Custom Bobber - Legal questions

"I wonder if my bike will pass safety and if I can make an insurance claim if I ever get into an accident?" - Said no hardtail-bobber rider ever.

Morrissey said:

So question for Bike Cop; it says the suspension has to be in good repair, but what if the bike has NO rear suspension?

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There is no specific charge for not having rear suspension. It would fall under an umbrella charge, like Operate Unsafe Vehicle, s. 84. The question that I would have to answer for the court is, does the lack of rear suspension render the motorcycle unsafe? Honestly, that's one that I've not ever considered.

I see the suspension working in two ways, to provide comfort for the rider, and to keep the tire in contact with the roadway. I would probably start by looking at what the bike 'was' before it was modified. Did it have suspension before? Or is it a homemade machine with no provision for rear springs/shocks? I can't just make stuff up when it goes to court. What I say has to be based in the regulations, so if it was supposed to have suspension and now it doesn't, I think that argument would go a lot further with the court than if I just submit my opinion that every motorcycle should have rear suspension.

I've never pushed that envelope in court, so I can't give you a concrete answer. Next time I'm around a knowledgeable prosecutor, I'll try to remember to ask what they think.

I had a hardtail chopper (Triumph) for a few years, never had a problem with insurance or police. The bike did have turn signals and a front brake and it wasn't stretched to a ridiculous degree, so that might have helped.
I suggest putting together some specs for your bobber and gather some pictures of bikes very similar to what you want to build. Then go talk to your insurance agent in person and discuss it. While choppers and bobbers aren't as popular as they used to be, there are still some out there, as well as lots of hotrod cars, so they must be insurable.

CafeRay said:

My advice is buy the bike you think you want and try it for a while before investing any real money. These hard-tail bobbers/springers are always for sale because they are a painful ride and poor design of a motorcycle.
"Discrete turn signal" is a bit of an oxymoron.

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I read a comment in a yacht design book that might also apply to custom bikes or all bikes.

"If it looks beautiful you will forgive it's shortcomings. If it is perfect but ugly you will constantly be looking for faults to criticize."

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

nobbie48 said:

I read a comment in a yacht design book that might also apply to custom bikes or all bikes.

"If it looks beautiful you will forgive it's shortcomings. If it is perfect but ugly you will constantly be looking for faults to criticize."

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

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Sure, GM sold >100,000 Pontiac Azteks. The OP seems concerned about resale, and he should be aware it will be next to impossible to sell a bike like this.