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Considering a Bobber

7K views 24 replies 17 participants last post by  Mrsmcc 
#1 ·
Hi all.

Loved the Bobber since it first came out but not had space in the garage.

Now I'm considering downsizing to one road bike and wondering if I could cope with the Bobber alone...?
 
#3 ·
For me, the Bobber is an “around town, short trip” bike. While there are plenty of accessories available to make it for longer trips, I don’t find it suited for that. It’s my “second” bike and my go to for 100 mile rides, but I prefer my Beemer for going away. IMHO. That being said, BUY IT! I fell in love just from the ads and write ups. ?
 
#5 ·
Hi and welcome to the site.

I use mine for coastal town hoping in the Kent and Sussex area’s mainly. Typically I’ll set off at 9am and return home around 6pm. During that time I’ll typically cover between 100-150 miles in relative comfort but the smiles per miles are abundant.

Beyond that it’s not a natural tourer that’s for sure, with most reporting to being good in the seat for an hour or a little more at a time. Luggage wise... with a little trickery it’s amazing how much you can carry should there be a need.

Having made the touring comment... many have covered some serious miles on them and have lived to tell the tail and emerged with great memories and photos to share with us. I myself am planning a 1500 mile trip out into Europe for later this year. For me the bikes absolute kryptonite is the motorway... it’s a boring place to be for me at the best of times but on a Bobber it isn’t a pleasant place to be for a prelonged period of time due to being overly exposed to the elements.

If I had to sum the Bobbers up... I’d have to say they are definitely the bike you want to be there on... but not necessarily the bike you want to get there on! ;)
 
#7 ·
Being totally honest, if I had to have one bike and one bike only, it would not be a Bobber.
As much as I like the Bobber, it simply has too many compromises as a “do-it-all” bike;
No luggage (or very limited), no passenger, bad stock brakes, no wet weather protection, bad illumination at night, etc etc.
Saying that, I would certainly consider another Triumph model such as the Tiger 800 or 1200.

There are other members a lot tougher than me and who use their Bobbers in all conditions and despite using mine in bad weather a number of times....I hated, despised and suffered every moment. My GSA has spoilt me rotten and there is no way I’d be on any other bike when the sun hides away and bad weather comes along.
Riding safe & warm is as important as enjoying the ride. I simply love riding my GSA in the rain!

To end on a positive note, as a second bike the Bobber is everything I could wish for. It has an unrivaled feel good factor and I smile every time the sun comes out & we go out to play (which is a lot here in Mallorca...:grin2:)
 
#25 ·
Being totally honest, if I had to have one bike and one bike only, it would not be a Bobber.
As much as I like the Bobber, it simply has too many compromises as a “do-it-all” bike;
No luggage (or very limited), no passenger, bad stock brakes, no wet weather protection, bad illumination at night, etc etc.
Saying that, I would certainly consider another Triumph model such as the Tiger 800 or 1200.

There are other members a lot tougher than me and who use their Bobbers in all conditions and despite using mine in bad weather a number of times....I hated, despised and suffered every moment. My GSA has spoilt me rotten and there is no way I’d be on any other bike when the sun hides away and bad weather comes along.
Riding safe & warm is as important as enjoying the ride. I simply love riding my GSA in the rain!

To end on a positive note, as a second bike the Bobber is everything I could wish for. It has an unrivaled feel good factor and I smile every time the sun comes out & we go out to play (which is a lot here in Mallorca...:grin2:)
Hi Eisen, based on your review ive just ordered a Wilber shock. Can't wait! Agree with all you've said here - it's not an ideal only bike. My k13 is my long distance tourer and my Bobber is for fun days out or for when little or no luggage is required. 😁 I consider myself lucky to have an option.....it's been a looooong time coming👍
 
#9 ·
I would have to agree with...everyone. Can the Bobber be your only bike, sure. Can you travel on it, sure. Are there better bikes to own as an only, of course. I also have a Tiger 800 to use for longer trips and bad weather, but the fun factor of the Bobber is off the scales. It can be modified to carry stuff, but still very limited. You don't mention where you live. If you are in a large metro area, the Bobber will do you good. If in a more rural area with greater distances to where you want or need to be, there may be better bikes for that, but the Bobber can be modified to accommodate. I have had a lot of bikes and would have a hard time thinking of one that is more fun to ride than my BB.
 
#10 ·
I should have added and I’d certainly echo comments made in relation to the Bobber not being anything like the best of all rounders.

If I had to pick one bike or style there of, on the basis of being a jack of all trades... it would have to be something like a GSA or 1200 Tiger. But with that said, whilst out on a ride and stopping for a cup of coffee, I’ve never owned a bike that I enjoy staring at so much as I do with the Bobber.

Finally, I do have to say I personally disagree with comments made in relation to the Bobber being limited to City use. I visit London a reasonable amount on my Bobber Black and find it not to be it’s natural and best suited environment. It’s far too over powered to enjoy in a city. But I will say that it’s a bike that’s good to be seen on, as I find it receives a lot of thumbs up and appreciating nods from people. Ultimately, for me they come alive on country B roads with sweeping bends. Throw-in the odd car to pass here and there in order to fully appreciate just how much overtaking
grunt they have and it makes for a great means of spending the day!
 
#11 ·
There is a lot of very sensible advice being offered by our members, especially for an 'all around' bike.

As for me..? Well I have to say almost four decades of riding and I just can't muster up an ounce of common sense when choosing a bike, as I always just go with me heart. I guess that's why I chose a Bobber in the first place..:grin2:

Cheerio,

Roy
 
#12 · (Edited)
My previous bike was an Yamaha MT-09 Tracer. It was a great bike. Great around town in mode B, pukka out on the open road in standard mode and could raise **** in mode A. It loved long straights as well as the tight twisty country roads, and could do it fully loaded with panniers and a top box, even popping the odd unwanted wheelie. I never wanted a bobber, I never set out to get one. I had only popped out to have a look at a new lid, but with some time to kill, I was persuaded to take out a bobber Black for a test ride. As Mike put it, for smile per miles, the bobber hooked me. I think if you’re planning a road trip on B roads and European country lanes through little picturesque village, the bobber could manage it well, especially with the few pannier and rack options you do have. IMHO I think the biggest draw backs of the bobber are, 1, Motorway wind, it is so tedious. 2, Where to mount the Tom Tom for a European trip just so you know where the fuel stations are because the 120 mile fuel range needs to be kept in check and 3, the rear mono shock should be replaced if you’re a lover of food and or beer. I’ve added the Dart Piranha screen to see if it’ll help on motorways. I’ve decided that when I venture to Cornwall from Deal in Kent this summer, I’ll be taking a couple of camping stove fuel bottles with me for a couple of extra litres of go go juice to negate the need for a Tom Tom and I’ve already replaced my rear shock already (what a difference it made). All in all, the bobber was never going to be the Swiss Army knife of bikes, it’s more of a spork. My advise would be, test ride a few bike, decide what you want one for and then go with your gut. We have bobbers, but we all love bikes in general.
 
#14 ·
I was at the Bobber intro party when It came out in 2017 and really liked the look but had no intention of owning one! When the Speedmaster and Bobber Black came out in 2018 I went down to the dealership to have a look and was drawn to the standard Bobber. Many people have stated how weak and wooden feeling the single front brake is so I test rode the standard and the Speedmaster. For me, I was quite impressed with the power and handling of both. While on the standard I tried the front brake and was satisfied with the braking, it stopped the bike quite well. My dual disked 2013 Triumph Thunderbird took more effort to stop so I traded it in for a 2018 Standard Bobber and have not had one regret. It is the most enjoyable bike I have ever owned, it reminds me of my 2005 Yamaha V-Max, the only difference being the Bobber will take turns and stop! I believe the best thing to do is get on one and see how it makes you feel.
 
#15 ·
My Bobber is my only bike, I have had quite a few very different bikes through my life, and this bike is absolutely the most fun I've had on 2 wheels, and I ride it pretty much constantly as weather permits (I live in northern Alberta). I don't do long distance unless its in a trailer, as the next closest gas station on the only road out of town is just over 200 kilometers. I had considered buying a second bike. But for now, when I want to do long distance travel to ride at bike places, I would prefer to do it with my Bobber, So its usually done with its traveling companion.

If I do end up with a second one, I can say for sure my Bobber will remain my favorite.
 

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#17 ·
For me it is a great second bike for fun. I have found it better on the motorway than I originally expected - not that I'd choose to ride on motorways but sometimes it just has to be done. I love it to bits but like others if I could only have one bike then it wouldn't be a Bobber. I need a big top box and something that can handle mud, salt and bad road surfaces - hence I run an old CBF500 for work. But if you only ride for pleasure then it's a different story.

I know lots of people have quibbled over the front brake. I rode both the Bobber Black with twin discs and the Bobber with a single disc. I find the single disc perfectly adequate, you need a good pull on the lever but the feedback is nicer than the Black in my opinion. I also prefer the look and the ease of cleaning the wheel and spokes. The main thing I found was that the turn-in on cornering suits me better than the Black. I found that too heavy at the front.

I'm considering a Dart screen but prevaricating about it since part of me wants that little bit of protection whereas the other part of me wants to avoid cluttering the front end.

It's down to what kind of riding you do as to whether it could be your only bike. Leisure riding - yes. Work bike - no.
 
#18 ·
Great info everyone, thanks!

I'm in Surrey, SE England. I commute locally, about 20 miles each way and TBH, that's about 90% of my riding.

I do like to get to the odd race meet, so a trip to Silverstone may be on the cards, plus early morning rides in the summer when I take the long way to work.

I never take a pillion - my wife hates bikes, so that's no problem. I do like the occasional continental trip, however my idea of a looong week blat to the Red Bull Romaniacs in Sibiu may possibly be off the cards!

Cheers
 
#21 ·
Vinnie, this is great to see! Congratulations on your purchase. I was thinking to myself 'Who the heck is replying to a thread about whether to buy a Bobber or not that's 15 months old?!' Glad to see it was the guy that started the thread. Very cool. I don't think I've seen anyone paint the fenders to match the factory green, so I'm all for the change. I think it would look really nice, especially with a little touch of the silver and/or gold.
 
#22 ·
I have had them all, adventure, naked, touring, dirt, all makes all sizes but when Triumph brought out the Bobber in 2017, I new at some point I would own one.
2019 comes along and there it is, new Bobber Black in the garage, I initially thought of this bike as a "bar hopper" so to speak, but soon realized it was much more than that, it was a fun to me comfortable bike to ride in short form.
As I get older my riding needs get looked at differently I like to ride, but my days of 10 hour days in all weather riding, getting to point A to B as fast as I can, have changed, to more of a 4 hour day rides, puttering around, and this bike checks of that box, it has enough power I need, comfortable for short rides (to me) and lets not forget a looker, and a gas station/coffee stop conversation piece.

I use to hear people say O his bike is just a trailer queen, he never rides it, he just trailers it everywhere, I guess if your hard core your suppose to ride everywhere you go is what I took from that comment. Well am guessing my bobber is a trailer queen, because I take it everywhere (out of town) I go on a trailer, then when at my destination ride it everywhere. I plan my vacations, and long weekends around where I can take the bike and ride, and yes am a fair weather rider too, if its wet am not coming out to playing, now this is just me, kinda got off track here................. my point is, you can make this bike whatever you want it to be, yes it has limitations, but you can pretty much make it into what you want it to be, and ride it as long as you want to ride it, it all boils down to what you want out of the bike I believe it can give you all, but what do you want, hope this helps in your decision.
 
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