| | Biker News - Regularly updated
Category: Events and Shows
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Ragley Hall, Warwickshire - Following on from an extraordinary festival in 2024, with just shy of 700 test rides taken over the weekend, Royal Enfield returns for ABR Festival 2025 with an even bigger presence, set to take place from 26 to 29 June at Ragley Hall, Alcester.
Star of the show this year is the Himalayan 450, with a special exhibition in Royal Enfield’s ‘Immersion Tent’. Various Himalayan 450s will be on display, with some models featuring the latest GMA accessories , along with members of the team behind the latest generation of Himalayan - notably its Lead Designer, Steve Everitt, who will attend to discuss and explain the full story behind the legendary adventure bike.
Visitors to the Immersion Tent will be granted unparalleled access to learn about the full Himalayan 450 development story: from the new liquid-cooled Sherpa 452cc engine, to the 2025 developments for the chassis, and the overall style choices for the latest Himalayan. Experts will be on hand for the entire weekend to answer questions and divulge the full story on the evolution from the Himalayan 411 to the 450.
Elsewhere, in the Community Tent, there will be the chance to connect with Royal Enfield Ride Partners to plan rides in the UK and beyond; Biker BnB, Vintage Rides, and Moto Junkies will all be in attendance to discuss ride opportunities for later in the year; a perfect time to find out about exciting and unique Royal Enfield experiences - from gaining off-road Himalayan experience with Moto Junkies, to exploring Vietnam on the ‘Vietnam Jungle & Shores’ tour with Vintage Rides, or embarking on the Highland Scramble in Scotland with Biker BnB.
Back in the ABR Festival grounds at Ragley Hall, there will be plenty of weekend ride opportunities to be had, both on-road and off-road. The full 2025 range of Royal Enfield motorcycles will all be available to book for a ride. Guided rides will be available from 10am each day, with booking officially starting at 9am - it is highly recommended to plan ahead to avoid missing out.
Also returning from an epic ride will be legendary global adventurer, Nick Sanders, coming home this time from his 30,000 km Edge of Europe ride on a Bear 650. With Ragley Hall set as his final destination, Nick will no doubt be happy to share tales of his latest adventure at the festival, providing the perfect inspiration for a Bear 650 test ride whilst there.
Further, Nick has confirmed some appearances for the show:
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Thursday - 30,000KM Edge of Europe Finale - 4 PM Nick's arrival on the Headline Kove Stage
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Friday - 5 PM Travellers Stage presentation
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Saturday - 4:50 PM Himalayan Stage presentation
Hosted by Vanessa Ruck (The Girl on a Bike), Royal Enfield’s Himalayan Master Class stage, will have notable speakers across the entire festival weekend, including:
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Topic
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Speaker
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Date and Time
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Documenting Adventures - Get the Best Photos from your Trip
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Tom Perkins & Guests
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Friday, 2:20 pm
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Himalayan Evolution: From Start to End
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Mark Wells & Development Team
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Saturday, 10:10 am
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An Insight from the Indian Scene
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Aiyappa Ponnappa & panel; Satyadeep Misra, Ashok George, Anand Dharmaraj, Arun Ramdas
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Saturday, 2:20 pm
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Nick Sanders: Evening Presentation
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Nick Sanders
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Saturday, 4:50 pm
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Vanessa Ruck will host sessions over the weekend with practical themes to help riders make the most of their next two-wheeled adventure.
Royal Enfield owners will also be treated to a free coffee at the Royal Enfield Coffee Bar by simply showing their key, or even a few photos of their motorcycle, to the team.
With much, much more to come over the full weekend, the Royal Enfield tents are not to be missed.
About Royal Enfield
The oldest motorcycle brand in continuous production, Royal Enfield has created beautifully crafted motorcycles since 1901. From its British roots, a manufacturing plant was established in Madras in 1955, a foothold from which Royal Enfield spearheaded the growth of India’s mid-sized two-wheeler segment. Royal Enfields are engaging, uncomplicated, accessible and fun to ride; a vehicle for exploration and self-expression. It’s an approach the brand calls Pure Motorcycling.
Royal Enfield’s premium line-up includes Bear 650, Classic 650, Guerrilla 450 modern roadster, Hunter 350, Meteor 350, Super Meteor 650, Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 twins, the Shotgun 650, the new Himalayan adventure tourer, the Scram 440 ADV Crossover, the iconic Bullet 350, Classic 350 and Goan Classic 350. The company recently unveiled its new city+ motorcycle brand – the Flying Flea – a fresh take on urban mobility, blending authentic design with advanced technology.
Riders and a passionate community are fostered with a rich profusion of events at a local, regional and international level. Most notable are Motoverse (previously Rider Mania), an annual gathering of thousands of Royal Enfield enthusiasts in Goa, and Himalayan Odyssey; a yearly pilgrimage over some of the toughest terrain and highest mountain passes.
A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield operates through more than 2000 stores across all major cities and towns in India and through nearly 850 stores in more than 60 countries around the globe. Royal Enfield also has two world-class technical centres, in Bruntingthorpe, UK, and in Chennai, India. The company’s two state-of-the-art production facilities are located at Oragadam and Vallam Vadagal, near Chennai. Across the world, Royal Enfield has six modern CKD assembly facilities in Bangladesh, Nepal, Brazil, Thailand, Argentina and Colombia.
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BMW Motorrad UK is inviting motorcycle enthusiasts to experience the thrill of the legendary Isle of Man Senior TT race live in retailers. On Saturday 7th June, 21 selected BMW Motorrad retailers across the UK will be screening the world-famous road race on big screens - offering fans a front-row seat to one of motorcycle racing’s most iconic events.
Attendees will have the opportunity to watch a whole host of star riders competing onboard BMW machinery - as they tackle the 37.73-mile Mountain Course aboard the M 1000 RR.
In addition to the live coverage, visitors can enjoy the showroom atmosphere with like-minded fans, meet and chat with BMW Motorrad experts, and take advantage of special in-store offers. Refreshments and hospitality will also be available at select locations, as the day promises to provide a full-day of entertainment for racing fans and BMW enthusiasts.
This event offers a unique opportunity to come together and celebrate road racing culture, and connect with the machines and people that power it.
For a full list of participating retailers and to book your place, visit:
www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk/en/service/forms/tt-event.htm
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If you’re looking for a unique gift or special day out to celebrate Father’s Day, the British Motor Museum has lots to offer to make it a truly memorable day! Those visiting the Museum on Sunday 15 June, can admire over 400 commercial vehicles at the ‘Classic and Vintage Commercial Show’. The show, which takes place on 14 & 15 June, offers visitors an opportunity to reminisce about days gone by amongst giants of the motoring world.
The Museum also has plenty of gift ideas to spoil Fathers. A Heritage Certificate is the perfect gift for an owner of a cherished classic car. The Certificates are the official ‘Certified Copy of a Factory Record’ for a classic car showing the vehicle’s specification as it left the production line. For more information visit britishmotormuseum.co.uk/archive/heritage-certificates
Alternatively, adopt a car from the Museum collections! From the Albion A1 8hp dog cart to the Wolseley 2200 (last of line), cars that form part of the Museum’s permanent collections are available to adopt. Adoptions cost between £25 & £100 and adopters get a digital adoption certificate as well as their name added to the car’s listing in the Online Collections. For more information, visit https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/support-us/adopt-a-car
You can also purchase a Gift Voucher for Father’s Day! Treat Dad to a visit to the Museum whenever suits him the best. Simply buy the Gift Voucher Museum ticket and he can redeem it online ahead of when he plans to visit. Find out more at https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/book-now
Or if you know Dad will want to come back to the Museum again and again, treat him to an annual Membership so he can enjoy admiring over 400 British classic cars and attending the fantastic motoring shows for a whole year? Starting from £42 for the year, Membership also includes free entry to the Museum and its events, plus special Member only events including ‘Museum on the Move’, where Members get the rare opportunity to ride in a selection of vehicles from the Museum’s collection. Find out more at https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/about-us/membership
The Museum’s online shop also stocks a range of gifts from novelty motoring themed items such as ‘Dads Garage’, ‘Great Dad’ and ‘Man Cave’ tin signs, to motoring cuff links, hip flasks, mugs, and memorabilia as well as many unique marque products.
To find more Father’s Day gift ideas visit https://shop.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/
Museum entry is just £46 for a family in advance or £52 on the day, £17 for adults in advance or £20 on the day, £15 for concessions in advance or £18 on the day, £9 for children (5-16 years) in advance or £10 on the day and under 5s are FREE. There is also the option to Gift Aid or donate your entry fee and get an Annual Pass in return at no extra cost!
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- Tunbridge Wells gave the British public their first ever motor show in October 1895
- Festival of Motoring launches to celebrate this incredibly historic event
- Show honours the original ‘Horseless Carriage Exhibition’ with a curated selection of over 20 iconic cars and motorcycles from all eras
- Set in beautiful The Pantiles Georgian architectural district, event will celebrate the historical significance of the area in the motoring industry
- Exciting new event takes place on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd August 2025
- Details of this free-to-attend event at https://www.rtwmotorfest.com/
Tunbridge Wells, Kent: 19th May 2025
Royal Tunbridge Wells holds a remarkably significant place in the history of British motoring. In 1895 this beautiful historical town in Kent, hosted the first ever motor show to take place in Great Britain. This extraordinary milestone will be celebrated in 2025 with the exciting launch of the new Royal Tunbridge Wells Festival of Motoring.
Taking place on the weekend of Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd August 2025, more than 20 of the greatest cars and motorcycles of the past 130 years will be displayed along the tree-lined Georgian walkways of The Pantiles at the heart of this picturesque town.
Situated in the centre of Royal Tunbridge Wells, The Pantiles is a beautiful Georgian colonnade that leads from the well that gave the town its name. The area, developed following the discovery of a chalybeate spring in 1606, has become a popular tourist-attraction and is now home to over 70 specialist shops, art galleries, cafés, restaurants and bars, and now a must-see new motoring event.
This unique motoring festival will feature an incredible display of over 20 cars and motorcycles, exhibited by local world-renowned specialists, restorers and racing teams, in a celebration of the area and of 130 years of motoring.
“We are extremely excited to bring back this historically significant motoring showcase to an area that is so rich in automotive knowledge, specialist engineering and history,” says co-organiser Dylan Miles. “We want to use this opportunity to acknowledge the local businesses, which often work on an international scale from humble premises in and around Tunbridge Wells.”
Many star cars will be displayed, including a titan of pre-war grand prix racing, the Bugatti Type 35, along with a more modern race car, the spectacular Hertz Team Jota Cadillac V-Series R that has thrilled spectators in the 2025 World Endurance Championship.
Other icons of motoring history include a stunning 1911 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, 1950s racing legend the Jaguar D-Type, and a striking 1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT Lightweight.
Fans of more modern motoring heroes will enjoy sights including a 1984 Ferrari Testarossa, 1995 Porsche 993 GT2 EVO, a Bugatti Veyron and a Ferrari LaFerrari among many others.
Organised by motor car pioneer, scientist and Tunbridge Wells Mayor, Sir David Lionel Salomons, that inaugural ‘Horseless Carriage Exhibition’ featured the first car to be imported into Great Britain, a Panhard-Levassor with a 3.5hp Daimler engine. It was joined by Salomon’s Peugeot which used the same engine and was only the second car to be imported and driven on British roads. Three other vehicles were displayed, including a Daimler-powered fire engine, while De Dion-Bouton exhibited both a tricycle and a ‘steam-horse’ manufactured by the French automaker.
Despite the success of this first motor show at the Tunbridge Wells showground, the London Motor Show was to take over a year later and the town did not host another Horseless Carriage Exhibition until 1961, with the last one being opened by Donald Campbell in 1966.
“It is a real honour to be trusted by the owners of The Pantiles and indeed the neighbours we live alongside in Tunbridge Wells, to honour the town’s place in motoring history by bringing back this unique celebration of the motor car,” says co-organiser Daniel Cogger, Senior Manager of Hagerty Private Client Services. “The 4th Horseless Carriage Exhibition will not only celebrate the 130th anniversary of the very first motor show in Britain, but will also champion the thriving local automotive business in the area.”
With no other motoring event in the UK able to claim such a unique historical provenance, the Tunbridge Wells Festival of Motoring will once again place this beautiful British town at the centre of our motoring map.
More details on the return of this exciting, new free-to-attend event to the motoring calendar can be found at https://www.rtwmotorfest.com/ and on Instagram @rtwmotorfest.
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Initial estimates suggest that 260,000 bikeriders visited the event over the four days The ve themed areas and the new 'events within events' are growing in success
The 39th edition of the Biker Fest International was a resounding success, exceeding all expectations. The four-day event, which took place from 15 to 18 May, will go down in history as a new record-breaking gathering in Lignano Sabbiadoro (Udine - Italy). This was not only due to the impressive numbers, but also to the overwhelming energy that swept through the seaside town, welcoming enthusiasts from all over Italy and neighbouring countries into the party atmosphere and spirit of sharing that represents the true strength of the BFI.
It wasn't easy, but the organisers once again managed to raise the bar for the event. The ve areas hosting Europe's most historic and important motorcycle rally — Luna Park, O road, Stadium, Market and PalaPineta — were peacefully invaded by a ood of motorcyclists and enthusiasts. «The 2024 edition was extraordinary, setting new records, partly thanks to the perfect weather. Improving on this seemed like an impossible challenge. Yet, despite the somewhat inclement weather this year, the Biker Fest once again surpassed itself, continuing its unstoppable growth. Initial estimates indicate that 260,000 people attended this excellently organised event, which continues to be a hit with the public» said Massimo Brini, Lignano Sabbiadoro municipality's councilor for Tourism.
Behind this exponential growth is the relentless work of the Persello family, the heart and soul of BFI, which has always believed in the driving force of the motorcycle movement. The 6,700 test rides— one of the highest numbers in Europe—carried out by more than 25 automotive brands con rm BFI's central role in the two-wheel market, especially during its most important season. And that's not all: the BFI con rms its status as a multifaceted and cross-cutting event with the growing success of the US Car Reunion, which this year o ered a spectacular sight, bringing together 550 American cars in the Market area. It was preceded by the new Kustom&Classic, the car meet reserved for pre-1999 cars, destined to become yet another highly attractive “event within the event.” And then there was the con rmation of the 50cc Fever Fest dedicated to vintage 50 cc mopeds, a favorite with younger audiences, which had former MotoGP rider Marco Melandri as its special guest.
The most historic Custom Bike Show in Europe lived up to expectations, rewarding the best of the more than 100 special bikes entered, all of which were of a particularly high standard. This year, the show was joined by another promising new addition: the 1st Performance Bagger Show. This show put the spotlight on the current trend: racing and sporty baggers, examined and awarded by the legend of WSBK Ruben Xaus. Live rock concerts, mototours and spectacular of-road performances rounded out the event, which stays true to itself while renewing itself every year. It is capable of thrilling veterans and newcomers, bikers and families, industry experts, and the simply curious.
As the engines cool down after this extraordinary edition, attention is already turning to 2026, when the BFI will celebrate its 40th anniversary with new themed areas and services designed to attract new enthusiasts and increase the fun. For now, however, mark your calendars for the 4th Italian Bike Week. From September 18 to 21, it will be the closing event of the tourist season in Lignano Sabbiadoro (www.italianbikeweek.net).
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