Not sure what a Tracker is....

[N8Bishop]

So, I've been searching and haven't found a thread that compares/contrasts styles. I've seen some picture threads with all styles included, but I still don't understand the difference between a chopped and a bobber, a Cafe and a tracker, and have found even more subtleties like tracker vs. flat tracker... I thought I was shooting for a bobber, but after looking at some pics, I think my ideas fit in with Cafe racers, but I'm not looking to put any kind of fairings and want to keep the pillion seat... It may well be that I am building a Frankenstein of several styles, but... Can anyone help me with distinctions between the styles?

 

[sly409]

bobbers:

remind me of harleys, usually hardtailed and some people will keep a softtail. sometimes the frame is rewelded to bring the seats closer to the ground. big handle bars. though you do so drag bars on bobbers too

cafe:

the first thing that makes me think cafe racer is the seat style. the noticeable hump where the battery and other electronics are hidden to free up the triangle under the seat although thats not always the purpose. usually made of fiberglass but other materials such as aluminum or other sheet metal are used. clubmans, clip ons and drag bars.

tracker:

drewpys very own:

I'm still trying to figure this one out myself. after searching google my take on it is that they take after "track" style bikes that are used for racing. simple design, light weight. of course they break up into many subcategories that I'm still trying to wrap my head around ie: street tracker etc.


of course there are many customs out there. you may see a bobbed cafe or cafe/tracker. It all comes down to your style and what you want your bike to look like.

 

[corytburkhart]

Would the same size wheels also classify it to be a tracker...a level looking bike? Flat seat? Skinnyish tires?

 

[drewpy]

tracker is just short for flat/dirt tracker.
This spills into the bike culture as street tracker, ie one that can be used on the road and is road legal.
Tyres are usually K180's etc but might not be road legal. the brake and gear lever on racers are all on the right hand side and they run with no front brake.

 

[xschris]

Early 1970's xs650 flat tracker.

 

[Ratty-matty]

basically a cafe racer is a bike stripped of all parts not needed for speed
flat tracker well has bin described
Now the big one everyone gets messed up with
Bobber - A bike that has had fenders "bobbed" basically a bike cut down to bare basics
Chopper - Started mainly in the 70's and its a bike thats chopped up and has alot of fabrication done to it

 

[corytburkhart]

So if I have a bike with no fenders, its a Bobber?

 

[sly409]

no not removed.

fenders bobbed = bobber

bobbed = cut, shortened

here is the wiki page for bobbers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobber_%28motorcycle%29

wiki page for cafe racers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caf%C3%A9_racer