destInatIons SOUTHERN EUROPE Biarritz - OR - Bust Two R nineT riders journey across Southern France from Monaco to Biarritz for the Wheels and Waves festival known for unique motorcycles, racing, surfi ng, skateboarding, and music. 96 BMW MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE | Fall 2017 TEXT AND PHOTOS: ANDREW COURT MONACO SITS JUST at the spot where the Alps hit the Mediterranean Sea. Th e ancient city-state is clearly visible as you wind around and up the backroads out of town. Monaco is my home but it still takes focus not to The brothers’ two BMW R nineT be distracted by this view. I regain my concentration as my brother-in-law, motorcycles parked during a lunch stop in Marseille, France. Roy Roeloff s, accelerates to pass me. Enjoying the air-cooled boxer sound, I work through the BMW’s Rolex-like gears as we ride the mountain road that will set the tone for our adventure to come. • Fall 2017 | BMW MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE 97 destInatIons SOUTHERN EUROPE Th e destination was Wheels and Waves, an annual vintage motorcycle festival held on the Basque coast between Biarritz in France and San Sebas- tian in Spain. Th e event is unique because it centers more on capturing a relaxed beachside lifestyle than promoting any particular brand of motor- cycle. Vincent Prat, a founder of Wheels and Waves, says participants, “love motorcycles and surfi ng, skateboarding, and music… the important thing is to cross culture.” It’s also worth pointing out that while riders bring some truly exceptional bikes, there is no concours or judged show. Th ey bring their rolling works of art to be seen by fellow enthusiasts. Th e festival shows how bikes, beyond just a hobby, can be an essential component of a culturally rich life. Unlike most road trip stories, ours begins rather than ends in Monaco. Roy had introduced me to the joys of motorcycling in the South of France the previous year, generously allowing me to borrow his Ducati Monster and taking me to school on riding curvy mountain roads. Following behind him, I quickly learned how to drop a knee. After moving to this fashionable region, I wanted an equally stylish naked bike and a BMW R nineT seemed the obvious choice. Roy followed suit a couple months later and traded in his Monster for an R nineT also. We are the prototypical urban riders, using the bikes for jaunts around Monaco’s hills but we were eager for more, so we decided to take a road trip. Still, there was a lot of road, almost 600 miles, to cover before arriving at Wheels and Waves. Rising late the fi rst day, we headed out on the highway for lunch in Mar- Clockwise from above: Andrew Court, the author, getting ready to leave on his R nineT. Roy Roeloff s, seille. When we caught sight of the Basilica Notre Dame De la Garde, we brother-in-law, traded in his Ducati Monster for the knew we were close. Winding through tunnels and narrow ancient streets, R nineT. The bikes on the sand in Camargue Natural Park. Grilled squid is a much better choice than we found our way to the city’s old port. Th e classic local dish is bouillabaisse, bouillabaisse for our lunch stop in Marseille. Basque but with temperatures almost reaching the nineties, we settled on a lighter nationalists welcome the riders but continue grilled squid. One of the great things about riding in France is that you can their eff orts to carve out their own nation from the southwest of France and northwest of Spain. There park almost anywhere and watching the bikes while we ate gave us peace was a distinctly Basque fl avor to the food available of mind in notoriously criminal Marseille. including Basque apple cider. Sated with a large lunch, we headed towards the Camargue Natural Park, The road leading out of Monaco off ers a tre- a vast expanse of wetlands home to exotic pink fl amingos. We found sev- � mendous view of nearly the entire principality eral resting in a distant marsh but were tired from the heat and stopped as well as the ships in the Mediterranean Sea. at an out-of-season bullfi ghting ring to have a coff ee and check the map. By the time we passed Toulouse, the sun was setting. As we climbed into the low hills before the Pyrenees mountain range, we encountered some- 98 BMW MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE | Fall 2017 thing entirely unplanned for—bugs. Th ey fl ew through the headlight like heavy black raindrops, smacking into our bikes. Unlike more seasoned BMW enthusiasts, we were underprepared and the impor- tance of a windscreen and full face helmet became clear. Going slowly to avoid the painful pricks of bugs hitting our faces, we chugged along until reaching our hotel in St. Gauden. It had been a long ride, but we were within striking distance of Wheels and Waves. Th e next morning we pierced the mountain fog to arrive at the festival’s fi rst event on a glaringly hot afternoon. Th e “El Rollo” fl at track race takes place at the charmingly antiquarian San Sebas- tian Hippodrome. Racers compete in fi ve Fall 2017 | BMW MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE 99 destInatIons SOUTHERN EUROPE classes, from rookie to super hooligan, was also a distinctly Basque fl avor. Basque Facing page: clockwise from top: Roy admires and everyone was focused on having a separatists set up banners to remind the view and takes a few photos of the Atlantic Ocean from the beach at Biarritz. The trip across good time. guests exactly where we were. Vendors southern France is about 600 miles (900 km). Parisian motorcycle adventurist Lolo sold Basque apple cider and snacks. The nightly party scene at the Wheels and Waves festival. The start line for the Punk’s Peak hill Cochet entered the fl at track race with an BMW Motorrad sponsored a stand at climb which took place over the border in Spain. almost stock R nineT Scrambler sporting the ArtRide showing some truly amaz- A BMW racing on the “El Rollo” fl at track at the San Sebastian Hippodrome. This is a not a rally street plates. Th e only changes made were ing custom and historic motorcycles reserved for trailer queens. replacing the stock tires and adding a rack including a supercharged WR750 racer to carry his surfboard. Lolo says that “just from 1929. Looking at the bike you can on an R80RT from 1986. Using only vin- for having fun” the bike is great, and is see traces of BMW’s signature style still tage and homemade parts, the custom- happy to have everything he needs for present to this day. Kingston Customs izers succeeded in capturing the elegance Wheels and Waves in one machine. Not showed “White Phantom,” a bike based of a classic bike with their own radical slowing down, Cochet plans to enter the sensibilities. same bike in the Punk’s Peak hill climb. Punk’s Peak, a hill climb/sprint race, is Other BMW riders also rode their bikes the last competitive event of Wheels and to and from the track. Competitors pack- Waves. Overlooking the ocean, the bikes ing up their trailer queens looked on envi- race up a short road course passing some ously as one Bavarian fl at-tracker cruised very startled Spanish horses. We ran up ITALY away with his girlfriend riding pillion. the steep mountainside to fi nd a perch Th e next day’s festivities were entirely to watch and arrived just in time to see FRANCE indoors for the Wheels and Waves a custom R nineT come in second. Th e Nice Montpellier ArtRide, a display of custom motorcycles Workhouse Speedshop project, ridden Biarritz Toulouse Monaco Camargue Marseille along with visual art and a lot of music, all by Sebastian Lorentz, sported a vintage Natural in a warehouse space. Legendary Skate- Valvoline Oil paint job worthy of dis- San Sebastián Park boarder and artist Steve Caballero was play at the ArtRide. Facing off against Saint-Gaudens there with a private room to show his art- a factory-backed and nitrous-powered SPAIN Pyrenees work. Despite an international vibe, there Indian Scout, the BMW’s performance National Park was impressive. • Live and learn: no windscreen or full face With a concert venue, vendor displays, helmet leaves your face exposed and pelted and multiple food and drink merchants, by bugs. • A pleasant and peaceful rest stop overlooking the Pyrenees. the Cite de l’Ocean museum was home 100 BMW MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE | Fall 2017 ITALY FRANCE Nice Montpellier Biarritz Toulouse Monaco Camargue Marseille Natural San Sebastián Park Saint-Gaudens SPAIN Pyrenees National Park Fall 2017 | BMW MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE 101 destInatIons SOUTHERN EUROPE � The BMW display at the ArtRide where custom vehicles mixed with fi ne art and loud music. • These exceptional BMW custom motorcycles were on display. base for the Wheels and Waves festi- val. Every evening, international bands played and the party went late. During the day, groups gathered outside on Plage de la Milady, the site of the surf- ing competition. Competitors waited for the perfect Biarritz break to wash them to victory. Th ere was even a bodyboard competition. Wheels and Waves was great fun, but all too soon, it was time to head back on the open road. We dipped down into the Parc National des Pyrénées to explore some of the last pockets of true wilder- ness left in France and rode through winding green hills with white-capped mountains visible in the background.