What is a Custom Motorcycle? Definition, history, types and much more

Hello everyone, fans and fanatics of motorcycles! Today we are going to tell you everything you need to know about custom motorcycles. What exactly are they? Why are they called that way? What is their history? What types are there??

Well, we will answer all these questions and more in this post. So without further ado and after this introduction, let's get down to business.

What is a Custom Motorcycle?

When we talk about a Custom motorcycle, what we are talking about exactly is the terms "modification" or "customization".

And so the Custom motorcycles were born, from the idea of taking motorcycles that were manufactured in series and modify them totally or partially to personal taste, leaving it as the bike we had always dreamed of having, piece by piece. There were even some people who made their motorcycles in a totally handmade way with their own hands. But always following a classic and retro style.

Custom Motorcycle History

To talk about the history of custom motorcycles we have to go back to the 50's, after the end of World War II. At that time, after the war, there were a lot of motorcycles from the U.S. Army, an opportunity that young people (most of them soldiers) did not miss to get one of them.

Most of these motorcycles were of the two American brands par excellence: Harley Davidson and Indian. Then the young people began to modify their motorcycles, breaking with the typical aesthetics of the motorcycles of the time. Garages and workshops began to be created to customize their bikes and also the first motorcycle gangs in history.

Eventually, after these garages and motorcycle gangs began to be created, custom motorcycles managed to do something that all other types of motorcycles had never achieved before. They got many of the people who had a custom bike to make it their way of life. They always went with their group or band to any place, whether it was to a motorcycle event, a rally or just to ride on the road. These bands or groups were like a family and they shared and exchanged motorcycle accessories with each other. In short, a kind of culture was created around the Custom world.

Characteristics and what Custom Motorcycles look like

At the beginning custom bikes consisted of getting rid of all those parts that were only accessories that did not really add anything to the bike. With this they got a much lighter bike and different from the rest of the bikes of the time. And once they had a lighter and more efficient bike, they put totally aesthetic components to make the bike their own with details and personal traits of each person.

As a general rule, custom bikes used to be motorcycles with a lot of metal and little plastic. In addition, they tended to have a large displacement. The most typical and recognizable features of these motorcycles were the low seats, high handlebars and chrome.

Motorcycle brands with Customs models

Today, there is still a large number of fans of this type of motorcycles and that is why most brands have a Custom line.

The brand par excellence is the American company Harley Davidson. Another of the most recognized brands is its eternal rival, the Indian. Apart from those that specialize in this type of motorcycles, the most typical and currently sold brands also have their Custom models. For example, companies such as Kawasaki, Honda or Suzuki have a Custom line.

Currently, new brands are appearing that specialize in more retro motorcycles and have a Custom line of motorcycles. These brands are: Leonart, Macbor, MITT, Keeway, Hyosung and more.

Types of Custom Motorcycles

Here we are going to name and define the types of custom motorcycles that you can find:

Bobber

This type of motorcycle appeared around the 40's. The most characteristic feature of these motorcycles is that they are long and low at the same time. Their wheels have the same thickness and diameter both front and rear. The spokes of their wheels are classic and their tires usually have a white stripe. Expendable bodywork parts were removed, such as the front fender. And finally add that they had a single seat springs, matte paint and handlebars were high and wide.

Chopper

Chopper motorcycles began to become popular in the USA in the 1960s with designs that attracted a lot of attention. They are known for their characteristic elongated fork, their steep slope, their handlebars so high that they are called "hand hangers" and their long chassis. Also very characteristic of this type of motorcycle is its front tire larger than the rear but in turn somewhat narrower.

Street Fighters

Street Fighters motorcycles could be translated as "urban warfare" and appeared in the late 80s. The main difference from other custom bikes is that the base on which all modifications are made is a sports bike, usually Italian or Japanese brands.

Rat Bike

Rat Style motorcycles emerged in the USA. They are very peculiar, as they are motorcycles that try to look totally old and neglected, but really all the parts and the most mechanical part of the bike as such, are kept in an impeccable condition and sometimes even better than the standard parts.

Bagger

Bagger motorcycles emerged in the 1960s in both the US and the UK. These motorcycles are characterized by their large cases and fenders, which sometimes even reach almost to the ground.

Cafe Racer

Cafe Racer bikes emerged in the 1950s in the UK. These motorcycles stand out for their small and few fairings to reduce weight, their semi-handlebars and their single-seater seat with a small tail, since their purpose was to achieve the highest possible efficiency and speed with the motorcycle.

Street Tracker

The Street Tracker motorcycles consist in resembling the motorcycles used in the Dirt Track and Flat Track races they do in America. The front part is always very clean, they do not have fenders and have a plate with a number where many times the headlight was installed. The handlebars of the Street Tracker motorcycles are very wide, have a very small and flat tail, the tank is quite elongated and usually also include a plate with numbers on the side.

Brat Style

The Brat Style motorcycles emerged in Japan and combines characteristics and features of the Bobber and the Cafe Racer. The most common is that Japanese motorcycles of a medium displacement are used and only the most basic and necessary (as with the Bobber) are left: the tank, the engine, a very small seat that can only fit one person and not fit very loose, the wheels, the headlights, and little else, what is essential to drive it. When using motorcycles of medium displacement, they are smaller and because of how they are customized they look like a Cafe Racer.

Scrambler

Scrambler motorcycles emerged after World War I in England, as people needed a vehicle to be able to travel both on and off-road. Its suspension is greater and with a greater travel than road motorcycles and its tires are punched to be able to drive on dirt and mountain roads and to face bumps and jumps without problems. They also have a slightly wider handlebar than road bikes to be more comfortable when handling them. Finally, some characteristic features are its raised exhaust to avoid shock and its long and flat seat to have a lot of surface to achieve greater comfort in case of going on off-road roads.

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