2007 Yamaha XVS650 bobber conversion

The result is Lucille, a lean custom machine melding modern dynamics with European style.

The bobber came before any other type of custom motorcycle that we see today. When servicemen started returning to the US after World War II in the late forties and fifties, they wanted bikes more like the European ones they had seen. The soldiers started tinkering with their bikes - removing the front fender and bobbing the rear fender to make them lighter like European models. They stripped the bikes back to bare essentials, removing the windshields, crash bars and even the lights in some cases. Before there was any such thing as a chopper or even a chopper bobber there was a simple bike, the bobber. It was lean, low and super cool.

If you want to know the main difference between the bobber and the chopper, think front end. The difference between bobbers and choppers doesn't come down to what's on the bike and what isn't. It comes down to whether it has a short front end or a long front end. If the bike has been stripped back, customized and changed with nothing done to the front end, it's probably a bobber. If the front end has been stretched out then it is generally considered a chopper.

Lucille started as a donor bike. She's a 2007 Yamaha XVS650, and we picked her up with only 4000km on the clock. We went for the Yamaha XVS650 as it is currently one of the highest selling cruisers on the market outside of Harley Davidson. Its strong solid body is a perfect match for the bobber look. The XVS650 is known for its reliability, quality and consistency, with the pace of a new and modern bike.

The best thing about using a Yamaha XVS650 as the donor bike is that it's a bullet proof v-twin. We wanted a custom looking bike that could be ridden every day, and the XVS650 fits the bill perfectly. It has a 650cc engine and is the biggest capacity learner bike legally allowed - a big plus. We reckon it's the coolest legal learner bike you'll find.

A Destino Bobber Conversion Kit was used as the base for Lucille's facelift. The conversion kit came as an all-in-one supply of everything that makes a bobber cool. Simplifying the process, the kit was entirely bolt-on, with no fabrication required.

Let's start from the front. She has had her original handlebars removed and reset with a new powder coated black drag bar. Installation was a simple process with all the bike's clutch and brake levers slotting exactly into place on the custom notched drag bar. This instant riding position change gives a wide set, chasing-the-wind feeling for the rider.

Next we added specialised seating. The old seat was removed and replaced with an original tan leather sprung seat. Because the kit seat and mounts were designed and fabricated to suit the XVS650, they bolted right into place. The seating position is now low slung - giving the rider a taste of the old race days!

True to her bobber history, Lucille has a stunning tail end. For the original fifties look the front fender was removed (for show purposes only, of course) and her short rear fender was chopped and styled to sit over the rear tyre with minimum fuss and maximum impact. Classic features like Model A Ford stop light and blinker sets were added to both the front and rear. There was a bit of time involved in wiring, but the satisfaction of the finished job was worth it.

Although the original donor bike had a great bobber shape, the bike really needed a deep rumble to set it apart and give it street cred. A new set of Vance Hines pipes give off a ready to rumble note that turns heads at every traffic light. Included in the bobber kit was the original racing exhaust heat wrapping. Painstakingly applied to the new set of pipes, the look and sound is rustic and raw. Note to self: the fibreglass in the heat wrap is bloody itchy!

Lucille's biggest makeover change came with her new coat. Stripped and off to John at Mototech (Smithfield NSW) for a new glossy look, she came back in stunning condition. John worked tirelessly to match the colours to the era we were working from. We chose high gloss in an old school design of two-tone blue and old cream to fit the bobber theme. Pin striping was applied in black for definition and she was given a Destino decal along the tank. Classic custom paintwork finishing touches include arched pin striping down the rear bobbed fender and a blue and chrome front light feature.

The final piece to Lucille's makeover, taking her from modern to old school, was the antique Firestone tyre that was fitted to the front, a 500/16 to be exact.