I used to have a media agency...
in graphic event production.
Then I decided...
to hell with the lot of it, I was going to reinvent myself.
Reinvent my life, my understanding of how to earn a living.
Age, 38.
Full name, Efraon Triana López.
"How did I get here?" I'm not sure.
I feel like I've had a range of different professions in my life.
I've been a chef, I've worked in advertising...
I've always considered myself a craftsman, so I decided to focus on my craft.
There's one motorbike that sets the benchmark for me.
That's the Sportster 1957.
They had to respond to a stream of British motorbikes that were faster,
cheaper, more agile than the Harley Big Twin from the 50s.
That bike really stands out for me, it's just beautiful.
There's a logic to it.
It's what kids draw if you ask them to draw a bike, without even knowing it.
Suddenly I thought, "Wow, it's 60 years since the Sportster came out, in 1957.
I wish I could go to a Harley dealership and buy myself one.
Today, with that same look, those colors, that same philosophy."
But that's impossible.
Then one day-- It was my girlfriend's idea, not mine.
She said, "Why don't you do it yourself?" And I thought, "Yeah, you're right."
I went and bought that year's Sportstar and...
I sat down in front of the bike and said, "I can do this."
With that very bike, without compromising the usability,
the technical specs of a modern motorbike--
I love ABS, I love the fuel injection,
the comfort and usability of the brakes,
and the handling of a vehicle from 2017...
With this little toy, I can make it look like the 57 model,
bringing together the best of both worlds in one bike:
the 1950s design, and the look of riding a classic bike,
with the performance of a vehicle built to modern production standards.
This year's bike is a lot bigger in general.
Proportionally, it's about 20% larger than the original.
So it wasn't as easy as buying an after-market period reproduction,
and sticking it on a modern bike. Anyone can do that.
The plan, the idea--
My intention was to make a bike that could've just come from the dealership.
To do that, the wings had to fit the proportions of the bike.
The same goes for the tires and the rims.
Everything has to work in harmony.
An orchestra works because each instrument does its job,
like a soloist. Well, this is the same. Not everyone can be the soloist.
Each part must do the job it's designed for.
When you get the bike with the right wheels, the wings, the fuel tank and it all starts
to come together and look like the '57 model, you take heart, it feels great.
I can feel...
the Harley magic. There is a lot of talk about it, this magic,
but it really does exist.
And I've been lucky enough to ride the best brands around,
but over the years I've come back to Harley,
because it really does have something special.
There have been iconic bikes, the Triumph Bonneville, Ducati Scrambler--
Every brand has made its own interpretation of that icon...
but, in my opinion,
they don't replicate the look.
Perhaps because of production costs, standards, but they don't get the look
that the brand's clients, the fans of that icon, just love.
We've made 100 bikes and that gives you the time to learn by yourself,
how or how not to do things,
and I come back to the idea of making a bike for an individual.
Because we often confuse customizing bikes,
or a vehicle to your tastes and customizing it to your client's tastes.
You have to know your client and know what they want even if they don't.
I've gone back to a more romantic perspective of the story,
I like to be on my own with my music, with my projects, my creations,
and just let my creativity flow.
In my case, that only happens if I'm alone and absolutely focused.
My social networks tagline says, "Only good things happen at Ufo Garage,
only good people come by," because that's what I want to convey.
I want this to be a community. If I wanted a normal job, I'd have it by now.