Like the German autobahns and the Isle of Man Mountain Course, the Nürburgring racetrack has been a bastion of public high-speed freedom for decades. But the curtain is finally coming down on two-wheeled access to the 12.9-mile hybrid public road/race circuit after organisers banned bikes from public “Touristenfahrten”, or tourist days, on safety grounds. Anyone who’s ridden a bike there over the years will have seen the dangers during the public open days: local experts in very fast cars dice with sightseeing tourists, motorcycles, rental cars and even buses and vans.
Now the circuit bosses have decided to stop access to motorcycles, and only a few organised race schools and track days will be allowed each year.
In a statement shared online, the circuit said: “The differing driving dynamics of two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles can lead to misunderstandings, particularly for motorcyclists. To enhance safety for all road users, we will implement strict separation between cars and motorcycles in the future.”