Home / Custom Motorcycle Builds / reader rides | frank’s 1986 honda rebel bobber

reader rides | frank’s 1986 honda rebel bobber

this is why i do this stupid blog. that, and the hopes that the unique motorcycle parts i am about to unleash will pay my bills so i can afford strippers and beer.

according to frank, he came across this blog by accident about six months ago and since then he has read literally every page. i’m surprised he doesn’t think i am mad. maybe he understands i’m a pint of bukowski, an ounce of hunter s. thompson, and a gallon of beer that doesn’t give a sh*t sometimes. every once in a while somebody tells me what this place means to them and it’s darned humbling. thank you, frank.

he says i inspired him at age 42 to build his first motorcycle and he’s looking for his second build already.

1986 honda rebel brat bobber | frank from wa.

frank has a background in muscle car restorations, so a lot of this came relatively easy as he possessed some skills and tools which helped. the problem was he had no place to build his bobber. not being one to mess around and cry about it, he found a 1986 honda rebel 250cc and tore the whole thing down and rebuilt it on his front porch in two weeks, from start to finish.

what he did not know, he’d research until he found out and had no help on this project, and not a lot of money.

so far frank has a little pride in building it himself and has 230 miles on it without a problem. he’s named the bike “pigglet,” since it’s too small to be a “hog.” i dig it, man, but get rid of the reflectors on the forks. i know they’re integrated into the darned things so get your grinder out!

1986 rebel bobber in progress | frank from wa.

soon you’ll learn to lower the rear of the frame for a ****-scraping seating position, and where to hide as well as simply get rid of things like horns and chain guards and turn signals and speedos. depending on local laws and your thrill of defying death. regardless, not to be critical, doing your first bob in two weeks on your porch is impressive.

it looks like the bike a sane man would ride but to prove he’s crazy, he wrote that “we think alike on a lot of things. i am learning digital design/graphics at a local college and you made a difference in my life by your blog and for that, i thank you!”

honda rebel brat bobber | frank from wa.

well…. i don’t know what to say, dude. the days of picking through 80k art director gigs are much harder to come by than they were a decade ago when i was knocking through that kind of salary in a nice job in san francisco, but you’ll learn a lot you can use for many applications, as it seems you did with this classic-looking bobber. i’ve seen many first-time builds that don’t look good at all and that people had worked months to make. it’s apparent you have a good eye and will find success at whatever you do.

kick ***, frank. i’ll look forward to sharing your next bike with bikerMetric’s readers.

250cc honda rebel brat bobber | frank from wa.




Get the best of bikerMetric directly in your inbox, once a week, every week.
[wysija_form id="1"]

15 comments

  1. That looks really nice. Are those white walls stock size? Could you give me the tire and rim size you used there? I have a 99 rebel I’m in the process of making into a bobber. Thanks

  2. Wow! I just stumbled onto this blog. Killer! But best of all, I own an 85 Rebel 250 that I was seriously contemplating putting up for sale out of boredom. After seeing this “piglet” I’m feeling inspired and am now daring myself to attempt to “bobber” the ol girl. Cheers brothers! Keep up the Kool work!

  3. Awesome looking bike!! I am in the process of a rebuild of my 03 Rebel. I’m curious about the tire size as well. They really look good on this bike. Also was a little curious how you attached what looks like the stock seat? Thanks

  4. This one sweet Bike I just pulled a1986 out from are barn it was my father in law he’s 98 last time he road it. Was 2003 am look forward to the bild.

  5. Anyone know what kind of seat that is?

  6. I know this is a very old blog, but where did Frank find his parts from? I really love the look of this and want to build my ’86 to get the same look. I just don’t know where to start.

    • It’s a stock standard Honda Rebel seat … perhaps recovered. The rims are standard with tyres that are as fat as possible. The tail light and handle bars are custom. The rest looks to be standard, although cleaned up and painted better than from the factory.

      Still, overall, a good looking bike.

  7. What size tires are those?

  8. Love the Ryde
    what is the tire size please

  9. Would it be possible to find a build thread on franks “pigglet” by chance or a parts list?

    • Unfortunately this post is over 10 years old so I don’t know if you’re going to have much luck tracking down Frank. I would just use your imagination and let your creativity flow.

  10. What kind of battery cover is it and where to get one.

  11. I’m dying to know how he got the original seat mounted on this little piglet? what kind of brackets he used ? I’m currently in the process of turning my 86 Rebel into a bobber similar to this and want to use the original seat I don’t want any Springs, just want to use my original seat. Thanks hope to hear back soon.
    ~WyldChyld

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

x

Check Also

Yamaha XS400 bobber

yamaha xs400 bobber by carmen | reader rides

Carmen Cirelli from London, Ontario, Canada, had never built a motorcycle before ...

Jeremy Huff Yamaha XS500 brat

jeremy’s yamaha xs500 brat

Jeremy Huff is a fourty-four year old tool and die maker from ...

yamaha vstar 1100 bobber

yamaha vstar 1100 bobber | reader rides

This week’s reader ride is from Dave in Antwerpen, Belgium. Dave’s a ...