Yamaha Faster Sons is back in Biarritz for Wheels and Waves 2018
With new XSR’s custom builds ready to ride the line between past and future, a huge new partnership on the horizon and so much more, this is the biggest wheels and waves for Yamaha yet.
Yamaha’s Faster Sons
Inspired by some of the most memorable and iconic models from our past, Yamaha’s Sport Heritage range is proving to be a major success with those riders who appreciate the unique formula that blends timeless style with a special character, sophisticated engine and chassis technology.
By harnessing the retro appeal of Yamaha models from a previous generation – and at the same time creating minimalist, contemporary high-tech motorcycles that deliver linear torque with agile handling for a connected and emotional riding experience – we’re enabling today’s Yamaha riders to discover the true essence of motorcycling.
It is the Faster Sons philosophy. This refreshing approach to motorcycle design has attracted riders of all ages and backgrounds to the Yamaha Sport Heritage line. Yamaha’s Faster Sons design philosophy has struck a chord with many thousands of riders who appreciate not only the timeless design of our Sport Heritage models, but also their ability to put every rider in touch with their surroundings, and make every single ride more than enjoyable.
Yamaha Yard Built
In garages all over the world customers dream of creating their very own customised motorcycle and Yamaha seeks to enable this by asking talented bike Custom builders to provide inspirational ideas on how to transform modern Yamaha Sport Heritage models into what we have entitled “Yard Built specials”.
Yamaha’s Yard Built programme has gone from strength to strength over the last few years. Yard Built has quickly grown a global audience of enthusiastic custom bike fans as some of the world’s best customizers have collaborated with Yamaha to create stunning builds based on the current Sport Heritage range. Yamaha’s Yard Built programme heads to the 2018 Wheels & Waves event with amazing projects, all focused on the Sport Heritage range’s Yamaha XSR machines. This new generation of Yard Built creations will each have a strong national flavour, having been built in collaboration with a national Yamaha distributor, their local custom builder and a national motorcycle magazine.
Yamaha at Wheels and Waves 2018
Biarritz is a world-renowned destination for those who enjoy a relaxed approach to life, but once a year things get loud. Wheels and Waves has been bringing the party to the south of France for six years now. From the Punk’s Peak and El Rollo races to the surf competition and everything in between, Wheels and Waves is one of the coolest events on the calendar for those who want to indulge their love for all things two wheeled and fast.
This is the fourth year that Yamaha have been a part of Wheels and Waves and it’s going to be the most extensive Yamaha experience yet. This year Yamaha is rocking a retro futuristic theme, so get ready to go Back to the Future. Leaning away from the traditionally retro focused Yard Built aesthetic, Yamaha wanted to add something new to the mix and include some futurism in the brief. This is futuristic design from an 80s perspective. With Yard Built projects being unveiled in the Wheels and Waves village, bikes entering the Punk’s Peak and Swank Rally races, the Faster Sons apparel store getting you deep into the Faster Sons universe and a host of official partners doing their thing; this is one for the history books.
With Yard Built projects coming in from all over Europe, this is probably the most diverse year ever for Yamaha at Wheels and Waves. With the Back to the Future theme tying together six very distinct Yard Built Projects, things are going to get interesting. Yamaha are using the laboratory that is Yard Built to show how different people from different places and different cultures can create such unique builds on a singular theme. Each of these retro futuristic masterpieces will be unveiled in the Wheels and Waves village and will find their way into the Punk’s Peak race.
For the Back to the Future crew it is XSR700s all the way, but that’s where the similarities end. The all-female, Italian biker collective, Miss Biker, are bringing the Yamato in collaboration with Rice Eaters Garage. The Netherland’s Ironwood Motorcycles are adding their unmistakable style to the selection with the Chronos Joyride. Yamaha Klein from Germany join the pack with the Bantam Racer. Spanish custom build superstars Russell Motorcycles represent with their bike, Resilience. France’s own Le French Atelier are showing off their style with the Bull Noir and rounding out the six is the Portuguese contingent, Ton-Up Garage with their appropriately named OutRun motorcycle.
These six bikes will be joined by a host of other custom builds representing everything that’s wild and wonderful about Yard Built. Whether that’s cruising to the beach on a custom SCR950 or showing its muscle with Workhorse Speedshop’s fast and low XSR700, there’s a bike here for every occasion. DAB Motors will also be joining and unveiling their ultra-futuristic creation, Alter, at the Wheels and Waves Art Ride. A truly cutting edge design and build that proves just how far a Yard Built Project can go.
Joining Yamaha at Wheels and Waves are a prime selection of Official Partners, there to add some spice to proceedings. Nexx Helmets will be supplying helmets to builders chosen from their cool Garage line up. REV’IT is bringing their Overshirt Tracer jackets for builders while Mama Custom offer their ample skills in helmet painting at the Yamaha tent.
Wheels and Waves isn’t just about the bikes though and with water in its DNA, Yamaha are stepping up to the Waves this years as well as the Wheels. Diving in as an official partner of the surf competition, Yamaha are putting up a 9ft Yamaha branded long board as prize for whoever takes the top spot as well as for the winner of Punk’s Peak. There’s also going to be at the Yamaha tent a Faster Sons apparel store, giving you the chance to further immerse yourself in the Faster Sons Universe. So, come and join us at the Yamaha tent and make sure your following along with #BackToTheFuture and on the Yamaha Motor Europe Instagram @yamahamotoreu
Yamaha global partner of Deus Ex Machina
This year Yamaha is proud to announce a new, global partnership with Deus Ex Machina. The partnership comes off the back of a long-standing collaboration between the two brands, based on a mutual respect and a shared passion for customized lifestyle. With Deus Italy’s Marketing and Communication Manager Filippo Bassoli becoming Global Marketing Director, this partnership took the next step and Yamaha joined Deus Ex Machina as their Global Technical Partner for the next two years. While both parties are businesses first and foremost, they both know that the world they live for is about fun, adventure, and living the lifestyle. The relationship between Yamaha and Deus Ex Machina will continue to be based on supporting unique communities, engaging with the wilder side of motorcycles and providing those who want it, the means for fun.
To celebrate this new global partnership, Yamaha is bringing the XSR900 Swank Rally Deus Ex Machina custom. It’s going to be out for fun and victory at the Wheels and Waves Swank Rally race, with Alexandre Kowalski riding in Biarritz on June 14th. As Yamaha Europe Racing Manager for the Official Rally and Enduro teams, he is one of Yamaha’s finest to be hitting the hills in Biarritz and taking on this challenge.
Make sure you stay tuned and keep an eye out for everything this partnership has coming up down the road.
