How to Build an Old Skool Bobber

Kevin Baas begins the second edition of his How to Build an Old Skool Bobber book with a little history, the history of bike building at home, as seen through the eyes of a young man watching his Vietnam-Vet father build a chopper at home in 1970. In his father’s eyes, and Kevin’s as well, the engine and frame should to be old skool - and genuine Harley-Davidson if possible - but the rest can and should come from swap meets, or the sweat of your own two hands.

Kevin lays out the basics of bike building, starting first with the ideal components: which engine, which frame, and the differences in the various years. Next, things to watch out for when buying old parts, and how to fix the parts you do buy. Additional chapters describe brake systems, both early and late, tires and wheels, and frame geometry. Four complete start-to-finish bike assemblies round out this hands-on book.

You don’t need a lot of money and you don’t need a catalog filled with shiny billet parts. You just need an engine and a frame, the burning desire to build a bike that’s truly your own, and a copy of Kevin’s new book: How to Build an Old Skool Bobber, second edition.