Adventure masterclass

On his first visit to the ABR Festival at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire, Andy Mayo is more than impressed with what he sees as a breath of fresh air for the industry.

I have been lucky enough to have been involved in the motorcycle industry for more than 25 years. Initially, co-organising Motorcycle Trade Expo dealer shows alongside the commercial aspects of British Dealer News, eventually becoming editor of BDN in 2020.

Throughout my career, I have been taught the importance of remaining independent and professional. However, every now and then, something exceptional comes along that deserves to be recognised and called out.

Although I regularly receive copies of Adventure Bike Rider magazine, I have never attended the company’s sister show – the ABR Festival. Earlier this year, ABR’s owner, Alun Davis, invited me to meet up with the ABR team to brainstorm ideas and explore potential opportunities. As a curious journalist passionate about motorcycles and adventure, it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.

The meeting went well, but as I rode back to Devon I couldn’t help but think about the enormous task they had ahead of them. Renting a stately home is one thing but preparing it for hundreds of exhibitors and tens of thousands of visitors is altogether another. With more than 25 years’ involvement in organising events, I have a pretty good understanding of the extensive work that goes on behind the scenes to turn ideas into reality. The majority of the work is done long before exhibitors or visitors even set eyes on the end product. The planning and implementation of an event based entirely outdoors adds another level of complexity, bringing in power and water for a start. Then all the equipment, staging, marquees, stands, facilities, and services, as well as selling space to exhibitors and arranging entertainment, requires painstaking effort. Considering the festival’s ambition is to significantly increase attendance each year, I couldn’t help but wonder if the organisers had bitten off more than they could chew.

I couldn’t have been more wrong! On arrival at this year’s event, I was amazed by the number of bikes and bikers and the sheer size of the event’s footprint. The festival also had an incredibly friendly atmosphere. Having attended more than 250 shows throughout my time in the industry, the atmosphere was the best I have ever experienced, and the range of things to see and do added value – all encompassed in a great venue but, more importantly, held in mid-summer allowing a party-themed atmosphere.

After enjoying the evening entertainment – I ran out of fingers trying to keep track of all the bands (14 in total over the weekend) – the following day was spent talking to exhibitors, visitors, and manufacturers. Not one complaint was heard about the cost of participation, unheard of these days. Additionally, the visitor demographic appeared younger than is the norm at many biking events, with a higher proportion of women in attendance, either riding their own bikes or as pillion.

Alun Davis bills the event as “Glastonbury with bikes and posh toilets”, and it has hit the spot in a sector of the market that is thriving and, in my opinion, is far more sustainable than the old sports bike scene.

Post-show research data, completed by 2523 visitors, aligns with my overall impression of show open days while I was there. Visitor demographics showed that more than half of the attendees were below the average age of bikers in the UK, and there were scores of foreign number plates on site, with Dutch, German, French, Spanish, and Polish-plated bikes being the most common.

The festival drew a record-breaking crowd of 14,873 visitors and more than 10,000 test rides were taken over the four-day event – from a demonstration fleet of nearly 700 bikes on offer. The show also provided a wide range of activities and attractions for beginners as well as experienced riders. One of the most popular features for visitors was the extensive network of off-road riding trails where riders could tackle various courses, including beginner-friendly routes as well as more challenging tracks.

ABR was well received by the motorcycle manufacturers that offered bikes to try and was completely booked throughout the show days. Road-based demo rides were also available for those who didn’t want to get their boots muddy.

The festival featured an impressive line-up of guest speakers, including well-known adventurers and authors who shared their inspiring journeys and experiences. Talks by personalities such as Long Way Down/Round/Up star Charley Boorman, round-the-world record breaker Nick Sanders, and solo adventure rider and writer Lois Pryce attracted large audiences, captivating them with stories of their global travels and the lessons learned along the way.

The ABR team is already working on the 2025 event, taking advantage of the goodwill it has earned by offering loyalty tickets to all visitors who attended this year’s show, which have, at the time of writing, had a 70% uptake.

The organisers are also applying for a license to host 20,000 people next year, with a target of 17,500. The team’s focus is on managing the increase to deliver a quality experience rather than going all-out on ticket sales.

I’ll leave the last word to event owner Alun Davis: “To the consumer, we market the ABR as ‘Glastonbury with bikes and posh toilets’; to the trade, we promote the event as ‘The summer showcase for the motorcycle industry’. If trade feedback is a measure of success, then we are delivering what we set out to achieve –to build, host, and manage an event the motorcycle industry can be proud of and profit from.”

See you at the 2025 event, over the weekend of the 27-29 June. For further information go to www.abrfestival.com.