Moto Heroes X Wheels and Waves 2016 Collector edition

The Collector is born from our collaboration with Moto Heroes Magazine, and is available now on our website. This limited edition of 2000 copies tells  with the highest photography quality and layout, the story of Wheels and Waves 2016 in Biarritz and in California. Texts in English

Le Collector fruit de notre collaboration avec Moto Heroes magazine est disponible dès à présent sur notre site . Il retrace l'histoire de l'édition 2016 de Wheels and Waves à Biarritz mais aussi en Californie. 150 pages de contenu de haute qualité... Il est tiré à 2000 exemplaires numérotés.

La photographie exceptionnelle ainsi qu'une maquette très pure en feront un bel objet à garder dans votre collection.

ORDER HERE

Revival Cycles goes to Wheels and Waves

Revival Goes to France - Wheels and Waves - Episode 1 from Revival Cycles on Vimeo.

Be Happy !!

Get ready with your bikes, skates and surfboards to live a unique experience. You will write the story of this new episode...

The W&W X Douk- Douk collaboration

We are proud to introduce today our collaboration between The Cognet Cutlery and Wheels and Waves
This unique batch of fifty knives can be sent all over the world !

The douk-douk is a French-made pocket knife. It has been manufactured by the M.C Cognet cutlery firm in Thiers since 1929.

Famous in the former French colonies for over 70 years and used recently for decades by the Army and in the French Foreign Legion, these are tough.
Nothing fancy about them; just real working, single-blade knives. The handles are gunsmith-style ferro-blackened folded steel. The blades are high carbon steel, hardened to Rc 50-53 and slightly hollow-ground using water grinding wheels. Blade thickness 2.5mm and blade length is 2-1/2.
Because they are relatively light and flat, they are great for the pants pocket. Their robustness makes them exceptional for any toolbox. Neat tools for sure. Made in France.

Blade length 9 cm

ORDER HERE

Nous sommes fiers de vous présenter nôtre collaboration avec le Coutelier M.C Cognet, éditeur  original  du fameux Douk Douk depuis 1929. Cette série unique de cinquante pièces, tombe à point pour la saison des champignons !

Le douk-douk n’est pas seulement un couteau : C’est aussi une Légende...
Initialement conçu pour le marché de l’Océanie, aux grandes heures de la France dans ces contrées, il a finalement équipé pour le meilleur et quelquefois pour le pire, les peuples d’Afrique.
Des montagnes de l’Atlas aux jungles profondes de l’Afrique Noire, des dunes du Sahara aux rivages de Mauritanie, il est encore porté par nombre de travailleurs, de baroudeurs, d’explorateurs et parfois de guerriers…

Couteau de chasseur, de pêcheur, d'explorateur, d’aventurier, outil indispensable ou arme redoutable, son succès est tel que nombre de copies ont été tentées avec plus ou moins de bonheur.
Aujourd’hui encore, il reste le compagnon parfait du randonneur, du campeur, du pêcheur, du chasseur ou du bricoleur...
Le compagnon idéal de tous les amoureux de la nature et des objets authentiques.

Robuste et discret, original et peu exigeant en entretien.

Longueur de la lame 9 cm

 COMMANDER ICI

Ehinger Kraftrad - Hamburg

Interview by Cyril Dunn

Hi Uwe, could you please introduce yourself?
Tell us more about Ehinger Kraftrad.
I have been running the company EHINGER KRAFTRAD since 2008 with Katrin Oeding; she is a designer as well as my partner in life and in business. With a manufactory’s standards of technological perfection and creative courage, we develop design concepts together for motorcycles, motorcycle parts and fashion with unique and innovative solutions that are then realized with precision, in the highest quality and with a minimalist design in close collaboration with selected partners. Katrin is the designer. I am the engineer and technical developer. An EHINGER KRAFTRAD product is always accompanied by a little piece of motorcycling history.
For more information, please refer to www.ehingerkraftrad.com

      Photo © Bernard Testemale

When did you start riding a motorcycle?
I was 6 years old. I was living at my uncle’s hacienda in Argentina at the time and rode his 125 Yamaha.

What was your first bike?
It was a Kreidler Florett – a real German 50ccm – and I was 15. I got my license early and by the time I was 17, one thing
was clear: I wanted a Harley. I got a tip that some old Harley police bikes were being auctioned in Belgium. There was just one catch: you had to be 18 to participate. So I borrowed my brother’s papers, hitchhiked to Belgium and purchased a machine. Then I rode back home across country roads with his driver’s license, which was probably only for mopeds anyway. On a Belgian police motorcycle. I sincerely hope that this falls under the statute of limitations by now.

What about Choppers? This seems to be a long love story?
It all started when I was 17 and watched the movie “Easy Rider”, which infected me with an incurable fever: the Harley virus. At the time, I was living in Hamburg and studying Particle Physics as well as Mechanical Engineering. But above all, I spent many hours reading about old Harleys. In those days, from the mid to late 1970s, it wasn’t easy to get your hands on specialist motorcycle literature. I managed to procure reading material like the Jammer's Handbook, Easy Riders or Street Chopper from overseas, and started working on my first machine: a Shovelhead. In 1976/1977, I traveled to L.A. to visit my aunt and met people from the scene for the first time.

Does living in Hamburg, Germany, have an influence on your work and inspirations?
There is a German style of getting things done. I grew up here and this is where I took my first steps in craftsmanship. I did a three-year apprenticeship at the shipyard Blohm + Voss. The atmosphere was reduced yet concentrated and this style suited my personality. The clear, factual language, color and shapes are similar to my own way of approaching things.

How dynamic is the Hamburg custom motorcycle scene?
The custom scene in Hamburg is quite small, but there is a huge Harley scene. The Harley Days take place here once a year; it is Europe’s biggest Harley event with 550,000 visitors and bikers.

 

Photo© Hermann Köpf

What kind of bikes do you work on?
I started a trilogy as homage to three bike sports that have slowly been disappearing over the past years. The Snowracer as my interpretation of a hill climber was the first step. Secondly, I worked on a Bonneville racing machine for high speed racing on salt lakes. And thirdly, a Speedway Knuckle in remembrance of the old racing sports without brakes.

A few months ago, you released the book 'Rusty Diamonds'…. What is it all about? –

RUSTY DIAMONDS – A Kraftrad Journey by Uwe Ehinger
The book “RUSTY DIAMONDS” documents Uwe Ehinger’s archeological motorcycle finds from 1979 to 1989. It is a collection of almost lost motorcycle knowledge and a unique, extremely personal documentation of a true motorcycle enthusiast.

Uwe Ehinger was infected with an incurable fever for motorcycles at a young age and his passion for the motorcycle manufacturers of the 1930’s to the 1960’s remains to this day. When he set off on his travels in 1979 at the age of 19, he didn’t bring along much more than an idea and a year’s worth of arduously acquired knowledge about antique racing and sports motorcycles. He travelled from North to South America and from Europe to Asia as an independent dealer of rare motorcycles until 1993. During this time, he hunted down brands like Brough Superior, Norton, Vincent, Indian, Harley Davidson, BMW, etc. He searched for them, dug them out, discovered them, bargained for them, and then sold most of them again.The book “RUSTY DIAMONDS” begins with an elaborate, very personal interview in which Uwe Ehinger describes how it all began, why he became a motorcycle agent and what life was like in South America back in those days. With this coffee table book, the reader can embark on his or her own motorcycle quest through over 250 photographs depicting Uwe Ehinger’s countless trips, arranged chronologically and accompanied by touching stories as well as explanatory texts. All from a time without cash machines, Internet, e-mail or online stores. 

The photographs in “RUSTY DIAMONDS” are practically unedited. Each photo was a work tool that Ehinger sent to potential buyers by post. Captured on analog film with various cameras, the photos were developed in supermarkets or small photo shops around the world during his travels and document a bygone era.  This book is the result of several months of hard work spent reviewing, selecting images and stories, conducting interviews with Uwe Ehinger – all brought together in an extraordinary book design. Thus, this book is one of those objects made for all eternity with special care and a skilled eye – and therefore a typical EHINGER KRAFTRAD product.

How and when did your irretrievable/irreversible quest begin?
It began in the middle of the 1970s.

What were you looking for at first?
Bikes, bikes, bikes. Anything that was tradable. Mainly antique bikes from the very beginning until the 1960s.

What process did you develop to succeed in each of your researches/searches?
I heard that there were lots of old Harleys in South America, and at the time, the prices for Harleys were rapidly rising over here. That gave me the initial spark. I was already fairly familiar with South America and I had a contact in Chile, a place where even better bikes were supposedly available. I saw it as a great opportunity. I scraped together as much money as possible with the plan of buying whatever I could get my hands on. But before I traveled to South America, I spent many months reading English, American and German books and magazines about old motorcycles in libraries.

Finally, are you a kind of motorcycle archeologist?
Yes, but I was working practically and somehow felt like a part of this past. In other words: I hunted mammoths with the Neanderthals. 

You must have many recollections, could you share a particularly memorable one with us?
There are vibrations that feel a lot like a motorcycle whizzing past at great speed – although they are caused by something completely different. In South America, the cause of such overwhelming vibrations is usually an earthquake.

I was in the Chilean holiday paradise of Vina del Mar when someone gave me a tip that there were two old motorcycles for sale nearby. Before I had the chance to take a look at them, the floor of the hotel started to shake as if a herd of buffalos were thundering across the hall above me. The next day, I struggled through the rubble to the address that had been given to me. The house had survived the earthquake and was still intact – and so were the bikes. When I saw what I was dealing with, I started to tremble inside. Full of joy. The first bike was the military-version of an Indian Chief, easily recognizable due to its somewhat simpler leaf spring fork. And that was just the first part of the surprise; the second was a Rudge from the late 1920s. The British motorcycle manufacturer Rudge Whitworth was the first to use four-valve technology and conical combustion chambers as standard. This technological edge proved to be an advantage in both circuit racing and on dirt tracks in those days.  Riders like Graham Walker, Ernie Nott and Henry Tyrell-Smith dominated European racing history and enjoyed multiple victories in the Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man. With their stoic, smooth-running engines, these machines from Coventry still have many fans amongst the riders of the Wall of Death shows.
The owner named a price so shockingly low that I almost forgot to bargain with him. 

How long did your quest last?
The quest never really ends. But nowadays, it is totally different due to globalization and not least because of the Internet.

How many motorcycles did you find & buy in the end?
Thousands. Mainly police bikes from Mexico and South Korea.

What became of the motorcycles that you found?
I sold them to collectors and re-imported masses of these bikes to the U.S. to traders. They, in turn, sold them to various buyers all over the world. I saw some of the motorcycles again in Germany, Japan, Denmark, Belgium and Sweden as Choppers or Bobbers.

What was your best bargain?
One of my sources told me there was a bike for sale. Once I introduced myself, the man selling it pushed open the door wordlessly. Tall and thin with a heavily tanned face, he led me to the backyard of his house. He had grouped his dusty motorcycles together into an earth-colored heap and slowly pointed at the bike I had come for. But I had already secretly shifted my attention to something that shone out at me from beneath the dust. Even though it was lying on its side, it still looked fast. I bought the bike that I had originally come for and offered to take the rest of the “junk” with me for the price of 100 US dollars. A sacrilege considering the rarity I was dealing with: a Moto Guzzi Giulio Cesare Carcano 500 V8. Very few of these engines were built, and I had found one! What made this Moto Guzzi so special were the 500 cc spread over 8 cylinders. It was a V8 engine that was usually only used in sports cars.Another Italian company named Galbusera had already toyed with the idea in 1938. But in the end, the engine was built by Moto Guzzi in 1955 for its in-house racing team. In those days, the engine caused a sensation. But it failed to be a success on the race circuits. The Argentinian chewed on his cigarette and waved his hand in disdain. He was happy to get rid of this piece of cultural heritage on two wheels because he thought it was just useless junk.

It didn’t take long until I got an offer for the Moto Guzzi that I simply couldn’t refuse. It was a tough decision whether to sell the bike or set it aside. But I was young and to me, the fascination was in the search, not in the ownership. I was confident that there were still plenty of these treasures to be found out there. So I let the Moto Guzzi go.


Have you definitely given up this "hobby"?
It was never just a hobby. It was my passion and my way of earning money. By the time I stopped travelling around the world and personally hunting for motorcycles myself, it was already over. The big butches had already been traded and the market was grazed bare.

What is your daily riders these days?
A Harley Davidson Flathead and a Triumph Bonneville.

Do you have your own private motorcycle collection? And if so, what kind of treasures do you own?
I do have a few Knuckleheads, Flatheads and Big Flathead from the 1930s – all originals.

When participating to the Wheels & Waves event, what were you expecting and, finally, what did you find there?
I was expecting to meet people who are truly enthusiastic about motorcycles and ride with a passion. When we got there, we were greeted with a great location for the “Art Ride”, the historic hall with a combination of events comprising motorcycles, fashion, old photographs, illustrations, artistic surfers and skaters. The event location in Biarritz was a special place by the sea with a lot of promise and a second great location at a lighthouse.   

Any surprises at the event?
In the past, the people who were most interested in all kinds of motorcycles and riding were older. Now there is a new generation with their own spirit and a lot of passion for good bikes. The name “Art Ride” expresses it perfectly. It conveys a mixture of lifestyle, art, fashion and music but also respect for craftsmanship and engineering, complemented by surfing and skating.

How do you forecast the future of the motorcycle scene?
Nobody knows. I think it will be: sensible, not banal, not excessively commercialized, and definitely substantial. 

I heard that you have a project with “Gestalten”… What is it about?
We were already involved in “The ride” and there is a new project coming up focusing on craftsmanship. We are a part of it and are really looking forward to this project.

Wheels and Waves 2014 The ride preview

A mysterious region, with unique landscapes, between ocean and mountains, overlaping France & Spain, "Euskadi" or Pays Basque is our playground. The Southsiders like meeting there with some friends during a weekend, for a Hell of a ride !

Come for a summer ride with us in Biarritz, from June the12th to the 15th.

More info: wheels-and-waves.com
Shot & edited: Douglas Guillot
Music: The Black Angels - Entrance Song
Photographers: Benoit Guerry , Dimitri Coste, Hermann Köpf , Sarah Arnould 

W&W Newsletter #1

 

 

 

#EDITO

The countdown is on, spring is on its way and the beautiful summer days are coming ahead ! But what I am the most impatient about, is to gather with you all in Biarritz for the third edition of an event I hold in my heart : WHEELS and WAVES.
Like many of us in life, I generally try to escape boredom, doing my best to put problems aside, and putting my passions at the top. I also need a daily shot of adrenaline, but the « everyday » makes it pretty much impossible. That’s why I work so hard at the moment, juggling between my « real » job and what has become another full-time occupation: organizing the festival WHEELS and WAVES.
According to me, it is important to regularly shake up that little world we’re living on. This is our leitmotiv.
Our crew at Southsiders has grown this year, and we are very happy to welcome Julien and Fred in the team. Both are now working with Benoit, Thierry, Jerôme and myself all year-long. I also would like to thank Kenny and Anik for their daily dose of work, helping us putting together this new edition of WHEELS and WAVES.
Here is our first monthly newsletter, we hope you enjoy discovering some of the actors, brands and partners who will be present this year.
Also, feel free to let us know if you have questions. We’ll do our best to get back to you.
« Don’t dream your life, live your dreams ».
Vincent Prat.

#INTERVIEWS

REY GAUTIER

An interview with the EDWIN EUROPE artistic director Rey Gautier, about his life-long passion for motorcycling.

1/ When did you start working with Edwin as a creative director, and where were you before this ?
I started in January 2009, which is when I moved over from having lived most of my life in London. As Edwin Europe is based just outside of Basel on the boarder of France, Switzerland and Germany, this was for me the perfect start to a new adventure both professionally and personally. I have four children and the opportunity to live amongst nature, close to the mountains and work with denim for a brand I have worn for many years, was simply something I had to do.
2/ I read that you were inspired by the motorbike culture since you were young, when living in the UK. Were you the one bringing that lifestyle into Edwin’s ? How does it relate to the authenticity of the brand ?
I grew up in relatively wild place in the county of Derbyshire, England. We lived in the country in relatively isolation, so spent a lot of time outdoors, creating our own fun, at arms length of city life influences only which came later as a teenager. During these formative years as a child I discovered skateboarding and immediately associated with the feeling and culture, albeit by inheriting passed down copies of Thrasher magazine from someone who by chance had the opportunity to obtain such rarities of that time… You don’t need a lot really, just a board and some concrete to ride along. This is mainly what pre-occupied my youth, and has since remained with me. The reason I mention is that it gave me my first sensations related to senses of independence and freedom. At the same time, we lived near to a small town in a valley where every Sunday, bikers from far would come to meet, ride and share their passion for motorcycles. I used to enjoy going there to watch them all, with a boyhood dream of one day being able to ride a motorcycle. This feeling was similar to the passion I held for the freedom and creativity felt through skateboarding. So, really I think that its less about a scene of one description of another, but more a about a lifelong passion and requirement for quality times, belief in freedom. Perhaps this is why I also now love working with denim as it is a medium without restraint, it can tell stories and trace a period though time in accompanying you on your life ventures. It is culturally rich.
3/ What is it about the vintage and custom moto trend that touches people in such a strong way ?
There is a human aspect I believe many people can relate to. I do not think that it is exclusively relevant to a person who is involved in a particular scene or specific culture or subculture, but the feeling of freedom and creativity allows us all to dream and realise our dreams. We all grow up dreaming and our childhood ambitions are sometimes with us for life, if we are lucky, sometimes they come true. The culture around Vintage and Custom Moto, really just reminds us that it can be done. It may be a way of life for some, and for others a weekend escape to the garage/workshop/roads/waves/mountains/skate-parks/vintage markets etc…essentially it is just about that passion for life and creativity. The great thing about it is that it can be extremely refined as it can be very crude, again, there are little rules other than the ones we set ourselves and just the willing to get up and do something you want to do.
4/ What is the connection between surfing and riding motorcycles for you ?
Probably the same connection I referred to between skateboarding and motorcycles,creativity.  A group of individuals sharing a feeling for a passion both collectively and individually. Also, if you consider all the art that has gone into both interests, there are many shared references for that feeling of freedom.
5/ Do you think the motorcycling lifestyle will penetrate the jeans industry, or stay niche ?
It has always been there really. Looking at old icon imagery, denim has been present for a very long time and associated with motorcycles in various forms. With today’s means of communications, I really can’t see how the association between denim and motorcycles can stay niche. Invariably like with most lifestyles used within business marketing, there are some great examples and some less so. Some will purely wish to use this as a passing marketing exercise for their products and others will continue to enjoy this association between product and lifestyle interests, personally and professionally (the lines between for some are not so defined)… Personally, I think life is too short to be focused on anything other than what feels right.  I mean, for me working in part with some people from the motorcycle word, is not by design, but really simply because I met some really good people who I connected with as people not because they are interested in a specific culture or another.  The motorcycle connection was secondary in many ways and was relevant purely because of how it was lived, the reasons for living it and not because it was motorcycle purely.  
6/ Is the U.S. market different from the European market for this category, or for your brand?
I would imagine that there are similarities, although of course, European scenes and U.S scenes always differ slightly. From a business point, we do not yet sell Edwin Europe in the U.S. We have been asked many times, but the time for us is not right yet. We still have so much to experience and achieve in Europe with Edwin, that we are focusing on this for now.
7/ You are good friends with the Parisian Collective BLITZ, and we’ve seen them involved in some of your films, along with the release of a special collection in Spring-Summer 13.What’s next on the agenda with these guys. Do you have more coming ? Will it be an ongoing collab ? Any project of building an EDWIN x BLITZ bike ?
It was purely through both Fred and Hugo that I became interested in this culture as an adult. A random meeting in Paris when I was visiting with my wife. We met, didn’t know what each other did in life and just got on well in relation to the way we view life, that this lead to us then discussing what we do, what we are passionate about etc… One thing lead to another and after about a year of hanging out and just sharing good times, we decided that we should maybe make something together. So, Blitz made a motorcycle for Edwin, and we made a little collection for Blitz Motorcycles. We always said from the start, that if this ever starts to feel like we have to force it, or it influences negative change, we would stop, because nothing is worth more than friendship. Today, we still continue a collaborative project which functions very naturally between us. We do it because we want to and believe in it. For next A/W14 we always collaborated with Grenson on a ‘Made In England’ Blitz x Edwin x Grenson boot. Its beautiful, well made and subtle. Equally we have worked with Alexander leather on two motorcycle Jackets, hand made from start to finish in the Alexander Leather’s Atelier in Selkirk, Scotland. These two pieces are simply, truly beautiful and with no compromise on fabrication or design. This is the way we like to work with Blitz. I mean a tee shirt should be affordable, a jean should be well made using some of our great Japanese selvage fabrics but also affordable. A leather jacket, is something I believe you don’t comprise on. It works perfectly with a good denim, good boots, a bike and needs to be of the very best quality. We will showcase some at the next wheels & waves event. Fred and I have been talking on and off for a couple of years about a bike. It will happen, but only when it does..there is no rush.    
8/ We’re very happy to have you onboard for the second time at Wheels and Waves. Last year you made a special print tee for the event, and you are now working on a new limited series.What is your approach for this design ? 
Yes, we are really honored to be part of this. Actually, this will be the third time for us. The first we road down and camped along the way, making a film about the trip called ‘FURTHER’, which is a word we use internally to name the adventures we share together and the people we like to associate our ventures with. This we did as a joint venture/journey with ‘Kingdom of Kicks’  shot by Sam Christmas, filmed by Benny (Benjamin J Robinson) who is Edwin’s supremely talented art director and old friend to boot.  This year, we are working on some specific ideas, following some really inspiring conversations with Vincent Prat, which we be limited to the event itself in small runs. To be honest, all the conversations I have ever had with Vincent have been inspiring. This is the reason, above all we participate. I will always remember the first trip down there, after days of rain and camping and adventure being a little lost and we had stopped off in some fields to rest for a while and get some footage…a convoy of amazing cars and bikes drove past, then they backed up and the people got to say hello to us. This was the first time I met Vincent. He offered us a warm meal at his house that night, which I can tell you was probably something I will never forget. This collection of really good, human beings I and the other Edwin/Further people have had the good fortune to meet through Vincent Prat, The Southsiders, Blitz Motorcycles, Kingdom of Kicks, Nico (Ornamental Conifer), El Solitario, Maxwell (CFH), Sam Christmas amongst others is why we enjoy being there. It is for us, as much if not more about the people we meet and being interested in sharing those moments than the work we do together of separately. For me, it remains a simple decision. The only downside is the pain I get in my face from spending so much time laughing my head off at all that goes on, especially when Mark Amos is about…
9/ Are you involved in any other motorcycling x retro events in Europe ? In the US ? In Japan ?
No. We don’t really feel that this is something we want to pursue at present. I am happy for us to be involved with Wheels & Waves, because we really, genuinely enjoy partaking and sharing these times. This is the event I want for Edwin to be involved with, because from my first experience, it was the right feeling, coming from genuinely open minded passionate people with a clear vision. This is what makes our involvement relevant, because every time I have attended, the vision and feeling is still as strong as the first time I set foot there. Edwin supports Wheels & Waves, that’s it. Good times with friends.
10/ Last question, can you tell us about your bike ? 
No, because its being worked on by a friend, James Jordan (Kingdom Of Kicks) at the moment, and I have no clue as to what will be the result before I see it at Wheels & Waves. It is good to work with people like this. I don’t make bikes, I make denim, so I guess when it comes to motorcycles, I feel that the best way for me, is to trust someone who knows you well enough to create something interesting. Same way we go about the projects we do with people when we make denim for them. There are a few key factors to consider, but I feel that trust is the main point. When Blitz Motorcycles made the ‘Stealth’ Bike for us (EDWIN), I literally saw it on the day it came out the back of the van on top of a mountain, where we had gone to shoot a film. It was my 40th birthday. What a day !Soon, it will be going back to visit its home, in Paris, for a few modifications before goingto Wheels & Waves, where we intend to have it shown in our makeshift home for a few days amongst some other bikes, product and smiling faces. At home I have a couple of old 1970′s Yamaha TY trials bikes, which I use to ride the track on. There are miles oftrails where I live, so it is ideal for this… I am not an experienced rider or knowledgeable about motorcycles by any stretch of the imagination, I just enjoy that feeling for freedomlike we all do and sharing some good times in nature with my friends and family like I have strived to do all my life and will continue to do so for as long as I live.
http://www.edwin-europe.com

—————————————————————————-

 

 

SEBASTIEN LORENTZ

Introducing you to BMW Motorrad France’s marketing manager, and owner of the « Lucky Cat Garage ».
What is your current position within BMW Motorrad France ?
Since 2010, I am Marketing Manager at BMW Motorrad France.
How did you reach this position ?
I started at BMW Motorrad in 2003, as Parts & Accessories Coordinator, and then as After-Sales Manager. A marketing position in the bike branch, seemed as a logical continuation to me.
What are your main responsibilities ?
BMW Motorrad France is a subsidiary of BMW Motorrad, therefore our goals are mainly based on the brand communication in France, both to boost the sales and reinforce the brand image.
Can you tell us more about « The Lucky Cat Garage » ?
Well, The Lucky Cat Garage, all together a playground, a true space of freedom and also the laboratory, where I can push my experiments on personal projects.

After meeting such a success  with « the SprintBeemer », are you working on a new project ?
Yes, I am currently reassembling a motorcycle of track for « la femme de ma vie ». It is a Triumph pre-unit from 1961 I am working on, with Frank from the « Atelier Chatokhine ».
This being said, I am still dealing with some developments for The Sprintbeemer, aiming for more speed… I must also confess that I could easily use a nineT as a basis for a custom exercise, if I only had some spare time.
How did you hear about Wheels & Waves ?
Fred & Hugo, from Blitz Motorcycles, whom I knew before they opened their workshop, made me discover this event. This is how I got to participate, with them, to the 2012 edition, spending lovely moments and meeting many great people.
Did you imagine at that time, that the event would meet such a success ?
Well in fact, yes I felt like it was going to become a success. And this is why I truly militated  in favour of BMW Motorrad presence at the 2013 edition, in order to prepare the launching of our nineT in 2014 !
How much are you involved in the organization ? ?
I try to fit the brand as close as possible into the event.
Ride, running race, surf ontest, exhibitions, concerts… how are you going to organize your W&W14 ? Work or playtime ?
The 2014 edition is going to be work oriented, but I must say that I am already quite excited to meet there some friends I do not get to see elsewhere. We should find some time to spend good moments and to simply ride with pleasure on the sightseeing roads of the region. Exhibitions and concerts are just icing on the cake !
Do you already know which bikes you will be riding ?
I think I can manage coming with The Sprintbeemer, that I intend to ride… even if it is not the best bike for this year’s hill climb. So, I will also bring over my Dustbeemer, its GT counterpart, which I came with in 2012.
The W&W spirit in three words ?
Sharing, freedom and great moments
What about your survival kit for the 2014 W&W ?
A serious load of good mood, vitamins and two garbage fairings !
http://www.bmw-motorrad.fr 
http://www.theluckycatgarage.com/

—————————————————————————-

 

 

CHRIS HUNTER

Meet the man behind one of the most insightful website about the motorcycle culture Bike Exif, and co-editor of the acclaimed book The Ride.

1 / When did your passion for custom bikes begin ? How old were you when you bought your first motorcycle and what was it ?
When I was teenager growing up in the UK, I rode a friend’s motocross bike. It was great fun, but then I got into cars. Many years later, living in Sydney Australia, my interest in motorcycles was rekindled. Sydney is a very motorcycle-friendly city and about six years ago I bought my first bike, a Moto Guzzi V7. I’m late to the scene.
2 / How often do you ride, and what do you ride ?
I ride once or twice a week at the moment — I now live in New Zealand and there are some fantastic roads near our farm.
3 / Besides your site « bike exif »and the amazing book that you’ve co-edited « The Ride », what is your involvement in the custom bike scene ?
I have judged shows, such as the Bike Build Off at Deus in Sydney, and I provide informal advice to builders on how to promote themselves and become better known. I also write a monthly column for the UK’s biggest-selling motorcycle magazine, Bike, and occasionally contribute the the Japanese magazine Moto Navi and the US magazine BikeCraft.
4 / Do you travel to a lot of events around the world ?
I travel to France every year for Wheels & Waves, and I went to EICMA in Milan last year at Yamaha’s invitation. I go to the Deus events in Sydney and in 2015 I’m hoping to go the Motor Bike Expo in Verona, Italy.
5 / How is the custom bike scene in New Zealand ? Are you close to some NZ or any other workshops ? Which ones and why ?
The motorcycle scene in New Zealand is very small indeed: the classic motorcycle scene is much bigger. NZ is very much a ‘car culture’ and cars are cheap, so fewer people ride motorcycles. There are some amazing classic bikes around, but relatively few custom builders.
6 /You used to work as a creative director in an advertising agency based in Sydney. What made you quit ? Did you then start Bike EXIF right after ?
I can remember the exact moment I decided to get out of advertising: It was while sitting on the terrace of the Carlton Hotel in Cannes during the Lions advertising festival. I was surrounded by other Australian and New Zealand creative directors, and they weren’t my kind of people. I realized that if I didn’t quit the business, I would end up becoming ‘one of them.’ So the clock started ticking. By the time I left the business, I was running Bike EXIF as a hobby, but I was ready to go full-time.
7 / How do you explain the emergence and recent growth of the custom bike scene around the world ?
I think it is partly a return to simpler pleasures, away from large, complex and heavy production bikes. And also a desire to ‘personalize’ a machine in our mass-produced age. It’s also worth noting that nearly all of the bigger custom moto websites are run by people who have a ‘day job’ in the media or advertising, and know how to ‘work the system.’ So the builders and bikes get a lot of exposure, which in turn drives demand.
8 / What is it about the vintage and custom moto trend that touches people in such a strong way ?
The bikes are beautiful objects, made from metal. They have a sense of permanence and great style. They are easy to store, relatively cheap to buy compared to a car, and give great ownership satisfaction. They’re also a symbol of freedom. We live in a very regulated age, but when you are out riding your bike, no one can touch you.
9 /What did you think of last year’s edition of Wheels and Waves ? Could you describe the spirit of the event in three words ?
Exhilarating, stylish and friendly.
10/ What about your survival kit for Wheels and Waves ?
I like to travel light. I’ll have a basic change of clothes, plus a camera and a laptop to keep in touch with the website. To survive the convoluted journey from New Zealand I’ll pick up a Henning Mankell novel and a copy of Monocle at the airport shop, and keep a sleep mask in my bag!
 http://www.bikeexif.com/

WHEELS and WAVES RETURNS TO BIARRITZ FROM 12th TO 15th OF JUNE 2014

We are very excited to release the first announcement about the 2014 edition of the anticipated WHEELS and WAVES festival.

Please find the media release attached, along with the official artwork for this year's event.

Also the link to the Facebook event : https://www.facebook.com/events/458286687605760/

Feel free to share and please let us know if you have any questions,

We hope to see you in June,

Stay tuned !

Excitation is at its peak as the crew Southsiders announces the return of the event WHEELS and WAVES in Biarritz, from Thursday 12th of June 2014 to Sunday the 15th ! And what a big news this year : the third chapter of this beautiful adventure is now extended to 4 days instead of 3. Exactly what was needed to fully enjoy a program that keeps up with its level of quality and diversity.

With its fine blend of mechanics, vintage, surfing, art and music, WHEELS and WAVES has become one of the most anticipated events in the custom motocycling scene in only just a few years. A place where today’s top builders and manufacturers, along with other major actors of this new wave scene come from all over the world, to meet and share their common passion. But moreover, a festival where the public gets to discover the inside-outs of this new “RIDE” culture that we see growing amongst many markets.
Standing as a crossover event, this year’s festival comes back with the introduction of new activities including an amateur surf contest fuelled by the retro spirit of the 70’s, but also a new site called “studio denim”, commissioned by Nick Clements, which will gather heritage clothing brands that have been inspired by the motorcycling culture for decades. The main village located at the bottom of the Biarritz lighthouse will remain the meeting point during the event, with many unique pieces for the public to admire, along with a diversity of rare old machines.There, builders and brands will also be unveiling their latest creations and exclusive collabs.
Amongst the highlights of the event, a new multi-artistic art exhibition will open the festival, in an old garage, a 1000 sqm place with walls covered by many artworks inspired by wheels and waves.
The crew Southsiders will soon reveal the list of artists, and we can assure you that the public will be not the less stunned. But back to the main focus where strong sensations, adrenaline, freedom and noise are celebrated. A demo Hill Race will take place at the top of a breathtaking mountain. Pilotes driving machines from the 30’s to the 70’s will be racing on a scenic road between the ocean and the mountain. Photographers will be rushing on that day; along with media as this is set to be the highlight of the weekend.
Hell of a yes, the anticipated 250km ride is also on the agenda with a new itinerary that will be announced very shortly.
The crew is putting together new monthly newsletters that you should subsribe to in order to receive all the updates about WHEELS and WAVES 2014, so feel free to register HERE to get the latest news !
STAY TUNED, SAVE THE DATE and GET EXCITED!

PROGRAM
THURSDAY 12TH JUNE
Opening of the “Village Expo” and “Studio Denim”- Biarritz Lighthouse
Amateur surf contest (inscription form online soon) - Biarritz
Wheels and Waves Exhibition Opening - Biarritz
FRIDAY 13TH JUNE
“Village Expo” and “Studio Denim”- Biarritz Lighthouse
Hill Race - place TBC soon
SATURDAY 14TH JUNE
“Village Expo” and “Studio Denim”- Biarritz Lighthouse
250KM Ride - Basque Country (course revealed soon)
Live Concerts
DIMANCHE 15 JUIN
Chill / Brunch

L’excitation est à son apogée alors que le Crew Southsiders annonce le retour de l’évènement WHEELS and WAVES à Biarritz, du Jeudi 12 Juin au Dimanche 15 ! Et surprise de taille: le troisième chapitre de cette belle aventure s’étendra cette année sur 4 jours au lieu de 3 - le temps de profiter pleinement d’une programmation qui persiste dans sa volonté de diversité.
Alliance originale de mécanique, de vintage, de surf, d’art et de musique, WHEELS and WAVES est devenu en quelques années l’un des rendez-vous incontournable pour les passionnés de culture ride, amateurs et professionnels. Là où les préparateurs, constructeurs, et autres acteurs majeurs de la scène moto custom affluent du monde entier pour se rencontrer et partager leurs passions communes, le public est invité à découvrir cette culture “RIDE” dont on entend de plus en plus parler.
Dans le but de proposer un week-end vivant et transversal, le format 2014 s’annonce plein de nouveautés avec l’introduction d’un contest de surf à l’esprit “revival”, qui s’imprègne du surf des années 70, mais aussi d’un nouvel espace appelé “Studio Denim” qui rassemblera des marques héritage textiles associées à l’univers de la moto depuis des décénnies. Le village expo situé au pied du phare reste le point de rassemblement principal pendant la durée du festival avec la présentation de nombreuses pièces uniques à admirer; le custom bratstyle” sera mis à l’honneur, ainsi qu’une diversité de machines anciennes d’exception. Les constructeurs et marques partenaires y exposeront également leurs dernières créations, et collaborations exclusives.
Parmi les autres temps forts, une nouvelle exposition multi-artistique inaugurera le festival, dans l’ancien garage Foch, un lieu de plus de 1000 m2 qui se prête parfaitement à l’installation des oeuvres
séléctionnées pour l’occasion. Le Crew Southsiders annoncera très prochainement la liste d’artistes et le public peut d’ores et déjà s’attendre à une programmation de qualité.
Pour revenir à la mécanique et aux sensations fortes, une démonstration de course de côte rassemblera tous les amateurs d’adrénaline au sommet d’une montagne dans le magnifique Pays Basque. Les pilotes de machines allant des années 30 aux années 70 s’affronteront dans un cadre exceptionnel qui saura ravir le public et les photographes.
La journée de ride de 250 kilomètres est bien sûr toujours au programme, avec un nouvel itinéraire que les Southsiders dévoileront très bientôt !
Une newsletter mensuelle WHEELS and WAVES est désormais mise en place par les Southsiders, n’hésitez pas à vous inscrire ICI pour recevoir les compléments d’informations relatives au programme de l’édition 2014. Le site sera mis à jour très prochainement également.

STAY TUNED, SAVE THE DATE and GET EXCITED !

PROGRAMME
JEUDI 12 JUIN
Ouverture du Village Expo et Studio Denim- Phare de Biarritz
Contest amateur de surf (formulaire d’inscription bientôt en ligne) - Biarritz
Inauguration Exposition Wheels and Waves - Biarritz
VENDREDI 13 JUIN
Village Expo et Studio Denim - Phare de Biarritz
Course de Côte - Pays Basque
SAMEDI 14 JUIN
Village Expo et Studio Denim - Phare de Biarritz
Ride 250 KM - Pays Basque
Concerts
DIMANCHE 15 JUIN
Journée Chill / Brunch