Munich/Biarritz. There’s a party mood between the
sounds of the sea and the roar of engines at Biarritz in the South of
France from 14 to 17 June. The traditional seaside resort on the
Atlantic coast provides the stage for the Festival of Wheels and
Waves. This is where the biker and surfer scene comes together to
share its passion for unusual motorcycles and riding waves that are
several metres high. The event was first held in 2012 and it is an
expression of a new motorcycle culture defined by individuality,
contemporary lifestyle and boundless creativity. The Wheels and Waves
Festival focuses on custom bikes, unusual rare gems and extravagant
specials from motorcycle history.
The Classic line of BMW is participating in this festival of freedom
on two wheels for the first time under the name “BMW Motorrad
Classic”. It has an exhibition tent at the festival venue with a
historically appropriate design themed to suit the occasion. The
stands are designed with a vintage look and showcase athletic series
and victorious racing motorcycles from various eras. The motorcycles
feature pioneering technological innovations, outstanding successes in
competitions or spectacular custom-builds and special configurations.
BMW Motorrad Classic is also enriching the festival’s Art Ride
exhibition with extraordinary vehicles including the BMW R 5 Hommage
show bike and its historic role model – the BMW R 5 sports motorcycle
presented in 1936 and the BMW WR 750 Kompressor world-record machine.
The other exhibits include the BMW R 67/2 ISDT and the BMW R 50
Zabrocky, two particularly impressive motorcycles demonstrating that
customising has a long tradition among fans of BMW motorcycles.
A BMW R 57 and a BMW R 5 are lining up at the start of the “Punk’s
Peak” sprint race to launch the festival. These are particularly
sporty representatives of the class with 500 cubic centimetres from
the pre-war era of motorcycle construction. The presentation of
historic BMW models on two, three and four wheels powered by upright
shaft Boxer engines is particularly illuminating for engineering
freaks and generalists alike. This type of valve timing is virtually
maintenance free and speed resistant, and it was used in the first
post-war motor-sport motorcycle, the BMW RS 54. In 1955, BMW rider
Wilhelm Noll achieved a world record of 280.20 km/h with his
streamlined sidecar combination thanks to the power of the
vertical-shaft engine.
A twin-cylinder Boxer engine with upright shaft also drives the
starter machine for the “Punk’s Peak race. A BMW 700 RS sets the pace
there. The racing version of the BMW 700 presented in 1959 boasts a
tubular space frame and an aluminium body, a 70 hp tail-mounted engine
and a kerb weight of less than 600 kilograms. Even in the modern
world, this car can still put on an impressive sprint. When racing in
competitions during the early 1960s, the diminutive speedster achieved
top speeds of up to 200 km/h depending on the transmission ratio. The
machine’s racing prowess left many of the more powerfully equipped
competitors behind and giving the popularity of the series models
additional impetus.
The BMW 700 also happened to provide the foundation for the economic
recovery of BMW as a company as well as establishing the early
cornerstone for an exceptional racing career. Hans-Joachim Stuck made
his first attempts to ride a motorcycle on a BMW 700. At the age of 9
years, he accompanied his father on a rider training course at the
Nürburgring and was allowed to have the first test ride of his life in
a cordoned off area.