Motorcycle Live, Britain’s biggest motorcycle show, took place earlier this month, with large crowds enjoying the daily action and getting the chance to see 2026’s hottest new bikes in the metal for the first time.
The nine-day festival, held at Birmingham’s NEC, was completely rebranded this year and continued its transformation from straight-up motorbike show to a more family-orientated festival. After a strong showing in 2024 and a marketing campaign supported by Bauer Media, owners of Motorcycle News, this year’s event was rewarded with record advance ticket sales.
Carole Nash returned as an exhibitor for the first time since Covid, celebrating our 40th anniversary, and had an action-packed stand, with goodie bag giveaways, a temporary airbrush tattoo parlour and a life sized racing simulator, which saw one racetrack wannabe pocket £440 after setting the fastest lap of a virtual Silverstone circuit.
Bikes on display included the legendary Kawasaki GPZ900R Ninja, the world’s fastest motorcycle when the company was founded in 1985, and the latest Yamaha MT-07 Y-AMT, which was being offered as part of a free-to-enter prize draw.
The events industry has been decimated in recent years, struggling to recover from the devastation of Covid restrictions and closures, but Motorcycle Live, which is run by the events arm of the Motorcycle Industry Association, has taken the opportunity to reinvent itself and move beyond simply a big motorbike showroom with some activities on the peripheries.
Sure the 2025 edition saw most of the major manufacturers in attendance and showcasing their latest wares, and there was also the opportunity to buy some discount gear and meet some biking celebrities, but there was more to do for the casual enthusiast and family members of all ages.
Non-riders had the opportunity to try out learner bikes under supervision, giving them a taste of what life could be like on two-wheels, while daily test rides gave full licence holders a chance to try out some new bikes they could be riding in the new year.
Live chat shows and demonstrations, hosted by TV presenters Grace Webb and James Whitham, took place on the outskirts of the arena – as did much of the live action – and were popular destinations. The relocation of these attractions made the main halls less noisy and give a more relaxing and enjoyable day out for many.
Not that the main halls were without attraction. Triumph promoted its new range of electric off-roaders, developed by OSET, in a dedicated indoor area, which was right next to a virtual racing arena where groups of six could battle for MotoGP honours on more bike simulators.
BMW showed off its new F 450 GS adventure bike and had a GS arena, where pro riders hustled big adventure bikes over obstacles like they were lightweight trials bikes, while the catering stalls – conveniently located next to live music and chat show stages – appeared to have taken a step upmarket too.
Norton took pride of place with its exciting new range of bikes, while the new generation of Chinese manufacturers were also out in force with their rapidly improving product lines. Other bikes debuting included Kawasaki’s W230 and KLE500, BSA’s impressive looking Thunderbolt 350 and Suzuki’s updated GSX-R1000, which held pride of place in an impressive display telling the story of the iconic race replica.
Overall, the vibe was positive and belied much of the negativity which has surrounded the bike industry in 2025, with a feeling that the show was back to – or maybe even better than – pre-pandemic levels.
That was reflected in the words of show organiser Finlay McAllan, who said: “MCL25 has proved to be one of the best for many years. With more advanced tickets sold, more stand space sold and ultimately more visitors, along with a fantastically positive atmosphere throughout, I can confidently call it a success!
“I’d like to thank everyone that’s joined us over the last nine days. We look forward to seeing you again in 2026.”
Tony Campbell, CEO of the Motorcycle Industry Association added: “What an amazing week for the industry - MCL 25 reached new heights, with an amazing experience for the visitor and exhibitor alike. An incredible job delivered by our events team, led by Finlay McAllan. Our marketing and communications, especially on the lead up to and during the show, brought the event to a new digital life. We look forward to welcoming even more visitors and exhibitors at MCL26”
Motorcycle Live returns to The NEC from 21-29 November 2026, with advanced tickets on sale soon at www.motorcyclelive.co.uk
