As every 4th of July week end crept up, we roamed around Oahu. Yes, Oahu as in the Hawaiian islands. It's always fun to manage cruising the island, surf a bit and just hang out with many friends who we have increased in numbers thru the years. The only downside to this (which is not a downside really), is that everyone wants to welcome you, to invite you here or there, to make you feel welcome.
As time waits for no one (as far as I know no one has invented the 25 hour day) we were limited on what we could do, for the first time in Hawaii. The weekend was full of events, Anniversary parties, shows and shop openings, mix that with the daily ride, surfing, mayhem, chasing chicks or tourist duty and it can get kind of hectic. On the other hand there’s nothing in the world like Hawaii. The island colors are spectacular, the coast line is a surfer’s dream, the sun shines constantly and I won’t attempt a devine description of the women. I could never do them justice.
But what the fuck, friends are friends. I slid my surfboard beside my hotel room bed and hit the road.
I met Nui during one of my bike show trips. His unique bike caught my attention. I later learned to called it a “Local Boy”. It’s the epotime of the home brewed custom from the Hawaiian Islands. My curiosity led me to further search on the why's, and who developed the tradition and built them. How come they grabbed this unique riding style and unique configuration? Nui was the man, my first Island Boy Connection, since he had a classic and built classics.
After leaving the islands our communication kept link grew via e-mails and phone calls. An island dweller myself, Puerto Rico, my search for the origins of the “Local Boy” was strong. Meanwhile Nui at Grumpy's kept building more Local Boy examples. My interest piqued to the point of fighting over for an article, because I wanted these bikes to be featured and the world enjoy them as thoroughly as I did.
So as brothers speaking a certain language, not understood by outsiders, yet from some demented realm, we built a friendship and respect over bikes, the Hawaiian language and many codes and cultures in common that Island people come to understand. The Island Boy Code Of The Oyster Shell.
KAHU Members, Jim R., Danny P., Doug & Julie P.
Ya see the Island boy style began shortly after WWII. A lot of bikes were left on the islands after the war. Island bikers faced rough curvy roads to navigate and a costly problem shipping new products into the middle of the Pacific. Island brothers build bobber-styled classics bikes with suspension for the roads and short front ends for weaving roads and traffic. A unique style emerged with old stock parts and bikes.
So I rolled onto Oahu for another year, (I mean Summer of 2005), and got a call from Nui. They were opening a shop down in Kailua. It's cool to hear about friends being successful and opening their own shops. I know and live the heartache and hopes that make a shop fly.
A couple of nights into the trip Johnny Chop and I hopped on our Cycle City loaner bikes and headed over to see the new space for Grumpy's Customs, looking forward to the cool , crisp ride over the Pali Valle, as much to say hi to our friend, as anything else. Of course like any other shop that’s about to open, it was a hustle and bustle of activity, Flooring, building work space, installing tools and everything else was slammed into the fleeting hours ahead. We simply looked around, exchanged Alohas, and took off, so the guys could finish their job.
A couple days later the actual grand opening took place. We jammed around the island, planning, and I mean planning, on being there on time, but as we all know–we've never been on time. Fortunately Bikernet Photographer was on the dot, covered the traditional Hawaiian business blessing and gifts from Island brothers including an island sculpture from Dennis Mathewson, from Cosmic Custom Air Brush, the master island custom painter.
When we arrived the festivities wounded down. Still it didn’t matter, the “Local Boys” and I mean bikes and guys stuck around. The drinks and food still packed aplenty.
Tell you the truth it was cool that we arrived fashionably late, we could check the shop without a lot of people hanging out. The first thing I noticed, besides the cool bikes outside, was how well the whole space fit, the hardwood floors, woven palms and very cool typical Hawaiian stuff, Tikis and all. The work area hid behind the counter, a large glass pane divides one from the other, so you could see the progress, work or even wrench-throwing directly from the showroom. Magazines, T-shirts, and parts adorned the counters and walls, photos and signed t-shirts added to the ” comfortable Hawaiian feeling.” I swear that it's a vision of what a Shop in Hawaii should be.
The three lift work area contained a frame or bike on each of them under construction, plus a few frames in the storage area waited for their turns. I was kind of bummed that these were not “Local Boys”, which I strongly believe are Grumpy's forte and Hawaii's heritage, but Nui said there were a few traditionals on order. So I grabbed my drink (Coke of course) and just walked around observing what was going on, then stared at the infamous signature wall.
If you happen to be in Hawaii, take a ride over to Grumpy's, ask them about the “Local Boy” or just let the big man show you around. This is a island place where family shops are always still friendly, where they are glad to see a customer walk thru their doors and where a sale is the upkeep of a tradition. Better yet, tell them I sent you, or just point at the burnout mark on the parking lot and ask who did it…. I hope the landlord is not still pissed…..
— Jose De Miguel
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