Learn how to plan and assemble your custom Bobber or Chopper from the instructor who pioneered Chopper Building as a high school shop class. Kevin Baas brings hands-on expertise to guide you through every stage of designing and building an authentic, affordable motorcycle from scratch.
Inside this hands-on guide, you'll discover:
- Chassis & Frames: What to look for (and avoid) in frames, front ends, chassis components, and brake setups.
- Motor Options: Complete breakdowns of classic powerplants, including Panhead, Knucklehead, Shovelhead, and Evolution engines.
- Transmissions & Drivelines: How to choose between 4-, 5-, and 6-speed setups, plus traditional kick-start/jockey shift versus modern foot-shift controls.
- 4 Step-by-Step Builds: Complete, start-to-finish assembly walks on four unique bikes (two Evo, one Panhead, and one original Knucklehead) from bare frame to finished runner.
Packed with 300 full-color photos, How to Build an Old Skool Bobber gives you the practical knowledge and confidence to build a timeless custom motorcycle in your own garage.
A dedicated advocate for traditional bike building, Kevin Baas is a full-time high school shop teacher in Minnesota. Learning the craft from his father-who built a Panhead chopper in 1970-Kevin created a unique motorcycle-building class at Kennedy High to teach students how to build authentic, affordable bikes from scratch. As the builder of his own custom Knucklehead, Kevin is the hands-on shop teacher every motorcycle enthusiast wishes they had.