Honda VT500 Bobber by L’établi garage

I don’t feature a lot of bobbers, nor choppers. Don’t know why exactly, but maybe it’s just my personal taste. Nevertheless, I got a cool submission from our friends at L’établi Garage from France and I want to help these guys get a little exposure for their work. It’s their 3rd build and I got them on my vision with this cool CB450 Brat I’ve featured earlier. It’s not only a cool creation, it has a rather odd base bike, a Honda VT500. Until today, I’ve only featured one other VT500 here: this VT500 cafe racer by Strange Coast. And being a bit atypical was the exact plan of the crew. I asked the question: a bobber?! “A bobber, yes! But on what basis? After several searches and sketches, we came across this Honda VT 500 of 89, as well as its little cousin the Honda CX, it is equipped with a robust motor, but with a different engine setup”.

The plan was to make this a genuine hardtail bobber so they’ve modified the rear frame for a rigid mount of the rear wheel. The only suspension on the rear is in the Biltwell seat. The battery got a new location under the frame. A wider handlebar on some custom riser gives the rider a real bobber riding angle. The electrical system was renewed and the bike has LED blinkers and headlight. Minimalistic, but cool. Just under the seat, they’ve put a custom made, stainless steel expansion tank which perfectly matches with the aluminum fenders and custom exhaust. By painting everything else black with a nice glossy finish, they gave it a classy contrast. I look forward to their next project!