[BLACKPINES STORY#2] - Take part in El Rollo du Wheels & Waves - bet won!

Deep in my chest, my heart is pounding. Through my glasses covered in dust and mud, I can barely make out my buddies. Their cries, lost in the huge crowd, are muffled by the roar of my Honda and the other motorcycles around me. Thighs tight on the sides of my tank, one foot on the ground , I cast a circular glance over the clay ring of the San Sebastian Lasarte racecourse . I tremble with excitement, unless it 's the reminiscences of my heat strokes during the race.

I did it !

A photographer takes my picture, shoots my smoking bike. My friends rush towards me, gesticulating, overjoyed. We did it ! I participated in El Rollo du Wheels & Waves, bet won!

Place a bet and take up the challenge

This fabulous story began exactly one year ago, on June 16, 2018. With my friends, we went to Biarritz to attend the Wheels & Waves festival. Our program was very simple: surfing, music and motorbikes. A real treat for the eyes as well as the ears. Pure fun for fans of vintage motorcycles and Café Racers .

We were having a perfect day , friends, beer and dizzying flat track racing. And, while we exclaimed at the prowess of these madmen pulling like crazy on their inflated bikes, the incredible happened . A bet had just been launched: build a flat and participate in the 2019 edition , not in the stands, but indeed on the track.

I remember that moment very well. I had my eyes riveted on two competitors fighting like mad to maintain their trajectory in the curve, while gliding perfectly under control. I replied " bet held ". Yes, I will sign up as a pilot in 2019. I will do El Rollo . A year can be both long and short. It depends on how we take care of it.

How to participate in El Rollo of Wheels & Waves?

Taking part in a flat track is cool. Especially since the desire to modify a motorcycle into a Café Racer had been tickling me for some time. Still had to have the right motorcycle! After much research and almost as many appointments, our choice fell on a 1992 Honda NX 650 , the famous Dominator .

Well, she was nice this bike, but it was not the time to get emotional. We had to make a Flat Tracker out of this little Japanese girl!

Without hesitation, we went through the stripping box. Very quickly, the parts piled up in the garage. Beauty had lost its luster. Never mind ! It was necessary to start from scratch. There was plenty of work and we followed at a good pace. First, we overhauled the mill and the center of gravity was lowered. Then the frame was transformed to accommodate the tank and the rear shell. Then just like the swingarm, unavoidable passage through the sandblasting and epoxy box.

I ordered 19-inch rims and got the exhaust manifolds from a 500 CB. For the muffler, I opted for the Black Cafe Racer . It looks great and sounds great. He also had a small effect on other pilots and visitors to the park. There, all that remained was to paint the beast, install a circuit breaker and remove the front brake. Perfectly useless gadget for what I was about to do!

Back to the future

I take off my helmet. A broad smile lights up my face, I have reached the end of my dream. Yes… Bet held! A memorable day of sharing and sensations. I made El Rollo from Wheels & Waves !