Wheels and Waves

.

WHEELS AND WAVES.COM

Following up on the huge success of the Southsiders evening at the ‘113’ in Toulouse, attended by friends from home and abroad, this year’s event will be staged in the prestigious surroundings of the Chateau de Brindos, a 5-Star Hotel located in Biarritz in the Basque country.

Our weekend begins on Friday 15 June morning With the exhibition
followed by an auction at 1.30 pm of motorcycles, classic and custom cars, automotive collectables and pieces of art. The auction has been initiated by Vincent Lassere of Bixente Moto with sales going under the hammer of local auctioneer Marie Francoise Carayol.
After the auction a small ride will be organised thru the french Basque country

the Southsiders evening commences at 7pm in magnificent surroundings, the stage of an exhibition «Waves & Wheels» featuring the work of twelve international artists sharing the Automotive and Surf theme, alongside a reunion of outstanding cars and motorcycles. Our friend and partner TBC Triumph, a Triumph dealership in Biarritz, will also be presenting a ‘special’ for the occasion. On Saturday after a ride and drive around the Basque country in France and Spain, a second party has been organised in partnership with BLITZKRIEG MACHINES




Fort du succès de la soirée Southsiders en 2011 au « 113 » à Toulouse et du relai international qu’elle a engendré, nous organisons cette année un évènement, au pays Basque à Biarritz, dans le cadre prestigieux du Château de Brindos, Hostellerie 5 étoiles.

Le vendredi matin l'exposition ouvrira ses portes à 10h,
suivie par une vente aux enchères de motos, voitures, classiques et custom, d’automobilia et d’œuvres d’art à l’initiative de Vincent Lassere (Bixente Moto) sous le marteau de Me Marie Françoise Carayol, commissaire priseur à Biarritz .
Suite à cette vente, un ride moto à travers le pays Basque Français nous permettra d'entrer en action...
la soirée Southsiders débutera à 19h dans l'univers décalé du chateau de Brindos, avec l’exposition “Waves & Wheels” d’une douzaine d’artistes internationaux autour du thème Auto/Moto/Surf, côtoyant une réunion de voitures et motos de collection et d’exception. Notre ami et partenaire TBC Triumph Biarritz présentera pour l’occasion une réalisation spéciale.
Le lendemain après une journée de randonnée auto, moto entre la France et l’Espagne, une deuxième soirée est organisée en partenariat avec BLITZKRIEG MACHINES.

WHEELS AND WAVES.COM

pasado en el «113» de Toulouse, a la cual asistieron amigos de distintas partes del globo, este año la cita se ha trasladado a las maravillosas costas de Biarritz y alrededores. La fiesta se llevará a cabo en el Chateau de Brindos, un magnífico Hotel de 5 estrellas en pleno País Vasco, en el que tendrá lugar una velada inolvidable.
El fin de semana comenzará el Viernes 15 de Junio por la mañana, con una subasta pública de obras de arte, motocicletas y automóviles clásicos, memorabilia y otros artículos de colección. La subasta será conducida por Vincent Lassere, cabeza visible de Bixente Moto, y el martillo será bajado por la subastera oficial Marie Francoise Carayol.
Después de la subasta, la velada de los Southsiders dará comienzo con las exposiciones de diez magníficos artistas venidos de distintos lugares de la vieja Europa, siempre sin abandonar la temática principal del evento; los viejos motores y el surf. A su vez, se podrá disfrutar de una fantástica colección de vehículos de gran interés histórico y cultural. Para terminar con el programa del Viernes, decir que nuestros amigos y socios de TBC Triumph, concesionaria de la marca de Hinckley en Biarritz, desvelarán una moto muy especial. El Sábado y tras cruzar el País Vasco por sus carreteras, hasta España y vuelta a Bayonne, en colaboración con nuestros amigos de BLITZKRIEG MACHINES, habrá una noche de carreras en moto y conciertos con Magnetix a la cabeza asi como varios DJs hasta el final de la noche.




.

El Solitario Heritage Motorcycle Co.

.






Text VP

I have always been passionate about Spain. Since I was very young, in our travels we always felt the the good vibration it pours. I traveled all over the country and find every occasion to go back a good one. Recently in my last trip I encountered a new region, Galicia, very different from the rest of Spain. This region has a very strong personality, from its landscapes to its inhabitants' origins ... David rode us there for the first time of many. He is a truly special specimen and there he's known by the name of "El Solitario". May be it is because he has spent more time abroad than in his native country, which has probably forged his dissident character, and also his love for old motorcycles and their culture. David spent five years in Miami before moving back to Spain and opening "El Solitario Heritage Motorcycle Co.". In his workshop, he has already started the building and transformation of classic and vintage motorcycles. It's great to see those wooden benches already full of work in progress! You can breathe the challenge in its origins. The challenge of a man that left everything behind to pursue his dreams. We are eager to see his very first works that will be exposed in June at the Southsiders week-end.

Me confieso un enamorado de España desde muy temprana edad. Es un pais donde siempre he percibido buenas sensaciones y que conozco bien tras multiples viajes a lo largo y ancho de su territorio. En mi ultimo viaje descubri Galicia, una region distinta y misteriosa. Tierra de gran personalidad, tanto en sus paisajes como en sus origines. Alli nos llevo David, un personaje muy especial... Alli le llaman El Solitario, dado que se ha pasado gran parte de su vida vagando por distintos lugares del mundo, siempre lejos de su tierra natal, lo que probablemente sea la raiz de su marcado caracter disidente y su pasion por las motos viejas y la cultura que las rodea. David vivio 5 años de su vida en Miami antes de su regreso a Galicia, para la apertura del El Solitario Heritage Motorcycle Co. En los bancos de su taller ya se perfilan las siluetas de sus primeras creaciones y huele a madera quemada y desafio. El desafio de un hombre que lo dejo todo para realizar sus sueños. Ansiamos el momento de poder contemplar sus obras que seran expuestas en Junio en la fiesta de Southsiders MC.









Text by Chris Hunter
The bike-building scene in Spain is absolutely booming, and I’ve no idea why. We have the specialists—like Radical Ducati—and the new wave custom shops, like Café Racer Dreams. Now we have El Solitario MC, based in the Galician town of Gondomar and run by vintage motorcycle racer David Borras. It’s hard to categorize this shop, but it’s run on enthusiasm and skill, without being tied to any particular style. This distinctive, heavily patina’d machine is the first creation, a matching numbers Triumph T120R that’s had a complete motor rebuild and been fitted with a hardtail frame. The rims are Borrani—19” rear and 21” front—with a 1971 Triumph twin leading shoe drum up front and race tires. Carburetion is twin Amal monobloc, and David has also fitted a QPD open belt drive and Boyer Bransden ignition. The tank and rear fender are classic Wassell. It’s grungy, oddball and stylish at the same time, and will no doubt polarise opinion …

Images courtesy of Vincent Prat, Southsiders MC. Take a look at the El Solitario MC website for glimpses of other interesting machines and some very good photography.

.

Good for Retro and Classic Motorcycles

.





Text by Chris Hunter
During the austere and oppressive reign of General Franco—a remarkable 36 years from 1939 to 1975—foreign motorcycles were a rarity in Spain. So this BMW R75/5 must be a novelty on Iberian roads. It’s owned by Juan Ramón Ortega, a Madrileño with a longstanding passion for BMWs. He bought this 1972 model six years ago: “It’s one of three R75/5s that I found in Belgium and brought back in a small truck with some friends. Then we left the bikes gathering dust … the crisis came.” Two years ago, Ortega wheeled out his bike and started work. He cut down the rear subframe, fitted a Harley-Davidson rear fender and a Ford stoplight, and got out the paint gun. He also fitted a new hand made seat, Renthal bars and Firestone vintage-style tires. Racing-style number plates from England provided the finishing touch. But this custom is no bar-hopper: Ortega has just finished a huge motorcycle tour of Spain and Portugal, and it’s his daily driver too. For such a practical bike, it’s remarkably beautiful.

Share

Share on Tumblr
.

Spain and Portugal 2011 part 1

.


This summer Southsiders decided to take the long road down to Lisbon in Portugal. Mile after mile of riding under a Spanish sun across desert like landscapes!

We weren't too specific about the route to be taken or the duration of the ride down, and thats how we prefer to travel. Our only obligation was a rendez-vous in Salamanca with El Solitario, Loren, Juan and the Party Boys.

RDV in Auch, Mark on his HD 1200 bobber, Polo on a HD Nightster and Tania and I on the Moto Guzzi 850 GT California.




Having crossed the French Spanish border via the Col du Somport, we stopped off to visit the Gare de Canfranc. Constructed between 1860 and 1928, and the brainchild of a group of entrepreneurs from Aragon, this deserted railway station was built to link Zaragoza in Spain with Pau in France by crossing the Pyrenees mountains chain. Upon completion it was the second largest railway station in europe after Leipzig, with its main building stretching an 250 metres. The railway line opened to the public in 1928 but soon proved to be unviable. The Germans however made use of the rail link in WW2 by transporting minerals mined in Spain to Germany for weapons production. In return they sent gold back to Spain down the same line. The railway was also used by migrants fleeing the Nazi regime, and later by the Nazis themselves escaping towards South America to evade the allied forces. Normal service was resumed in 1948 but a train derailment in 1970 destroyed a bridge and led to the lines closure.

Today the stations interior is closed to the public, but Christopher Maas's photos taken in 1996 provide a clue to what lies beyond the boarded up doors and windows.
























Further on the road took us through the Riglos de Mallos, a dry and arid oasis dotted with Olive trees and harsh maquis undergrowth, reminding me at times of Arizona.













On the second day we rode a total of 650kms. Starting by crossing las Bardenas Reales we experienced the Spanish high plains under an unrelenting sun, with occasional stops to take on petrol and cold beer, plus oil as my Guzzi had sprung an oil leak. We had a run in with the Guardia Civil (with a serious lack of humour, and who wouldn't have riding a BMW all day) which cost Mark a fine of 100 euros for overtaking on a white line, probably debatable but we weren't about to argue. We rode into the night and this for me was the highlight of the days ride, cool night air, empty roads stretching for miles, magnificent.



Photographing and sending by Email the guilty part of the Guzzi providing oil Leaks, The Spanish connexion (thanks to Juan Ramon) would bring us the replacment part in Salamanca.

Las Bardenas Reales

Una Mahou !

We eventually rolled into Salamanca at midnight. At 0130hrs we were joined by our Spanish friends El Solitario on a 58 Panhead and Loren, who themselves had made the long journey from Galicia, and in true Spanish tradition we headed straight downtown for some well earned refreshments!

The following morning before hitting the road, we were joined by another group of friends from Madrid. Juan Ramon on a 5 series BMW complete with illuminations(full feature further), and the party boys in a 4x4 with trailer loaded with a scooter and alot of rum. Juan brought with him a spare part for the Guzzi and after some roadside repairs we were ready to roll, Southsiders, Don Quijote, Sancho Pansa, Juan and the party boys.

La mala vida

Hang over or the need for ride ?

.