Motorcycle Custom Bikes: Design Ideas and Examples by Style

The easiest way to sort motorcycle custom bikes is by style, because each style is defined by what gets changed. Choppers stretch the front end, bobbers strip weight, cafe racers chase speed and handling, and streetfighters lose a sport bike's fairings. Pick the style first, then the details. Below you will find each style's defining features, the design decisions behind it, and space for the real builds we feature.

This page is part of our custom motorcycle building hub.

Key takeaways- A custom is any bike changed in style or structure from the stock factory machine.- Each style has a few signature moves. Get those right and the rest of the bike follows.- Some styles cut deep. A chopper, by one common definition, has a frame that has been cut and welded.- A factory custom is a valid starting point, and some makers now sell factory cafe racers.

Custom styles at a glance

Chopper

Defining features: choppers grew out of late-1950s California, according to the Wikipedia entry on choppers. Lengthened forks and modified steering angles give them their stretched look. Typical parts include a hard-tail frame, very tall "ape hanger" or very short "drag" bars, a stretched frame, a larger front wheel, and often a tall sissy bar. A hard-tail has no rear suspension.

Design decisions:

• How much rake and fork length, and how that changes low-speed steering.
• Hard-tail or rear suspension: the look against comfort on real roads.
• Bar height, set by your arm length and riding distance.

Bobber

Defining features: first called a "bob-job" (Wikipedia: bobber), the bobber is lightened by removing the front fender, cutting the rear fender short and stripping excess bodywork, which gives it a minimal look.

Design decisions:

• What to remove and what to keep for weather, lights and the law where you ride.
• Seat: a solo saddle or something you can ride all day.
• Tire profile and wheel size, and how they change the stance.

Cafe racer

Defining features: cafe racers are linked to British riders in early-1960s London, who modified production bikes for speed and handling on quick, short rides. Some makers now sell factory cafe racer models.

Design decisions:

• Riding position: check how low bars and rear-set pegs suit your wrists, back and usual ride length.
• Tank and seat line, the profile that makes or breaks the style.
• Suspension and brakes upgraded to match the sporting look.

Streetfighter

Defining features: per the Wikipedia streetfighter entry, a streetfighter is typically a large-displacement sport bike with its fairings and windscreen removed. Common changes are large round headlights, tall upright bars, short, light mufflers and sprocket changes for low-speed acceleration.

Design decisions:

• How to handle the exposed radiator, wiring and frame once the fairings come off.
• Gearing and exhaust, which must not defeat emissions controls. See our engine builder guide.
• Lighting that fits the style and the road rules.

Rat-look

Defining features: true rat bikes stay on the road through improvised, low-cost repairs with little care for looks. Rat-look bikes are built deliberately to look that way.

Design decisions:

• Which wear is styling and which is a real fault. Brakes, tires and wiring still need to be sound.
• Finish: raw metal, patina or matte, and how to protect it from rust.

Starting from a factory custom

Factory customs let you choose options, paint, engine size and accessories while keeping the maker's support, warranty and finance. They are less individual than a one-off. The idea goes back a long way: the 1971 Harley-Davidson Super Glide is often called the first factory custom.

A factory custom also makes a good base for further work. In California, a modified bike that is still recognizable as its make keeps that make on its registration. For platform-specific ideas, see custom cruiser motorcycles, custom Indian motorcycles and custom motorcycle trikes.

What every featured build will show

We publish a build here only when the owner or builder has shared real photos and spoken on the record. Each feature covers:

1. The starting point: the base bike, the budget range the owner chooses to share, and the goal.
2. What was done: frame, engine, bodywork, wiring and paint, and who did each job.
3. Before and after: matched photos from the same angles.
4. Lessons: what the owner would change next time.
5. Gear: what the rider wears on the finished bike.

Turn an idea into a build brief

Before you start a custom build, save five reference photos of one style, note the three changes that matter most to you, and set a budget ceiling. Then read how a custom motorcycle build comes together for the stages, and find a custom motorcycle builder if you are hiring help.

Gear that matches the build

A bike built to a reference image can have a jacket built the same way. With Leather Collection custom leather jackets, you can send a reference image and the design is built from it. Each jacket is cut to your measurements and stitched by hand, in kangaroo, sheepskin or goatskin.

Related guides

• For a deeper look at bobbers alone, see custom bobber bikes: styles and build options.
• Chopper and bobber looks start with the frame; see choosing a motorcycle frame builder.

FAQ

What are the different types of custom motorcycles?

The main styles covered here are the chopper, bobber, cafe racer and streetfighter. Rat-look bikes and factory customs are two more routes. The table above compares them.

How much is a custom built bike?

We have found no current, sourced price ranges that hold across styles, so we do not quote one. Price depends on the base bike, how much fabrication is involved, the engine work and the finish. Our build guide shows where the costs arise.