CRD #19 XR600
By Anthony van Someren - 20 Nov 12
Seems like Cafe Racer Dreams can do no wrong. Every bike they build is anticipated well in advance by aficionados and bloggers alike, and teaser photos of bespoke parts, paint jobs and rolling chassis provide a build-up worth of any Hollywood blockbuster PR campaign, and it's well deserved. CRD are fast establishing themselves as being one of the best custom/cafe bike builders on the scene with a combination of quality builds with a unique signature style, helped along by the artwork of Alex Ramon Max as well as the clear vision of proprietor Pedro Garcia.
This bike falls into the new genre of scrambler hybrids that customers are lapping up these days - a platform that, unlike hard-tail wheel hugging brats and other less practical configurations, requires no compromise when it comes to the riding experience. Who wouldn't want to ride a custom dirt bike with long travel suspension, pokey big single and lightweight chassis on any terrain.
CRD # 19 "Apollo" is based on a 1991 Honda XR600, which is a great place to start and is CRDs first build to come out of their new premises and new partnership with EFRA, and it sets new benchmarks for CRD in terms of quality and delivery time - which is great news for Pedro and Co, and great news for their customers.
Header pips are a work of art, and the paintwork is as stunning as we've come to expect from CRD
Getting a seat and tail right isn't just about cutting frames, welding loops and upholstering a seat-pan, it's also about lines and proportions, and getting this right is what separates the artists from the builders.
Just look at that end can... ....And this is how a bike like this is meant to be ridden:
Pedro thanks a few people for their work on the build, including D. Roberto for doing "crazy things" (no, we didn't ask), Rafa Gallar for the photo shoot - as well as the guys from Personal Enduro for showing us what this bike can do in the dirt.
See more stunning bikes at the Cafe Racer Dreams website, and if you like what you see, get a commission on. We would.