Papa Clutch Customs (www.papaclutchcustoms.com) out of Ainsworth, Iowa, really had a feel for bringing the pretty to what could have been a gritty bobber. Traditional and lovely 16” laced wheels with drum brakes fore and aft, a hand shifter and foot clutch, along with minimal creature comforts could have been the “gritty’ aspect, but Papa Clutch ran with them and made them a gorgeous focal point to build around. Getting the stance and flow correct on a custom bike is the make it or break it point and Papa Clutch hit the nail on the head perfectly. The cleaned-up FL forks, flipped bars, just-right tank, and a very cool seat are in perfect harmony with each other and not some overdone show pieces.

Topping off the build is a paintjob by Underground Art Studios in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, that I particularly like. Maybe I’m just partial to silver finishes, but there’s something about it that I personally like. It’s so clean and simple, but offers nice detailing if you want to find it without disrupting the lines of the bike. It just looks light, zippy, and metallic. All of which sounds like pure bobber fun to me. Now if I could just find an area where the drum brakes wouldn’t be an issue (sorry, I’m a brake freak), I’d love to take that bike for a quick spin, park it and look it over, and then take it for a long spin. Papa Clutch Customs really nailed this Panhead bobber dead-on.