Wheels & Waves

What if a motorcycle festival wasn’t about racing or winning at all?

At Wheels & Waves, motors, art, surf and music merge into a five-day celebration where experience matters more than results.

Preview – Wheels & Waves, Where Motorcycles Meet Culture

Wheels & Waves is not a traditional motorcycle festival. It’s a carefully unpolished blend of vintage racing, custom culture, art, music and surf lifestyle, set against the Atlantic coast of Biarritz. For five days, the city becomes a playground where engines, creativity and freedom coexist without hierarchy.

The festival village alone feels like an ecosystem. Live music spills from stages, food trucks line the paths and custom-built motorcycles stand next to skate ramps, surfboards and a roaring Wall of Death. What makes Wheels & Waves unique is its inclusiveness: families, hardcore riders, artists and curious onlookers all share the same space, each finding their own rhythm within the chaos.

Racing is spread across different locations and days, giving every morning a purpose. Punk’s Peak Hill Climb kicks things off on the Jaizkibel mountain road, just across the Spanish border. Riders sprint uphill in knockout fashion, framed by sweeping views of the Atlantic. It’s as much about the ride to the event as the race itself. When an accident prematurely ends the competition, it’s a sobering reminder that even in this playful setting, risk is always present.

El Rollo brings flat track racing to the Hipódromo de San Sebastián. Dust, noise and close combat define the spectacle. Riders from across the globe line up, and the atmosphere feels raw and gladiatorial. For participants, history rides alongside adrenaline machines and stories that trace back decades.

The Race of the Lords shifts focus to pre-1950 motorcycles with tank shifters. Short sprints, hairpin turns and mechanical choreography turn the event into living heritage. Nearby, the Vintage Rally strips racing down to its essence. Pre-2000 off-road bikes circulate freely on a mixed enduro and motocross course, without grids or lap pressure. Style, attitude and authenticity matter more than speed.

One of Wheels & Waves’ quiet joys is the unexpected. World-class riders occasionally appear on vintage machinery, blurring the line between amateur passion and professional skill. You never quite know who you’ll share the track or a beer with.

"World-class riders occasionally appear on vintage machinery, blurring the line between amateur passion and professional skill."

Beyond racing, creativity takes centre stage. Art exhibitions unfold in skateparks, surf contests take over the beach and a 100 km ride-out invites participants to explore the surrounding roads at their own pace. Wheels & Waves doesn’t force an itinerary; it encourages wandering.

The festival has grown, but its soul remains intact. It still feels like something built by friends, for friends: messy, open and refreshingly unconcerned with perfection. Wheels & Waves isn’t about trophies. It’s about just being there.