The main stage will also host initiatives and talks dedicated to the psychological well-being of motorcyclists and recovery from “road trauma” following accidents
While motorcycles roar away from the entrance to the Luna Park for the Mototour led by the FMI MotoClub Danilo Vian — heading to the Pordenonelegge book festival, currently taking place in the capital of Western Friuli — an Alpen Rotor helicopter takes to the sky. This year, in addition to its classic flights over Lignano, the company is offering longer-range panoramic tours over the Venice Lagoon, Trieste and the “star-shaped city” of Palmanova, providing yet another way to discover Friuli Venezia Giulia. These new activities get Saturday at the Italian Bike Week off to a flying start. After Thursday and Friday’s warm-up, the event is now entering the heart of its packed programme.
The Off Road Arena is the centre of the action: the event’s dedicated area is hosting the Enduro Days from today, a two-day programme of free riding sessions organised by MotoClub Sabbiadoro on the dirt tracks that once hosted the legendary 12 Hours Enduro Lignano race. Off-road models — not only the more specialised racing machines, but also Adventure and Scrambler bikes — are taking centre stage in the Demo Rides, free test rides of the latest models from Honda RedMoto, Yamaha, Rieju, Can-Am and KTM. It is a unique opportunity for enthusiasts of dirt riding, an element that has characterised IBW since its very first edition and highlights its “dirt” spirit at a particularly dynamic time for the off-road motorcycle market.
However, Italian Bike Week is not just about fun and adrenaline: the event’s 360-degree programme dedicated to the world of motorcycling also makes room for talks and in-depth discussions on motorcycling and life on the road. On the main stage, during the talk The Biker’s Mind After an Accident, Dr Silvia Ave discusses the psychological aspects of recovery following an accident. Overcoming “road trauma” is the first step towards getting back on the bike and regaining the confidence and awareness needed to ride safely again. «Because psychological well-being» explains Dr Ave «also concerns those who travel, fall, get back on their bikes and face their own limits».
Meanwhile, as the Luna Park car park fills up with motorcycles, the Beard’s Race and Pin-Up Contest bring a lighter touch to the IBW afternoon, combining entertainment and irony. Created by Fabrizio Bottos, winner of the World Beard and Moustache Championships in 2019 and 2023, the Beard’s Race put some of the most original beards, moustaches and goatees to the test. Bottos is the only Italian in history to have won the world title with a natural beard measuring an impressive 60 centimetres. After the challenge of looks, poses and choreography inspired by the 1950s, the Pin Ups will once again take centre stage, blending glamour and irony on Sunday morning during the spectacular U.S. Car on the Beach, the parade of American cars that will cross Lignano, transforming the city streets into a spectacular celebration of American automotive culture. It will be the third parade of the weekend, following the great Saturday Night Parade and Ciao in ciabatte, which saw 50cc bikes from the 1970s and 1980s take part in a carefree convoy heading towards the beach for one final farewell to summer.
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