stuff go up on Kijiji and stay there, cause it is too "different"

I do need to firm up the front end, it tends to dive a bit.

Hell, maybe just taking all the crap off of it and a new set of pipes and a tube up will be enough for me this year... I soooo want to customize it, but am still unsure of where to go.

boo

Im interested in where this goes. Keep at it Axe. Sometimes you just gotta dig in to it and you'll find that you didn't need to know where to go to get where you are...(<----did that make any sense? ) well that sounded better in my head...anyways...goodluck!

Joe, that green and white one is nice, is that a blue collar kit with custom paint? I'd ride that bike easy.

yes sir... blue collar makes some cool kits and cheap

Hey guys, just a quick update.

Well, after a couple of weeks of SHIT, my budget has gone CRUNCH... I was thinking of getting someone else to do some of the work (since i am in a condo and even a oil change is a nono in my underground garage) but after some expensive bills, a funeral, and my looming divorce filing, the money i had earmarked as "scooter bucks" is now pretty much zero. It's upsetting to say the least, but i figure it's a sign from the bobber gods. Whyw ould i pay someone else to do the work??? I can do a lot myself!!! I am not a metal worker, and sadly my only metalworkin buddy is my ex wife's brother, who i am not in contact with anymore, so that restricts my choices. I figure for now, i'll just pull the front fender, pull the windshield and pull the bags, debafle the exhaust, and see where that gets me. The rear fender/seat is the big thing that will get me looking more to my liking, but with a tight budget, it'll end up being the Blu collar kit as my "big bucks" option, and judicious use of mysawzall and grinder as my "budget option" I am considering cutting down the stock seat into a solo seat, and chopping back the rear fender, as both could be low cost options... and of course ditching the frame rails. THe blue collar kit would be nice since that way I can keep the stock stuff complete, in case i want to sell it down the road, and someone prefers the stock look.... but it depends on how things get.

If ic an get someone local to trade metal work for a nice guitar or 2, that would be much better, but i have a feeling the bike gods want me to be old skool on this one.... I'll update soon.

Hang in there man. Hope to hear some better news from ya soon.

Indeed, hang in brother...it'll get better. You have a whole membership here pulling for you mate....

THanks for the sentiments guys, got around to listing a whole pile of guitar shit for sale... we'll see how it replensishes my bike fund... I HATE selling stuff, mainly caus i hate dealing with haggling pricks, but we'll see how it comes together.

axe said:

...I HATE selling stuff, mainly cause i hate dealing with haggling pricks...

Click to expand...

I COMPLETELY understand you on that one! I just put up one of my projects that I don't really want to get to..a1982 CB900C. And I've already gotten 6 calls with guys saying they will pay me cash if I work with them on the price...and if I'm not mistaken doesn't EVERYONE pay in cash ONLY (or barter) on CL? Good luck with your sales man, think positive and it will all come around.

MotorbikeBruno said:

I COMPLETELY understand you on that one! I just put up one of my projects that I don't really want to get to..a1982 CB900C. And I've already gotten 6 calls with guys saying they will pay me cash if I work with them on the price...and if I'm not mistaken doesn't EVERYONE pay in cash ONLY (or barter) on CL? Good luck with your sales man, think positive and it will all come around.

Click to expand...

Yeah....

so less than a full day in... Lots of "I'll pay you a third of what you are asking, which is already below market price"
and a couple of "I know it says ABSOLUTELY NO TRADES on all your ads, but I have a cool used piece of sports equipment that would be a good deal for you"

and one guy, in an ad where i expressely state that i am downsizing, getting rid of unused gear and will accept no trades, asked me "Hey, would you take 4 student guitars in trade for your really nice guitar????"

I fear the future of our nation(s) luckily, one sale is about to go through, so all is not lost.

I agree, not quite sure where this world is headed...so we better make our bikes fast eh?