Not all custom BMWs are airhead boxers: The classic four-cylinder K-series is gaining a cult following. But tearing into a more modern K takes a special kind of nuts.
So let us introduce you to the Spanish outfit Pan Speed Shop [update: now called UFO Garage]. They’re fresh on the scene, which is why the name won’t ring any bells. But you might know the co-founder, Efraón Triana. Until recently he was the head wrench at Cafe Racer Dreams.
CRD are one of Europe’s most prolific shops, with customers lining up around the block. And many of those customers are after the same thing: CRD’s gorgeous signature style, often applied to a BMW.
This sort of bread and butter work keeps the lights on—but Efraón was seeking riskier pastures.
“I decided to leave CRD so that I could evolve, and create different concepts,” he tells us. “The BMW R100s were too many!”
So he’s partnered with friends Peter G. Tapia and César Serrano, and opened Pan Speed Shop in Madrid. This outlandish 2004 model K1200S is Pan’s first build, and what a debut it is—with the looks to match its blistering 165 horsepower performance.
“I wanted to make a machine with the appearance of having its own consciousness,” says Efraón. “She should convey movement—even when standing.”
Called ‘Meka,’ the BMW cafe racer has been stripped of all its bodywork, revealing the quirky German engineering lurking beneath. For those not familiar with the K1200S—yes, that weird front suspension setup is OEM. Pan simply upgraded it with a Hagon shock.
But they left the main frame, wheels and ABS brakes standard. A wise move, considering the K1200S packs a Hayabusa-style punch.
“I wanted to take advantage of the technical features of the original motorcycle and performance,” he explains. “I never wanted to undo the work done by the engineers at BMW. I do not know more than them.”
Efraón had no qualms about undoing the BMW design team’s work though. He spent countless hours hand-shaping completely new bodywork for the K1200S, drawing heavily on science fiction influences.
The new panels are aggressive and angular, often exposing moving parts that used to hide behind a fairing.
The tail section—perched atop a custom-made subframe—houses a military-inspired seat, and a discreet LED taillight. But it’s the headlight arrangement that really catches the eye.
Dual Xenon lights are mounted in a hand-made housing. They’re hidden by a pair of blinds that open automatically when the bike is switched on, thanks to small electro mechanical actuators.
Efraón rewired the bike around a Motogadget m-Unit controller. It’s housed just above the headlight, underneath a transparent cover. The turn signals are custom-made too: LED strips that flank the headlight.
Moving to the cockpit, Pan installed a digital dash and push buttons from Motogadget. They even went to the trouble of adding icons to the buttons, to help the rider figure out where everything is. The controls have also been upgraded to Brembo.
Take a peek in between the frame and bodywork, and you’ll notice the airbox has been replaced by K&N filters. The exhaust is a complete one-off—designed by Pan, and executed by Escapes GR.
There’s a lot of detail to absorb here. Take the exhaust, for example: the fins on the outlet are mimicked by a set of fins further forward, just behind the belly pan panels.
Special attention’s gone to finishes too, with every part treated to either a raw or distressed effect. All in all, it looks like the sort of bike Master Chief would carve canyons with on the weekends.
The scene is flooded with bikes that re-hash the same old formulas. Seeing a builder rise above the humdrum of the usual styles to build something truly original has us excited—and hopeful.
The only remaining question is: how long until we get to see the next Pan Speed Shop project? The anticipation is killing us.
UFO Garage | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Kristina Fender
