Fran Manen has been regarded as one of the best motorcycle customizers in the world. At Cafe Racer World, we had the pleasure of interviewing him to uncover the secrets behind his brand, Lord Drake Kustoms.
Have you always been in love with the world of motorcycles?
It’s true that since childhood I felt attracted to an aesthetic closely linked to the world of motorcycles. At that time, in the southern Spanish city where I grew up, it was very difficult to access specialized magazines. It was on television, especially in music videos, where I was fascinated by those Rock and Heavy Metal bands that often appeared alongside their Harley-Davidsons and Choppers.
It wasn’t until I was 14 that I got my first motorcycle, a Vespino. I spent my time painting it with flames and album covers from my favorite bands. So, I suppose yes, it’s a passion that goes way back.
You are considered one of the best motorcycle customizers in the world. How does one reach that point?
One of my favorite mottos has always been “Sic Parvis Magna” (Great things have small beginnings). I believe that in life you can achieve whatever you set your mind to with hard work, perseverance, and humility.
I haven’t always worked in the motorcycle world. I went through many jobs and companies before getting here. There was a time when, as a great lover of nature, I began climbing mountains professionally. That ultimately led me to undertake expeditions around the world, visiting and ascending peaks in the Himalayas, Nepal, Tibet, India, Pakistan, Bhutan, Morocco, Switzerland, France, Austria, and more.
That experience in climbing opened the doors for me to found my first company, specialized in vertical and high-altitude work.
And how does one go from a company like that to the world of motorcycle customization?
Well, the vertical work company was doing very well, but it also consumed me completely, distancing me from my passion for mountaineering.
But in reality, the change came from several blows life gave me around the year 2000. First, a traffic accident that almost ended me; then, a fall from height that left me bedridden for over a month.
I miraculously recovered from all that. I even managed to organize one last expedition to Nepal. But that year, misfortune struck again. Upon returning from that trip, before boarding the plane that would take me from Pakistan to Paris, I was mistaken for an Albanian terrorist and imprisoned for 15 days in that country.
That terrible experience made me reflect a lot, and I concluded that it was time to stop climbing and dedicate myself to my other great passion: painting and modifying motorcycles.
But that decision would require a great deal of learning from scratch...
Indeed. In Spain, at that time, documentaries like American Chopper and Overhaulin were beginning to air on Discovery Channel. Those TV programs opened my eyes. So I didn’t hesitate and decided to travel frequently to the United States to experience that culture firsthand.
I spent long periods there, attending every motorcycle event I could and meeting prominent figures in the custom world. But most importantly, I was able to establish professional relationships with both motorcycle industry manufacturers and the most renowned builders.
And was that when you created Lord Drake Kustoms?
Well, almost. I returned to Spain and bought my first Harley, which I quickly placed in my garage and began modifying in my free time. I remember that one of the first things I did was hang a banner at the entrance with the name Lord Drake Kustoms.
That motorcycle, which took me almost a year to customize, won awards in every national competition I entered it in. The turning point came when it became runner-up in Europe in the Big Twin category at the Harley European Rally. That’s when I realized this hobby could become a career.
What led you to move to the United States?
I set up a workshop with a friend in Spain, which I dedicated my free afternoons to. But I soon realized that in my country, at least at that time, there was little interest in the world of customization. Most of the jobs we received were repairs, and only a few transformations.
I continued traveling regularly to the United States, and eventually a business opportunity arose in Miami. I didn’t hesitate and sold my vertical work company and almost everything I owned to move there.
After many bureaucratic hurdles, I managed to create and become co-owner of a motorcycle rental and tour organization company in Miami: American Rider.
At the same time, I continued pursuing my passion for customization until, in 2012, I decided it was time to establish Lord Drake Kustoms in Miami.
And how is it going?
Bueno, creo que ha sido un éxito desde entonces. El taller está ubicado en el centro de Miami (Coconut Grove) y han pasado por él muchas estrellas y artistas del mundo del cine y la televisión. Poco a poco, el nombre de Lord Drake Kustoms se fue haciendo conocido en las altas esferas de Miami y tuvimos clientes como Tom Kaulitz (de Tokio Hotel), Alejandro Sanz o Maroon 5, entre otros.
Well, I believe it has been a success since then. The workshop is located in the center of Miami (Coconut Grove), and many stars and artists from the film and television world have visited. Gradually, the name Lord Drake Kustoms became known in Miami’s high circles, and we had clients like Tom Kaulitz (from Tokio Hotel), Alejandro Sanz, and Maroon 5, among others.
But that’s not the most important thing; the best part was that we kept winning championships, including the Daytona Bike Week, a global benchmark in the world of customization. There, we became champions in the Cafe Racer category. We also won two awards at the Rat’s Hole Bike Show, which helped us gain recognition worldwide.
Suddenly, you decide to open another branch in Spain—what was the reason?
As I said, winning those events made us known outside the United States as well. Suddenly, we started receiving many orders from Europe. That’s why, at one point, I decided to open a new branch in Spain to better meet the demand on the European continent.
It was a risky move because I didn’t know for sure how well this type of product would be received in the Old World, despite the increase in orders. But I soon realized that, just like in the United States, we started winning many awards.
In 2014 being runners-up in Europe and in 2015 first and second in Europe. In 2016 we were declared as one of the 10 best customizers in the world in Scrambler style by a Japanese specialized magazine. Also in 2016 we were the 5th in the world in the category of “Modified Harley” in the AMD World Championship, which in 2018 also obtained the 6th and 2nd position. In 2017 double European champion in the HOG Rally Bike Show, of which this 2019 we have again become champion and runners-up…
At the most recent event held in Portugal, I was fortunate to meet Karen Davidson, who was amazed by the bike I presented, considering it a true work of art on wheels.
Without a doubt, Europe also has a great interest in the world of custom motorcycles.
Your trophy display is enviable, but 2019 has also been a very special year for you and your company.
Yes, it has truly been a year full of unforgettable moments and many surprises.
First, it was an honor when Discovery Channel invited me to the charity gala organized by Antonio Banderas during Miami Fashion Week. There, we auctioned two of my motorcycles for two good causes, raising funds for the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Fundación Lágrimas y Favores.
I also had the pleasure of meeting, besides Antonio Banderas, prominent figures such as Emilio Estefan, Juanes, Nicole Kimpel, and Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada.
With the latter, I was very fortunate to have an interesting conversation that led us to collaborate on a project that, I believe, has broken many barriers in the world of motorcycle customization.
This project was the “Agathized Harley,” a motorcycle that caused quite a stir, and was presented in Marbella at another charity gala, this time against cancer.
Finally, what plans does Lord Drake Kustoms have for the future?
We’ve been working on a television project for years that we hope will see the light soon, but it’s still too early to provide details. Ultimately, as I said at the beginning, we will continue working with perseverance and humility.
