Cafe Racer Dreams in Spain have been turning out some stunningly beautiful creations over the last couple of years, each with a subtlety and attention to detail that puts them in the superleague of custom builders, and we see their bikes regularly featured across the pages of the custom bike web-illuminati from the likes of Bike EXIF to the more more modest sites, like The Shed, where they can be drooled over by aficionados and bikers alike. We've enjoyed a great meeting of minds with our Spanish friends, and featured a couple of builds here, but we're always as interested in Why as we are in What & How, so we asked CRD founder Pedro Garcia why he got started and what drives him. (His reply started out in Spanish, so if I've made any schoolboy errors in the translation, then please accept my apologies)

Pedro Garcia - Founder of Cafe Racer Dreams:

The automotive world always attracted me so cars, and motorcycles in particular have been my great passion. Two years ago in 2010, after having gone through several jobs related to engines and the arts (in sculpture), I wanted to get a bike made from a single vintage motorcycle, so I tried several workshops in Spain, but at that time there was no-one out there who could give me what I wanted.

Pics by Diego Berro

It all started by accident. I started contacting people, I had many ideas clear in my mind and the rest was just putting together the pieces of the puzzle. I created my bike with the help of top professionals. I then wanted to do another concept bike, but my friend (initially my client) Miguel Olivares suggested that I try to make this dream my way of life. CRD was born at a time that no one was betting on the concept of custom bikes. Now in Spain it seems that there are is a new “Dream Garage” born every day in every city. That's good. It seems that people want to differentiate themselves, and custom builders can now give the public what I once did not have. Our team is made up of the best professionals in each area, and are all based in our garage with Orlando Taborda and me. I am happy, very happy, with the progress of each project. To see the result and to be happy with it is a blessing, and if the end customer is also 110% satisfied then the circle is closed, re-motivating me to build another, and another.

A new cafe racer dream is being born...

We are currently working on a BMW R 75/5 in collaboration with Javier Minchan, owner of MaxBoxer, a well-known BMW specialist in Spain. I'm also thinking about making a Dirt Track Ossa, which I'm sure we'll do in 2012! The future is in the recycling of materials, to give new life to old glories, and the style of bike will depend on the public, but the customization process will always provide something unique, to inspire all audiences.

Here's just a small selection of CRD's builds

CRD #8 - Triumph Bonnie

CRD #7 - Ossa Copa 250

CRD #4 - SR250

CRD #3 - Honda CB750

CRD #1 CB900 Bol D'or

CRD #11, CB750 KZ

See and read more from Pedro and his collaborators on their excellent website and blog. They also have some really cool artwork and an online shop. We'll definitely be ordering a T-shirt or two.