50 Not Out: Cafe Racer Dreams’ BMW R69S

The Spanish workshop Cafe Racer Dreams celebrates its 50th build with this amazing custom BMW R69S.
Cafe Racer Dreams is one of the most prolific outfits on the custom motorcycle circuit. An incredible fifty builds have already rolled out the Spanish workshop’s doors—each one as stylish as the next.

For CRD #50, Pedro García and Efraon Triana pulled out all the stops. It’s a stunning resto-mod based on a 1969 BMW R69S, commissioned by a 30-year-old Madrid local.

The Spanish workshop Cafe Racer Dreams celebrates its 50th build with this amazing custom BMW R69S.
Most of the iconic features of the R69S have been retained, but the only component untouched is the 594 cc air cooled boxer motor. “The engine was perfect,” says Pedro, “so we didn’t operate inside!” Pedro and Efraon did completely rewire the bike though—going as far as fitting a keyless ignition from Motogadget.

Up front, they’ve improved braking with a disk setup borrowed from a Harley-Davidson Sportster. The quirky and distinctive R69S suspension is still intact—but is now vastly improved thanks to the addition of Öhlins shocks at both ends.

The Spanish workshop Cafe Racer Dreams celebrates its 50th build with this amazing custom BMW R69S.
Cafe Racer Dreams also removed the airbox and installed a huge K&N air filter in its place—a process that, according to Pedro, was harder than it looks. BMW R100 front fenders have been adapted to fit both the front and back of the R69S.

After a complete tear down, CRD selectively applied different finishes to the hard parts. The frame and a few other items were treated to satin black paint, while other bits were acid-dipped to achieve just the right vintage effect.

The Spanish workshop Cafe Racer Dreams celebrates its 50th build with this amazing custom BMW R69S.
CRD kept the stock tank and its assortment of dings, but stripped the paint and gave it a top-secret treatment that involves varnish and a little black paint. The seat is completely bespoke—covered in leather which has been sanded to blend with the R69S’s distressed theme.

The Spanish workshop Cafe Racer Dreams celebrates its 50th build with this amazing custom BMW R69S.
Final trim includes a set of LSL handlebars, Beston grips and the original speedo-in-headlight setup. The tyres are Firestone’s infamous Deluxe Champions—an appropriate choice for a build of this nature.

The Spanish workshop Cafe Racer Dreams celebrates its 50th build with this amazing custom BMW R69S.
CRD #50 is as tasteful and chic as we’ve come to expect from Pedro and Efraon. But can they keep this up? We suspect they can, and demand for their work is strong.

Here’s to the next fifty builds.

Photos by Enrique Pacheco. Check out CRD’s previous 49 builds on the Cafe Racer Dreams website, and follow their news via Facebook.

The Spanish workshop Cafe Racer Dreams celebrates its 50th build with this amazing custom BMW R69S.

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