Ever since the mid-2000s, a certain Harley-Davidson model called Street Bob has been making the rounds in the bike maker's cruiser offering as one of the most affordable and reliable bikes of its kind. Dubbed the "gritty, stripped-down bobber cloaked in black," it spread the joy of riding an American-made bike the world over.
By: Daniel Patrascu Courtesy: AutoEvolution
Many, however, have found the stock Street Bob to be lacking in the visual department, so we get to see a large number of customized machines of this kind come into the spotlight with a train-like regularity.
Most of these Street Bob-based builds go for a structured overhaul, meaning the existing elements of the original bike are exaggerated and enhanced through various means. Not this one, though, the work of Swiss garage Bundnerbike.
This Street Bob was modified so extensively that it is hardly recognizable as one. It is one of the most extreme incarnations of the bobber style, standing out not only through the complete absence of unnecessary elements, but also through the impressive styling of the remaining ones. The side view of the bike reveals a frame that drops abruptly to the rear, in a sharp diagonal line that completely changes the appearance of the two-wheeler. It holds the stock engine in the frame, treated only to a pair of KessTech exhaust pipes.
The leaning of the frame, there right from the factory floor, was made obvious by the complete removal of the stock rear fender, and its replacement with a much more discreet one.
The seat of the Street Bob, which originally appears to be an integral part of the bike, has been replaced with a floating one that is, in my opinion, the centerpiece of the build. Installed on a specially-made bracket that extends from the fuel tank, it comes with a quilting pattern the likes of which we rarely get to see on a motorcycle seat.
The minimalist-looking bike moves along on wire wheels of undisclosed size (clearly smaller than the original ones). The fat rubber that wraps around them gives the bobber a very vintage look, one we can't help but feel would have been so much more accentuated by the presence of whitewalls.
Aside from the general idea of the build, Bundnerbike contributed from its own inventory stuff like the imposing fuel tank with a keyless cap fitted up top, the controls for the gas and clutch, and the suspension system, which comes as an adjustable spring and twin-tube shock absorber. The Harley-Davidson Street Bob Bobber is one of the most recent Bundnerbike creations, but it too lacks one of the most important pieces of info that could make it complete: the price. For reference, though, we'll tell you Harley-Davidson sells a new Street Bob from $16,599.