Bratstyle???

[RJFort]

Was wondering what anyone might know about a brat style bike? I understand that it still would not a fully restored version of the XS. It would however still hold on the an actual suspension. After all our discussion and talking with Crazy_Steve a bit, I began to understand more what you were all trying to get at with a hardtail, and how odd it actually would be to, first off, hardtail a shaft drive. I knew it was unconventional and did plenty of research on that part. I had a general plan forming. I had not seen however any of these "brat" bikes. Still kinda get that look I was going for, with some differences, but I could live with it.

They almost look like cafe/bobber-chopper hybrids. I understand that you still might not agree with my choice, but would like to hear what you think about this (i guess from what I have read "NEW") style of motorcycles. I can't think that anything is new now-a-days. Whats old is new. Everything is cyclical. which means those awful things that OCC puts out will be the rage again one day.

Anyways, please tell me what you think, and don't worry I put on my suit of armor before writing this post, haha.

I am still in the pre-design phase, as I need to get the motor turned over first, but it does not help to start planning a little bit.

[fredintoon]

Hi RJ,
exposed shaft drive rigid ain't odd at all, it's retro. Check out 1920s BMWs with their pressed steel frames and any year Nimbus with it's frame of rivetted steel flat bar.
But bratbike? I've never seen the term before now. Got any links?

[fredintoon]

Hi RJ,
OK, I did my own quickie research.
"BratBike" is a Japanese custom builder. They make custom bikes from mostly smaller Japanese stock machines. Typically they lower the seat, keep or modify the rear suspension, take off a lot of stock stuff and put on customized parts instead.
A "Brat Style" bike is one that someone else has modified to emulate a true BratBike.

[tom clisham]

Brats are popular in Wisconsin!

They grill em all summer long!

[trbig]

They grill em all summer long!

Really?!? BOTH weeks?

[natemoen]

Really?!? BOTH weeks?

HEY! Screw you Tod! I grilled some last weekend!

[TopCatGr58]

Hey RJ,

Like Fred said, and I found a site with a large gallery of examples: http://www.bratstyle.com/custom/custom.htm

The Japanese's licensing process a few decades ago required them to ride the bike, stop it, lay it down, and then they had to be able to pick it back up. If they couldn't, they couldn't get their license, so they mostly had the smaller cc bikes, 400, 500, etc.. They may have changed that criteria since I was there in '81, there are several HD's in that gallery. OR...they are owned by much bigger stronger fellows than the average sized Japanese male. They have better nutrition, I saw a few that were over 6' tall even when I was there, but most were still not much over 5'!

Most of them have no front fender, ape hangers, lowered seats and rear ends, dark color schemes, etc.! They DO retain the rear suspension!

I personally think bikes like DaBubbles and DGXser's look much better than the ones in that gallery!

T.C.

[BigDick]

For the most part I like these bikes. Similar to what I've done on mine, kinda inspires me to use tax refund to go a bit further and do more work on mine.

[natemoen]

For the most part I like these bikes. Similar to what I've done on mine, kinda inspires me to use tax refund to go a bit further and do more work on mine.

might as well take the parts off, they are going to fall off anyways!

[BigDick]

might as well take the parts off, they are going to fall off anyways!

You weren't even there, so hush your noise you! And go grill some more while you're at it!

[natemoen]

You weren't even there, so hush your noise you! And go grill some more while you're at it!

Nope, wasn't there, just hear about it all the time!

[BigDick]

Nope, wasn't there, just hear about it all the time!

That's only because a couple *******s are jealous of my awesome bike so they gotta give me crap about two brackets which failed.

[trbig]

Yeah, we're jealous of having to stop the whole ride and get everybody rounded back up so we could pick stuff up and zip-tie it for you. We were also jealous of all the exercise we could get around your bike since we had to push start you every time you stopped.

Yup, that bike is AWESOME!!!

I'm also thinking that bike originated overseas. About half the times I would try to take a pic of the group, your bike would be in the other lane...






I know it's confusing to you since you've only been driving/riding for just a couple years, youngin', but we stay to the right in these parts.

[tom clisham]

I love that one!

Really?!? BOTH weeks?

I live only 3 miles from the badger, & yeah it's cold, but not that bad!

[cywelchjr]

For the most part I like these bikes. Similar to what I've done on mine, kinda inspires me to use tax refund to go a bit further and do more work on mine.

You mean make all the parts fall off and then hold them on with zip ties?