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

Do, start and keep trying

 . This is the story of a chance meeting.

The Southsiders share many passions, from bikes to surfing, therefore it was only natural that my neighbour Julien who shares the same interests has recently become integrated to the Southsiders’ crew. The Norton that we are showing you today has been a long challenge for me. As a matter of fact it got me thinking as to why do we only see rigids based on Triumphs or BSAs and never on  Commandos? It’s an unanswerable question for me but we are very proud of the finished build

Vincent Prat



words by Julien Azé

 A couple of years ago I went to see my neighbour who was reputed to be an authority on old motorcycles to show him a beach cruiser I had recently bought. We talked,then visited his garage where I saw an old Mercedes,a bettle,Ducati,Moto Guzzi,Norton and a Triton.

For me everything started from meeting Vincent. Then I began to follow the Southsiders blog and attend some events they organised at the shop "Eastside" in Toulouse and at the "The third year party".I then became involved in the first and second W&W.
 During the weekends of the (cold) winter of 2011-2012, I was spontaneously invited to Vincent’s garage. Florent arrived at the same time, with the project of reviving his father’s old Norton : I got involved with the project with Vincent, the thinker, and Florent, a novice like myself: both of us in the role of those carrying out the orders. Slowly, I became familiar with this type of mechanics and despite some periods of inactivity, I made progress. Certainly if Vincent hadn’t put his ideas, his knowledge and his garage at my disposal, I would never have thought to have thrown myself in to the project of acquiring the Norton.

I had bought my 1974 Norton HiRider 850cc a year and a half earlier from  a French importer of English motorcycles destined for the American market. For him this bike, an order that never came off, was incongruous in his stable of flamboyantly new bikes: it was my holy grail.
I came back from a trip in the USA and despite its numerous stylistic faults, this English bike reeked of California!
This Norton came from Baxter Motorcycles in Iowa. Its historical importance was slight, but the style is irreprochable… the previous owner had the ideas, but not the means. I nicknamed him ‘the butcher of Iowa ‘Mechanically the bike was not functional, the front tyre was from a car, the sissy bar was looked like it had been forged by teeth. Mechanically everything had to be redone: Having been thrown in at the deep end I had to develop from a novice into a quasi-expert in Norton Commmandos


Like so many others I would go off driving, break down, repair the problem, find another…. During one and a half years our relationship was up and down: full of joys and despair, numerous frustrations, desire to abandon the project, then start it again. During this time I would visit the Southsiders garage, where I witnessed several other exciting projects: the beautiful realisation of Florent’s Café Racer, the preparation of Vincent’s Triton for Bonneville 2012, the finishing touches for the electrics and last details on the Bobber Triumph of Christophe Canitrot …I realise today that it was that period, so rich in apprenticeships: (mechanics,design, forging, electrics, painting, etc), which pushed me to make my Norton project so much better, and to have such an ambitious goal. Compare a stock version of the HiRider to that which I have accomplished, and you'll see how far I have gone.
Nothing has been  delegated to a subcontractor: everything that has been done on this motorbike, has been done in the garage, and I think I can say that everyone who has set foot in there has particiapated to some extent in the project. Corey Wyatt, who speeded up the process, thanks to his skill and speed at welding and Chaudonnerie;  Frédéric Antoine,, for his talents as a blacksmith; Marcel Galinié, the goldsmith/ mechanic,whose milling and lathework, made a big difference onthe bike, Thierry De Miras for his unerring ear which can detect potentially expensive suspicious noises ,Henry Martinez, for his generous inventory of readily available parts; Benoit Guerry for the quality of his photos, and for sharing each disappointment. Vincent Prat, for time spent in the garage discussing things together, thinking about all possible angles by which to advance the project. And for the final touch, Jerome Gone, who brilliantly adjusted the cable throttle!

Today, it's just pleasure. The bike reacts perfectly to me. The engine runs like clockwork, and its handling on the road lives up to all its promises, with the added bonus of watts à gogo as it accelerates. Several days ago  the guys at Southsiders all took to the road on it in turn and as I saw their collective unanimous smile I said to myself that the project is validated.... !

Photos by Benoit Guerry (studio) and Vincent Prat (action)

Not one but two oil tanks built from stolen urban furniture

Handforged bars

That Cibié Headlamp comes from the 30's thanks to JCBarrois

 Shall we remove that front brake Julien?

Back to the forge, where the bike was born.