The magic of the Bol d'Or Classic

Last Saturday (September 10) I had the pleasure of attending the Bol d'Or Classic at the Nevers Magny-Cours circuit. A great moment of nostalgia for all those who lived through the golden age of motorcycling, the Bol d'Or Classic is a must-attend event for vintage motorcycle aficionados and everyone else!

It's a friendly and exciting competition that pits teams of 2 riders per motorcycle against each other in 2 rounds of 2 hours each (not hard to remember!). Motorcycles over 500cm3 manufactured between 1970 and 1980 are eligible for the race. Several demonstrations also allowed us to admire bikes of all displacements, built between 1960 and 1990.

What can I say except that I was literally plunged 30 years back in time. I realized just how different the atmosphere must have been back then, compared to what you find at today's competitions.

For example, I was strolling through the paddocks, and at one point I saw a crowd in front of a team stand. As curious as all the other "onlookers", I went to see what was going on... All the team's mechanics were struggling to get their machines started! Suddenly, a dull "VRAOUM" sound, accompanied by a cloud of smoke, triggered applause from all spectators! It had started. You have to see it to understand how exciting it is.

"What about the race?" It's magical... these motorcycles from another age driven at breakneck speed by peerless drivers! ...what emotions. The shrill sound of the Godier-Genoud Kawasaki Z1000s, accompanied by the muffled vibrations of the Moto-Guzzi and Ducati (it's a shame Guzzi is no longer in competition...), but also the good old Laverda, BMW or Honda, all on the go! Admittedly, speeds are slower than in "modern" racing, but you have to imagine the technology gap that makes these old bikes much less agile and easy to ride than today's sports bikes. What a talent and patience these riders have (yes, you have to stay calm when your bike won't start on the starting line)!

I had the opportunity to watch the first round of the Bol d'Or, which started at 7.30pm. Half the race took place at night. Spectacle: between bikes that "broke" their headlight bulbs because of the vibrations (fortunately, the corners were lit with spotlights!) and those that couldn't stand the 2-hour race ("mechanically" speaking)... One even squeezed right in front of me ("rarararara... PAF!"), then another emptied its oil sump in a bend, bringing the race to a standstill for 15 minutes!

I wasn't able to attend Sunday's final, but it was Christian Haquin and Gilles Hampe who won this ninth Bol d'Or Classic, bravo to them! Gilles Hampe is the event's new record winner.

In short, I recommend all motorcycle enthusiasts, young and old, to come and see the next Bol d'Or Classic 2012. Personally, I'd no longer bemoan the discomfort of my machine or its lack of performance.

PS: I wanted the Guzzi to win ...