Underground Bobbers ’72′

Underground Bobbers is a California-based shop that grew out out of a gel-coat and carbon fiber business. Today, they’ve turned their attention to customizing old British iron, but not in the usual way—these bikes invariably have metal parts replaced with carbon fiber or Kevlar. This bike, known as ‘The 72’, is a great example. It arrived in the workshop as a tired, Army Green-painted Bonneville: over three months, Reza Gohary and Farzin Yassiny transformed it into a motorcycle with attitude. The battery box is crafted from aircraft-quality mono-directional carbon fiber; the gas tank is made of a single sheet, hand laid and vacuum formed. Other carbon fiber parts include the headlight, fender and fin, seat unit, shock covers and even the sleeving on the exhaust pipes. Underground Bobbers describe the bike as “tough and mean, without an ounce of graciousness to it”, a look that’s helped by the dual-sport Avon Distanzia tires. If you like this style, the bike is on eBay right now. [Thanks to Tim Besser.]