California Bobber

Arguably the first real custom bike, or it at least heralded the birth of the modern custom movement. It first appeared in California in the late 1940s, and the look rapidly spread across America and then the rest of the world. The easiest way to make a big Harley or Indian lighter and faster was to dump all the superfluous bodywork. so front mudguards. screens and panniers were all removed. The rear mudguard was 'bobbed' or 'chopped' (hence 'chopper') down to the bare minimum, in keeping with the stripped-down look. As years went by, the chopper or bobber look became ever more stylized and elaborate, popularized by Peter Fonda's Captain America chopper in the film Easy Rider: but the California Bobber was where it all started.