Out of 800,000 miles The boulevard winds through the Japanese islands, with only a five-mile stretch that you can drive on a public beach (by law, at all costs). It’s called the Chirihama Nagisa Driveway, and for 363 days of the year it’s a peaceful little stretch of coastline and a popular destination for tourists and beachgoers alike.
However, on two very special days of the year, that serenity is replaced by the sweet music of straight-pipe racing bikes, while this smooth patch of sand is transformed into a drag strip. like who. We are, of course, talking about Chirihama Sands, which we are also pleased to announce that it is back up and running again this year, for the first time since 2018.
So what is Chirihama Sands? Simply put, it’s the annual classic motocross where riders come to test their mettle, running full throttle on 70-plus-year-old equipment on a one-tenth of a mile stretch of beach. The competition is simple: Two bikes line up side by side, the girl with the flag beckons and the first bike to cross the finish line will advance to the next round.
This year, about 150 antique two-wheelers made a pilgrimage to the sands of Ishikawa Prefecture. Hundreds of race enthusiasts and fans lined the beach to watch, and the parade of hardframes, half-helmets and vintage styles that followed was easily a delight. The most delicious thing happens on the planet in 48 hours.
Riders compete in one of three categories: The first is the 45th Championship, which includes Harley Davidsons built before 1952, Indians before 1953, and Triumphs before 1953 with a displacement of up to 500 cc. . There’s also the Champion Class 80, made up entirely of tank-shifting HDs and Indians, as well as pre-1954 Triumphs up to 650 cc.
Finally, you have the Extended Class, which is for all Japanese domestic Harleys, Triumphs and motorcycles built before 1970. According to Chirihama Sandflats officials, the only rule for all three classes is ““ no paddle tires, no racing gas, and no ‘unsafe modifications’.”
You’ll assume that the last part deals with stereotypical chopper fare, like elongated forks, tall gibbons and sissy bars. But looking at the selection of machines currently available, most of them seem to be fair game.
So how did one of the coolest motorcycle gatherings on the planet find its way to a little-known beach outside Hakui? We are glad you asked.
See, Chirihama Sandflats started as a little-known motor show in 2012. For that first meeting, the races at Chirihama were just a small part of a larger motoring gathering, a drop from the event as we know it today.
The first encounter was generally a success, but the Chirihama Sandflats’ first annual run turned out to be an unexpected sensation. Images of vintage bicycles racing extensively on a pristine beach went viral like wildfire, which was especially bewildering when social media was still in its infancy at the time.
Within a few months, the talk of the races overshadowed the bike show itself. The organizers received so many questions about Chirihama Sands that, when planning the next event, they decided to make the races themselves the main focus of the gathering.
Chirihama Sands has continued to grow ever since. And as modern social media began to flourish in the years that followed, images of the high-end style and unmistakable vintage taste of racing made their way to every tuner and enthusiasts around the world.
The annual gathering continued smoothly until 2019, when a near-continuous 48-hour rain forced the organizers to cancel. We bet we don’t have to tell you why the race isn’t in 2020 (hint: it’s homophones for the Borona virus). But after several petitions from the local government, Chirihama Sandflats is back up and running in 2021—despite strict safety restrictions.
It turns out that vintage bike owners are just as frantic as everyone else during the pandemic, because racing has hit record numbers in its first year back. More than 160 riders took to the field to battle for a return to Chirihama Sandflats.
2022 marks the first race since 2018 where the event is held with a full audience and without any government restrictions of any kind. If you want to consider yourself one of the lucky few to enter next year’s race, anyone with a qualified bike and 20,000 yen to cover the entrance fee can participate.
With a special thanks to our good friend tadashi konowho provided both images and information for this report.
