The Official GS Brat, Tracker, Scrambler thread

[Guest]

This is the place to post pics of your Brat, Tracker, or Scrambler or even just pictures of similar style bikes that inspire you to customize your GS into one of those styles...
It seems like Cafe Racers & Bobbers have enough followers to have their own threads elsewhere.

My Brat isn't done yet, so I'll post one that I like to start...

[harley10]

I like that , well done , cheers, Brian

[BADJACKSON]

Thank you.

[BADJACKSON]

Here is another...



I just don't care for Clip Ons...

[growler]

Yay! I'm loving this already. It's the direction I'm slooooowwwllly heading with my bike.

I'll post one of my faves, from Tarmac Motorcycles.

http://thebikeshed.cc/2013/05/24/tarmac-custom-mc-gs850/

[BADJACKSON]

I'll post one of my faves, from Tarmac Motorcycles.

http://thebikeshed.cc/2013/05/24/tarmac-cu


Thanks Growler, exactly what I was looking for on this thread! I like that bike too!

[trevor]

So what's the difference between a Cafe, Bobber and a Brat bike?

[BADJACKSON]

Well, this is just my observation but...

Cafe Racers usually have a humped tail section (usually fiberglass) and clip on style handle bars.
Bobbers are usually rigid frame and only a solo seat
Brats are usually flat seat (custom and REALLY flat) and longe enough to ride double, and often have flatter bars, not clip ons...

But it they are all kissing cousins IMO. Especially when you throw Trackers & Scramblers in the mix... The lines become blurred.
Every rider & builder sort of has their own opinion on what features fall into what category.

It it would be great if some others would weigh in on this question.

[Gorminrider]

at risk of wrecking their thread but
Young-uns mine the past and revolt from the corporate plastics that are still apparently targeting the Transformer Generation . good-oh!
All are stripped down minimalist and uncomfortable the way young folks like things... ... all are therefore "bobbed"
NONE should have "fairings".
Long distance comfort is not considered. That is for older types with the $ to do it and fatter ass*s. See "Cruisers"
More particularly...
bobbers always thought they had to be hard tailed with a tractor seat so the rider is bobbing ! but bobbing is as in cutting off (hair)
American innovative guys born on farms outnumbered city-bred so historically there's a bit of Main Street in em. High handlebars ok. ....See "Choppers" which is an evolution somewhat of these??, and is more difficult.... choppers are all about wheelbase length , better highways and more travelling going on in the 60's and 70's.

cafe racers are about the peculiar seat so you don't slide off the back. Safety first British and home built street-racers . British roads are way different than ours...These also often cut off the frame ends at back (mistakenly IMO because it supports the long seat)Historically, Drink really BAD coffee or stick to the tea, smoke Canadian/British cigarettes and listen to Cliff Richards or you won't get it.

Brat.. the name defines them. "He's a little brat" ..even the builders seem to get muddled and use hyphens "Brat-Cafe" but they are Non-racers.....differences I notice -they favour what look to be bicycle headlights and a squat look by squeezing the geometry of the wheelbase. Front forks have no length so street only. apart from Apehangers being ok , they really seem to be a way to make old bikes look like they are hulking and that's a modern look per Ducati Monsters.
This is a NEW style versus cafe,trackers,and bobbers isn't it? But takes something from all of those.

Trackers stripped stock bikes as "racers" for simple dirt flat tracks with deeper tires for the cobbled-together track .. see also "Scramblers" which do have deeper shocks and fork-travel but especially defined by higher exhaust pipes and ground clearance

[BADJACKSON]

Fairly accurate and only mildly biased... Thanks Gorminrider!!

[Sebastian24]

Well, here's mine while she still is a brat (got it pretty much like this, just a few odds and ends that were changed).
BTW, BADJACKSON, I didn't forget about the pics, I just had quite a few shows that I was out of town for. Will get those to you as soon as I get a chance

[Peteyboy]

Here is mine Gs650GT. Still along way to go until it's ready.

[BADJACKSON]

Those are both cool bikes!

[BADJACKSON]

Sebastia24 what tires are those?

[growler]

This is nice! And the seat looks comfortable too.

Here is mine Gs650GT. Still along way to go until it's ready.