Triumph Bobber Forum banner

Café Racer, Bobber?

4K views 9 replies 7 participants last post by  atomsplitter 
#1 ·
Before I get flack for sacrilegious thoughts, bare with me and follow me down the rabbit hole.

I love my bike. I love riding. I am not, however, a fan of the positioning still - though I've changed seats and moved the seat forward and backwards.

I am thinking that a few fixes may be:
1) raising the seat position higher with some type of shim and longer bolt
2) if that is successful, café bars, spy mirrors and bar end indicators
3) if that all works, moving the pegs back an inch or two, with the gear and brake lever out to the sides more
4) if that doesn't feel right, just get up and overs and see how that works (might do this first lol)

Here is a nice iteration of a hybrid bike:
Tire Wheel Fuel tank Vehicle Plant


Essentially, I'd like this configuration, or as close to it, from the bobber (without throwing the towel in and getting a t120, thruxton or scrambler)

Anyone have any success with the pegs and seat positioning combo I'm looking for?

Thanks
 
See less See more
1
#4 ·
I don't think it's sacrilegious to lust after cafe racers but it maybe un-American* and you're certainly making your life tough starting from a bobber. The big question is WHY when Triumph have already done such a good job with the Thruxton? But it's your time and money and I wish you well and please post the pictures when you've built it to prove us all wrong. ;)

*As I understand it cafe racers and bobbers are two different solutions to the same problem - How to make an old heavy bike cool and fast when you've got bugger all money? The answer you ditch everything that isn't absolutely necessary and make a few choice changes to maximise your bang for buck.

In 1950's America street racing was king, so they ditched the mudguards, fairing, and pillion accommodation and fitted drag bars or clip-ons, smaller tanks and competition headlights to keep the bike as light as possible to maximise straight line speed and acceleration.

The difference in England in rains quite a bit so they still needed mudguards and with the strong road racing scene every young guy wanted a bike that looked like it came straight off the TT. Their recipe too was simple just add clip-ons, rear-sets, an up swept exhaust and ideally a solo/cut down seat and hey presto you'd just turn your dad's knackered old commuter into a pucker racer. Except you hadn't, which is why back in the day cafe racer was a disparaging term, as in that's not a proper racer it's only a cafe racer.

It's funny how times have changed! 😂
 
#6 ·
I found the riding position a little awkward and a little to upright for anything above 55, I got a cramp in my right leg when I had to stop at the lights etc. - so I fitted flat drag bars which slightly lower your stance and raised the seat height by fitting two washers under the centre bolt which raised it about 1.5'', it's a lot better suited to me now, less back aches etc. but I'm now looking at a set of clip on bars, A to improve long distance wind induced neck ache and B cos the look the absolute dogs bo^^ocks 😁
 
#10 ·
I have both the T-120 and the Bobber (and a Trophy 1200). Different strokes for different rides.......
 
  • Like
Reactions: cheloera
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top