The hamster-wheel of the motorbike season spins another squeaky cycle this month with the 2024 Devitt Insurance MCN London Motorcycle Show. Kicking off on the weekend of 16-18 Feb at the London ExCel exhibition centre in Docklands, the show is the biggest regional event for the trade, second only to Motorcycle Live at the NEC in terms of scale.
Organisers say there has been an “exciting overhaul” to the show plan this year, with a new live-action off-roading event, three new stages and plenty of race stars and celebrities in attendance.
The show’s mainstay will undoubtedly be new 2024 models, with punters flocking in to check out fresh machinery from the big brands. Confirmed manufacturer exhibitors as we went to press include BMW, Yamaha, Suzuki, Triumph, Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki and Kymco – with Honda an obvious name missing from the line-up. The show organisers are also promising an extensive retail zone, for bargain-hunting punters.
The live events will again be a strong attraction. This year’s big competition is an Extreme Enduro race, with off-road riders going head-to-head over an obstacle course. We’re imagining a wild variant of Junior Kick Start, with super-competitive off-road racers instead of earnest kids – sounds interesting.
The three live stages will be slightly more peaceful: Charley Boorman’s Adventure Base Camp, Henry Cole’s Ready to Ride Workshop and the MCN World of Bikes. They will do what they say on the tin: Charley Boorman’s stage centres on globe-trotting adventure riding, speaking to experts on trip planning, preparation and how to cope on the road. Henry Cole will be live-restoring bikes with his chums Allen Millyard and Guy Willison and demonstrating live hands-on demos on bike repair and maintenance tasks. Finally, the MCN stage will be hosting chats with legends such as TT racers John McGuinness and Peter Hickman, with Jamie Whitham hosting the conversation. There will also be a special tribute to racing team boss Paul Bird, who did so much for the sport in the UK and who sadly died last year.
Tickets for the show are on sale online in advance, with half-price car parking (though driving in London is not to be recommended). Children under four are free, and the show offers free bike parking.
www.mcnmotorcycleshow.com