Right from the start eight years ago, Alun Davies, creator of the ABR Festival, had plans for it to become the bikers’ Glastonbury. And the success of this year’s event, which ran over the last four days of June, means his vision is becoming fact. With a record 17,392 bikers through the gate and more than 10,000 test rides taken, what’s not to like? Rick Kemp reports.
This year’s ABR festival had everything going for it – much more than just a few motorcycles. It appeals to outdoor adventure enthusiasts with a two-wheel bias. Festival goers can get astride an impressive number of bikes for test rides on various terrains, plus there’s clothing, camping equipment, and luggage. For those who want to get their hands dirty, there are bushcraft and outdoor skills workshops. Additionally, more than 4500 motorhomes and camper vans were on site.
The long weekend’s sunny weather at the end of June contributed to the warm atmosphere, and the Ragley Hall estate’s features, such as the lake, which offered paddleboarding and kayaking, added to the experience. The Glastonbury influence was also evident, with more than 20 bands performing across three nights, including some notable DJs in the mix. In the tradition of the event, various speaker stages were home to the likes of Itchy Boots, Lyndon Poskitt, Austin Vince and Adam Riemann, to name but a few.
All that didn’t detract from what might be described as the core business, getting bums on seats. Of the 17,392 ticket holders, more than 10,000 took advantage of the guided and solo test rides on offer. More than 100 of the latest adventure motorcycles were available for visitors to experience first-hand, providing a hands-on opportunity to experience the new technology in real-world conditions. There was also four-wheel action available through Ineos Grenadier test drives on an off-road track, and CFMoto buggy test drives.
Ragley Hall and its surrounding road network offer a good blend of trails and tarmac, allowing for several sponsored circuits. Additionally, training facilities were available in the Phoenix Trails Off-Road Training Zone, and representatives from organisations such as BMW Off-Road Skills, Desert Rose Riding Academy, Ducati Adventure Academy, Harley-Davidson Riding Academy, Honda Adventure Centre, Triumph Adventure Centre, and Sweet Lamb Adventure Bike Academy were also present.
This year, Honda sponsored a couple of open-top double-decker buses, so public transport was available for the first time. They ran around the site every half hour, and, judging by the queues, proved to be very popular, particularly for people with mobility issues, as the festival site was considerably larger than in previous years. On the flip side, mobile phone communication was still an issue, unless you had Starlink on your phone, but fortunately for traders, card payments weren’t affected.
Most people I spoke to were impressed and enthusiastic regarding the format of this year’s festival. The size was impressive, and the content was enough to keep visitors occupied for the four days. On-site accommodation was flexible enough to suit most people, ranging from tents to pre-pitched tents, motorhomes, and campervans. Food, drink, music, ablution areas… it was all there – you didn’t have to go off-site for anything. A unique experience with lots of smiling faces. Additionally, this year, there appeared to be a significant increase in bikes with EU number plates, suggesting that the word is spreading overseas.
Photographer James Bridle www.JamesBridlePhoto.co.uk“This festival has always been about celebrating what we love. The fact that we’re growing isn’t something we take for granted; it’s a sign that the motorcycle industry is alive, evolving, and looking for something it can feel part of,” said Alun Davies, the organiser.
“We set out to create an event that delivers exceptional value, entertainment, and a sense of community spirit. We will continue to grow as long as visitors keep telling us they had a good time. Judging by the smiles, we’re on the right track. The future of the festival is, as it has always been, about producing a show that the entire motorcycling industry can be proud of. It’s about carefully managing our growth while creating an experience that appeals to motorcyclists both old and new.”
Chris Lippitt, marketing manager of Bikerheadz, is one of the festival’s official supporters. “It’s our second year of being a headline sponsor. The main thing we do is talk to people who are using or aspiring to wear our brands. The event started in one field and now covers a massive acreage and it’s the biggest motorcycle show in the country, not necessarily in attendance figures but in physical size. I think the retail section is about the right size. All of us retailing are competing against each other for the same customers.”
Ian Wilson of Roadskin Motorcycle Wear said: “We’ve been attending ABR since Covid, and this year we saw a 20% increase in sales compared to last year. However, compared to other shows this year, that was nothing special. Maybe that was down to the fact that there were double the number of traders this year. The value is having more time to talk to customers and find out what they want. It’s difficult to quantify as it’s more market research orientated than, say, Motorcycle Live.
Over the weekend, more than 20 bands performed at Ragley Hall, attracting a record-breaking ABR attendance. Who said motorcycling is dead?“The hot weather did play a part because people don’t like to try clothes on when it’s hot and sweaty; however, we did find that internet sales were up when we got home. It’s a really enjoyable show because everyone’s in a good mood, compared to somewhere like the NEC, where people are more focused on the cost of car parking or food. I think that next year the attendance could go up to 20,000 and given the number of people who have already booked, there won’t be too many empty spaces. Overall, we had a fantastic time and we’ll definitely be back next year.”
Dean Clements, Clements Moto MD, said: “This was our third year at ABR. Previously, we had only been involved in the off-road trail rides, but this year we focused more on road rides. We took two brands, Fantic and Zontes. Fantic was doing escorted rides on competition enduro bikes and ‘soft’ trail rides. We also had the new Fantic Caballeros – the 500 road bike, and the Scramble 700.
“On the Zontes side, we’ve recently launched the new ZT703-F adventure tourer and several dealers were present with demo bikes, which generated a lot of interest. The festival is a great event; it’s nice to see people willing to pay up to £200 for a ticket and still be smiling.
“With Zontes, we took the 125 and the 350 adventure bikes, but there is a limited interest in A2 adventure bikes. Bizarrely, it’s not from youngsters progressing; it’s older men and ladies who don’t want a hugely heavy, powerful bike. There’s also the 350 adventure scooter, which has just arrived. It has bigger wheels to handle the trails and can cruise at motorway speeds on tarmac, which again appeals to the older rider.
“The festival has now got broad appeal and has become more like a summer motorcycle festival with an adventure feel to it. We had people riding our bikes from 8am to 9pm and we picked up a lot of valuable customer information.”
Chinese adventure and off-road specialist Kove released another new machine at the festival: the 800X Rally. Kove Moto UK’s Steve Collett, said: “We were delighted to launch the new 800X Rally and there is nowhere better to do it than here. Last year, ABR showcased the arrival of our 800X Pro model, but now we go more hardcore with the 800 XRally, a true adventure middleweight with real off-road ability.”
Amidst the recent drama around the KTM brand, there were some stoic efforts to operate as normally as possible. It was good to see KTM UK with a big presence at the festival, featuring models ranging from the 390 Enduro/SMC and Adventure to the 450 Rally, 790 and 890 Adventure, as well as the 890 SMT. The orange brand also showcased a brand-new bike – the 2026 690 Enduro R.
Next year’s ABR Festival will run from 25-28 June at Ragley Hall. Nearly 70% of tickets have already been sold. For more information, visit www.abrfestival.com.