Aug 11 2009
Misirlou built for Cat’s Meow Detroit
- 14 Comment
Write about your XS650.: Last March the gang from Scrawny’s were invited to show off some of their builds at Detroit’s Autorama. We set up shop next to a great guy named Keith who owns a shop called The Cat’s Meow, a retro collectible shop.
After the show was over, Keith came to us and asked to have a 50’s style bobber built for him. No problem. We did a cream and flat black with worn edges and chopped the rear suspension to give it a better stance. Keith’s pretty happy, all that bike for less than $3000.
Scrawny’s
So, once again I’m going to be a dick, since nobody else ever seems to speak up.
I try not to say much about people’s personal builds if I don’t like them, but I have a tendency to become annoyed by “bike builders” who build a bike for 3 grand and can’t seem to grasp the basics of form and flow.
Crappy pictures aside (gracias) this bike has bad lines (they’re all over the frikkin place) no flow whatsoever, a rear fender that looks like it belongs on a trailer, it sits up too high, has rear shocks AND a sprung seat (retarded). ’50s style? WHERE?
I’m not even going to try to find anything nice to say about it.
Yeah, I’m a douche. But I’m a douche that knows form and flow. I would encourage you to find somebody like me, someone with some aesthetic sense, and hire them if you plan on building more bikes. Technical skill alone doesn’t make you competent to build a motorcycle.
Speaking of sprung seats and shocks, isn’t that the whole premise of “bratstyle”?? You take off the stock seat, bolt on a solo “sprung” seat and VIOLA…a whole “NEW” style!! COME ON!!
Speaking of form and flow, why does “bratstyle” even exist? If all you can handle is removing a seat…..have someone who understands form & flow help you.
Teebs, you are not a d-bag, you are being honest.
Also, you forgot to mention that sissy bars are not DRIVER backrests….
Hopefully, “Scrawny’s” is thick skinned and can use this CONSTRUCTIVE, yet somewhat harsh CRITICISM, in future endeavors….
“Bratstyle” isnt a style at all, it’s a bike shop in japan… (bratstyle.com) It has nothing to do with sprung seats as they dont use them in there builds.
Recently however the term “Bratstyle” has just been a way for builders to say i cut the rear hoop of my XS. Which is BS, since they rarely EVER come close to looking like some of the nice bikes they build over there at the brat style shop in japan.
3K for that bike is nuts, and what is up with that freakin rear fender.
Hey Teebs your not on your pat molone in speaking your mind, I thought holy shit that thing is gross when I scrolled down. Lets be honest crappy style is crappy style.
Thanks for the clarification Justin…At least now I don’t feel out of the loop…
Thanks guys. Not that I was really worried if people liked my post or not. lol I am a douche. Glad to see I’m not the only one.
I like the bikes coming out of the real Bratstyle shop. Their bikes are sleek and clean, although they’re basically chopping a production bike into another production bike since their builds are pretty much all the same. That’s OK though. It’s what they do, and if they’re satisfied, that’s fine. At least they’re not selling ugly, poorly executed shit heaps. ahem…
I also don’t think the current “bratstyle” is any worse than buying a prefabbed weld-on hardtail, a sporty peanut tank, and a set of drag bars and claiming you “fabricated” a chopper.
Real CHOPPING requires DESIGNING, CUTTING, and SHAPING your own parts, whether from raw material or from existing parts.
There isn’t anything wrong with assembling your own cookie-cutter XS hardtail, but don’t expect me to think of you as a real chop monkey.
Now there are a lot of first-time builders that start by doing one of these minor “chops”. DO IT! Its a good thing! I’m all for it. Because at least a few of them are going to catch the bug and turn into true, hardcore, backyard badass CHOPPER builders… and there are never enough of us.
As for this bike… If I was Keith, I’d punch somebody in the teeth.
Hard!
I happen to be guilty of the cookie-cutter thing as we speak….but I am just getting into it….I don’t claim to have created “the next big thing”…but as chops/bobbers go it is a good look that someone with minimal experience/tools can replicate….The FORM & FLOW of it works..(hence the popularity)
I’m probably sounding more harsh than I actually feel. I don’t hate all of these bikes. I just like seeing more creativity going into it.
A lot of guys are just starting out, and some want the bike done yesterday so they can ride it. It’s ALL cool. It just isn’t my preference and I am somewhat outspoken and opinionated.
My MAIN problem is the above; A bike that somebody charged another person for and did a f*cked up job on it. I’ll speak my mind about that all damn day. Hopefully they stop and think about what I said, and either improve their work, or quit building period. I could do better work than that with my eyes closed and my fingers duct-taped together.
In fact, every single one of these “cookie-cutter” builds I see looks a bazillion times better. I’d ride any one of you guys’ bikes til the wheels fell off. (As long as the welds are good.) You couldn’t pay me to get on that thing…. OK, well maybe if you paid me…
To all you guys building your own XS chop in your garage with a TC bros hardtail and a sporty tank, tell me to go f*ck myself. I would if I were you. The only thing I will keep saying is; MAKE SURE YOUR WELDS ARE DONE RIGHT.
Gentlemen, and you too Teebs, not only have you motivated me to continue building bikes and sell them to friends who appreciate our look , but you’ve shown me that i need to spend more time designing and implementing your from and flow, and your photographer. Cheers.
We never boast about our keen eye for style and dedication to typical and refurbished ideas, nor did we set out to appease the masses. Simply, we build bikes so we can ride them and drop them, I’m sure you would like to see the later Teebs.
I agree with you guys, and admit we are not “Bike Builders”, what we are is two guys, doing what we can with what resources we have. We’re not ripping people off, in fact we include our clients in every step we take and build our personal bikes so that we’re happy with them. I have had more people stop me on the street with either a thumbs up or a, “Nice bike” and those are the people who come to us for a bike. They come to us because they’re attracted to our style.
I build what I like, some people seem to enjoy it, others, seem to have a strange disdain for it. Nothing makes me happier than knowing I put my sweat equity into something that makes heads turn and some vomit on a forum were people share their idea of what is right and wrong.
More to come! Hope you enjoy them!
Scrawny
I dig it. As somebody said above the sissy bar isn’t a driver backrest, but I dig it. I bet he’s comfortable riding it though. I think that the only thing that I don’t like is the rear fender.
“They come to us because they’re attracted to our style.” You said “style” LMFAO!!!
Could not agree more, it sucks.
man that bike is ugly as hell, but Teebs, you speak like a faggot. Shut your bitch mouth. Where’s your bike?