motorcycling has been on road or dirt, in search of
the sweeping bends and muddy lanes. I had never
thought that full throttle in a straight line on sand
could be such a buzz. At the start line, there is a feeling
of anticipation. You select a gear, the flag drops and
you ditch the clutch. The back wheel spins and chews
at the sand, trying to find traction. As the bike finds
grip, it fires you down the course. Counterintuitively
you shift your body weight over the back wheel and
keep your eyes focused on the horizon. With revs high
you change gear, momentarily losing momentum and
stability. Then, an overwhelming instinct kicks in.
You slam the throttle open again. The carb dutifully
takes a huge gulp of air and you are propelled past the
chequered flag.
It’s a completely senseless and pointless activity,
but strangely exhilarating, exciting and addictive.After several head to head runs throughout the
day and high-fives with my fellow thrill seekers,
the greying skies burst, the tide slid back and this
extraordinary damp and gritty event came to a close.
When Paul Garbutt and his crew from Backfire
Promotions announced they were hosting a second
‘Race the Waves’ this year, I signed up immediately.
My only concern was whether it would be as good
as last year? Will popularity file off its freshly cast,
rough edged DNA?
When I returned to Bridlington, it was clear word
of mouth and social media had generated attention.
There were new riders and drivers and most of last
year’s veterans were back for more. The hot rods
were a mash up of V8 rats, super charged Streets and
a belly tanker. The motorbikes were a motley mix of
’60s Triumph flattrackers, 1940s Harley flatheads,
Yamaha café racers and tricked Vespas.
Many of the machines were hand-built. CarefullyEVENT FEATURE RACE THE WAVES
22 | 100% Biker | issue 250 | http://www.100-biker.co.uk