Bike fans from all points of the compass will converge on Motorcycle Live this month to see the latest machinery, clothing, helmets, tools, accessories and daring stunts - and to meet race track legends.
Staged at the NEC in Birmingham - a two-and-a-half hour’s ride or a one hour and 20 minutes’ train trip from central London - the show has been re-launched with a ‘festival’ theme. The organisers are promising more live action shows, bigger and better musical entertainment and a new line-up of street food vendors offering flavours from around the world.
At the heart of the show, nearly 50 different motorcycle manufacturers will show off their newest machinery, including the latest electric bikes and a sprinkling of brand-new models such as BMW’s mighty GS and GSA models. Other star attractions include Ducati’s Panigale V4 SP2 30th Anniversario 916, Hypermotard Mono 698 and Multistrada V4 RS, and Honda’s Fireblade SP, CBR600RR and CB650R.
Other major attractions include Kawaski’s new Z7 Hybrid, MV Agusta’s LXP Orioli and Royal Enfield’s Himalayan 450. Honda and BMW’s stands will both feature rolling roads, where newcomers can get to grips with the feel - and fun - of riding, for the first time.
New features for 2024 include freestyle motocross and trials riding demonstrations, as well as daring stunt shows from world recording-holding professionals.
Electric dreams
Test rides will also be available so that show-goers can try out their dream machinery, including at the Electric Test Ride Zone. Free instruction will be on offer at the brand-new indoor off-road Festival Trail, where safety gear will also be on hand so that participants don’t have to bring their own.
The BSB Ride Sim Challenge will give show-goers the opportunity to ‘ride’ Donnington race circuit on cutting-edge simulators used by professional racers for training, while competing for the fastest laps.
.jpeg?trim=53%2C0%2C54%2C0)
Television presenter Grace Webb will present live talks at the Expert Lab on the technology and science that are transforming the world of motorcycling, while the National Motorcycle Museum will be presenting a lovingly-curated collection of older ‘rides’ at the Heritage Zone, where the theme is ‘First and Last’.
The museum will showcase a range of exceptional classic bikes including models from Ariel, BSA, Norton, Royal Enfield and Triumph. Experts will also be on hand in the Heritage Zone to talk about the bikes on display, as well as the rest of the museum’s enviable collection, situated just across the road from the NEC.
At BMW’s Make Life a Ride Arena, expert riders will demonstrate just what adventure bikes are capable of, on a highly challenging, specially-designed off-road course. Adrenaline junkies, meanwhile, will find faster thrills at Arenacross FMX, where daredevils from the world of freestyle motocross will show off their skills with breathtaking aerial displays.
At Moto Trials, highly talented riders will be displaying the fine art of slow-riding motorcycle control, as they jump from one obstacle to another, virtually from a standing start.
Speed lovers will also be able to help Suzuki celebrate a quarter of a century of the fabled Hayabusa model, on a special display area. A first generation Hayabusa, which set new hyperbike standards when it was launched in 1999, will form part of the display, alongside a second-generation machine which followed in 2008 and an anniversary edition of the latest third generation Hayabusa, which was launched in 2021.
Art shop
At the Machine Shop Experience, enthusiasts will be able to try their hand at creating their own ‘part’, as well as having a go at welding, sandblasting and powder coating; all essential skills for the keen DIY-er. Experts will also mount demonstrations on motorcycle suspension setup, tyre changing and the art of motorcycle maintenance.
For the daring, there will even be an Isle of Man TT simulator, using live, pulse-quickening on-bike footage from championship rider Michael Dunlop. Oset, which produces electric trials, off-road and motocross bikes will be on hand, giving those aged seven and over, and over 125cms tall, the chance to have some riding fun.
Motorcycle stars who will be taking part in a variety of live discussions and presentations, include racers James Whitham, John Reynolds and Niall MacKenzie and Glenn Irwin, alongside motorcycle vloggers Kate Ralph and Vanessa Ruck and a host of other personalities.
At Arenacross, younger riders aged between four and 12 (subject to height restrictions) will also be able to kit themselves out in motocross clothing, before being unleashed on a circuit designed to give them a full-on motocross experience for novices and more experienced riders alike.
Motorcycle Live opens its doors on November 16 and closes on November 24; more information at www.motorcyclelive.co.uk/news
