ArtRide XI: Where Art and Motorcycles Collide…
The annual Wheels & Waves Festival in Biarritz, France, hosts some of the wildest two-wheeled spectacles on the planet: Punk’s Peak, El Rollo Flat Track, The Race of Lords, and the Vintage Rally — a blend of motocross and enduro. In town itself, you’ll find ArtRide, where art and motorcycles collide.
“Inside and out, ArtRide pulses with creativity: live painting, photography, experimental builds, wild design. Add in live music, BMX demos, and spontaneous burnouts, and you’ve got an art show with oil under its nails and rubber on its soul. A true feast for the eyes — and for the curious heart.” -Kati Dalek
Located at Skatepark Biarritz, the exhibition brings together photographers, painters, street artists, skaters, surfboard shapers, and of course custom bike builders into a single kaleidoscopic realm. It’s the poetry of motion, frozen for a little while before your eyes.
“Daring, poetic, off-beat, creativity exploding in every shape and form! Between major works of art, radical visions and forgotten ‘savoir faire’, this is the place to be drawn into a world of artists, in which to be amazed, to discover and to feed one’s imagination.” -Wheels & Waves
This year, we were fortunate enough to enlist light-wrangler extraordinaire Craig Stuart (@scrambler_ams) to our cause. Craig captured nearly 200 shots from ArtRide, mainly of the custom bikes themselves. Per usual, we’ve split up this large gallery into a series of smaller features. First up are the trackers and scramblers.
As with all great art, many of these bikes defy easy classification, so don’t take the labeling too seriously — it’s just a general way to cluster the machines around a theme. Make sure to tell us your favorites from this segment in the comments!
KTM EXC 500: Moritz Bree
Hand-shaped by two friends: Anton & Moritz. Side by side, they sculpted the monocoque from raw clay, slowly transforming an idea into form before bringing it to life in fiberglass. Through patience, craftsmanship, and countless hours together, Anton passed on the art and technique of clay shaping to Moritz.
1949 Harley 750WR: Iconic Trading
Formerly owned by ‘Iron Man’ Al Knapp. The Harley-Davidson WR750 is an iconic motorcycle produced from 1941 to 1952, designed for flat-track (WR) and road racing (WRTT). Renowned for its performance, durability and reliability, it remains a symbol of the Harley-Davidson heritage, prized by collectors and vintage motorcycle enthusiasts.
Technical specifications:
Side-valve V-twin engine 750cc (45CI) displacement
35 to 40 hp
3-speed gearbox
3-speed gearbox (choice of standard or close-ratio gearing)
Linkert MR3 or MR carburettor
Wico magneto ignition
Single-cradle tubular frame; optional chrome-molybdenum frame (more durable)
Choice of 18-inch or 19-inch wheels
Weight between 130 and 140 kg
Top speed 170 to 180 km/h
121 units manufactured in 1946
“La Baja 71” Yamaha XS650: Frederic Pizzolitto (PZF Design)
We’ve reached out to the build for a full feature of this build.
From the Builder: 71 for the year of birth of our young owner, and “Baja” for the off-road rally raid, the first edition of which dates back to 1967. This build by PZF Design has come of age…stored in my workshop, it kept me company for seven years before | could consider it complete. The Baja 71 is the result of a dialogue between two personalities and two life journeys.
The Baja 71 took shape over time, patiently accepting that it would be ‘sidelined’ by both William’s other life projects and my own, but in the end, here it is: a finished product, combining robustness and elegance.
Kawasaki H1 500 Mach III: Freeride Motos (Pierre Dhers)
Freeride is a workshop specializing in motorcycle restoration, located in the French Tarn region.
OSSA Yankee Z 500: Freeride Motos (Pierre Dhers)
We have a history of the Yankee Z here.
Triumph Bonneville: FCR Original
“Into the Dunes” 1968 Triumph Rickman Metisse: @_janvv x @desertwood__
Follow the Photographer
Craig Stuart (@scrambler_ams)
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