Road and off-road: the two souls of Italian Bike Week come together for the weekend that brings the summer on the road to a close. Live concerts and presentations on stage
«I came all the way from Turkey, riding more than 1,500 km on my motorcycle just to get here: I saw the pictures online and told myself I couldn’t miss it!». Ugur, 54, from Istanbul, is just one of the many bikers making their way to Lignano Sabbiadoro (Udine) to take part in the fifth Italian Bike Week, the motorcycle event that, just a few months after the 40th edition of the Biker Fest International, once again brings motorcyclists from all over Europe to Friuli. And even beyond Europe, as enthusiasts from Australia and the United States have already joined the first arrivals (including Laconia, New Hampshire, home since 1916 to the world’s oldest motorcycle rally).
Among the events that make the event unmissable even for bikers travelling from abroad is certainly the Custom Bike Show, the longest-running custom bike show on the continent, which puts dozens of special builds created by the finest Italian and international custom builders in the spotlight. A round of both the Italian Motorcycle Championship and the AMD World Championship, the show brings together some of the most highly regarded names on the custom scene, including Custom Thom, Garajek, Pacelli Customs and VM Cycles, all of whom have already taken part and won awards at previous editions. Once again, the strong presence of Central Europe is particularly noteworthy, with builders and enthusiasts already arriving from Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovenia, as well as France and Switzerland.
Tomorrow the Demo Ride Area will also come alive, with the first free on-road test rides of the latest models from Aprilia, Can-Am, Cyclone, Kove, Morbidelli, Moto Guzzi and Honda. The latter is present in Lignano with its Live Tour 2026 and the Young Riders School, dedicated to riders taking their very first steps on a motorcycle. The Mototours and Adventure Rides will also get underway, offering two different ways of experiencing two-wheel tourism and discovering the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. As for the former, the FMI MotoClub Danilo Vian will accompany participants on a tour of Pordenone, Italian Capital of Culture 2027, which is currently hosting Pordenonelegge, a nationally renowned book festival. Meanwhile, the mini-raids organised by MV Adventure association venture away from the most travelled routes, combining the IBW’s off-road spirit with dirt-road itineraries reserved for enduro riders and off-road enthusiasts.
Ahead of the first two concerts of the weekend’s live rock programme, featuring the bands LowLight and HardPop, the book Rockers – The Proud Freaks, published by Battello Stampatore, will be presented. «An immersive journey between light and shadow into an alternative universe» populated by eccentric characters who are proud to be so: this is how author Flow sums it up. He will be joined on stage by actor Diego Pagotto, who is involved in a project to turn the story into a film adaptation.
Michael Le Pard (“Mr. Totalmotorcycle”) is the Founder of Total Motorcycle, the world’s largest motorcycle information site, trusted by over 430 million riders since 1999. With over 34 years of experience in motorcycles, gear and rider culture, he has built a global community dedicated to empowering and inspiring motorcyclists.
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