With winter almost behind us (hopefully); thoughts are starting to turn to the new biking season and, with it, quite naturally, ideas for motorcycle events we want to attend and tick off our 2026 ‘biking bucket list’ are starting to form.
But what are the big biking events we should be considering in 2026? There is plenty of bikesport, obviously, ranging from club racing to British and world championships over a whole range of disciplines varying from road racing to trials. We can’t wait for British Superbikes and the TT races, but we know that racing is not for everyone.
There are also shows and rallies galore where you can gawp at bikes new and old and perhaps do a bit of ‘retail therapy’
And then there are perhaps more niche events such as charity ride-outs where it’s all about taking part and enjoying riding your bike.
But which are the best? We’re merely picking our ‘Top five’ here, so we can’t cover everything, and we’re also trying to be as diverse as possible. But while picking five faves, we’ll also mention others which you might want to consider. Either way, in chronological order, there’s something for everyone here…
May 17 Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride (DGR)
https://www.gentlemansride.com
The ‘DGR’, if you haven’t already done it, may seem a little oddball but is now a huge, global event involving thousands and probably now the biggest organized ‘ride-out’ in the world.
Simply, it’s an organized charity ride with a ‘hipster’ theme that takes place on a pre-ordained day at hundreds of global locations, including around 70 in the UK alone.
It started from humble beginnings in Sydney 2012 to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer and men’s mental health and has simply skyrocketed ever since so that there’s now 1000s of events, 100,000+ participants and sponsorship from no less than Triumph. Just register online, pick your local ride from those listed, dig out your (ideally) vintage style bike and ‘dapper’ garb and go. If the retro/hipster ‘thang’ resonates even slightly, you fancy a good humoured, en-masse ride-out and wanna do your bit for charidee, it’s one of the most fulfilling ways to spend a Sunday in May.
If the DGR gets you in the mood for some quirky retro action, why not check out the Malle Mile, which is held in Lincolnshire in July?
25 May-6 June Isle of Man TT
There’s nothing in motorcycling, nor in the whole world of sport, like the legendary Isle of Man TT.
The original, most iconic and most popular real road racing event has taken place virtually every year since 1907 over two weeks in late May-early June on the 37 ¾-mile ‘Mountain’ road circuit on the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea. And If you haven’t yet sat on a stone wall at Sulby village and been simply blown away by Michael Dunlop/Peter Hickman/Davey Todd blasting past at 190mph+ mere inches away you really shouldn’t put it off any longer.
Although labelled as a two-week event, the racing is in the second and most attend merely for a few days (it’s not cheap, after all). But don’t let that put you off. Apart from the (occasional) racing, for those two weeks the whole island becomes an immersive biking festival with rides, shows, events and gigs galore which just happens to be on a quaint, beautiful setting which somehow seems stuck in the past and where you can easily have a brilliant biking holiday without ever seeing a race. Book a ferry, somehow find some accommodation (if only a tent), don’t worry about tickets because the racing is free to watch.
Can’t make the TT this year? May’s North West 200 is its traditional precursor and another classic road race. Held on Northern Ireland’s Causeway coast, the craic is as good as the racing, which comes thick and fast over two race days.
26-28 June ABR Festival
Another ‘from humble beginnings…’ story but one which has culminated in what is today generally considered the best, most varied, most immaculately presented and professionally run motorcycling festival in the British calendar
The ABR Festival was first run in 2011 as a spin-off of independent magazine Adventure Bike Rider after steady success and growth it moved to the stately location of Ragley Hall, Warwickshire in 2019 and adopted the mantra of ‘Like Glastonbury, with motorcycles and posh toilets’. And ever since it’s got bigger and better still, even though attendance is currently capped at 20,000.
Expect: an adventure bike theme (naturally), idyllic, clean surroundings, quality camping facilities (including showers and toilets), a huge variety of food, evening bands, trade stands, celebrity adventure talks, trail rides and now adventure bike demos from all the leading manufacturers. The sum total makes ABR not only unique but an almost irresistible summer biking event that won’t fail but leave you impressed.
There’s not much else like the ABR, but the weekend after sees the Traction Adventure Bike Festival held in Clyro, on the Welsh side of the England/Wales border. With some stunning roads and trails to take in, it should provide a great location for some brilliant riding.
7-9 August Silverstone MotoGP
Simply the biggest, fastest, most sophisticated and most important bikesport event in Britain – and a whole lot more besides.
In the first place, the MotoGP bikes themselves are virtually space age; their riders are the very best and most talented on the planet and Silverstone circuit is enormous with facilities (including a new museum) that make more humble venues such as Cadwell or Mallory look like go-kart tracks. Meanwhile, the event itself, as Britain’s contribution to the pinnacle of global bike sport, also has all the media frenzy and celebrity schmaltzing that goes with it.
This year’s round promises to be better than ever, too. Last year’s May experiment date was a disaster so it’s back to (hopefully sunny) business as usual in August. There’s also the long-awaited, hugely anticipated debuts of both Yamaha’s all-new V4 and, also for Yamaha, sensational ex-three-time world superbike champion Toprak Razgatlıoğlu. While the event will also feature two runnings of the new (and bonkers) Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup support races.
No, it’s not cheap, trackside viewing isn’t the best and there can be car park gridlock, but for a premium UK bikesport event, they don’t get any bigger.
That said, if you want to watch some more accessible racing you really can’t go far wrong at any of the 11 rounds of the British Superbike Championship. The action is frenetic, as you’d expect from the world’s best superbike championship, with plenty of races and riders who will always stop for a chat and a photo. Carole Nash customers will be able to take advantage of various VIP competitions throughout the year, so why not enter for a chance to win?
21-29 November Motorcycle Live 2026
https://www.motorcyclelive.co.uk
We couldn’t NOT include it, really, but in case you didn’t already know, Motorcycle Live is the UK’s pre-eminent annual motorcycle show, will again take place in 2026 in its traditional third week of November slot at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre and organisers are already promising that the 2026 event will be even better than 2025’s – and that’s despite 2025’s attendance being an encouraging 7% up.
The main attraction, as ever, remains being UK bikers’ first chance to see (and sit on) all the latest new models fresh from their global unveiling at EICMA in Milan in early November, but MCL is also much more than merely a new bike ‘showroom’.
‘Ride Bikes’ zones promise actual and virtual motorcycle demos and experiences; the National Motorcycle Museum provides its classic bike Heritage Zone; there’s a live MX ‘Moto Action Show’, an Expert Lab and electric bikes features, two stages packed with activities and much, much more.
Over 97,000 bike fans attended 2025’s version across its nine days and, although some complain about parking or prices, cheaper advance options are available and there’s nowhere else in the UK to see so much about bikes. The only show that’s bigger is EICMA, and that really will require taking out a second mortgage!
We’ll see you there!
