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The 82nd edition of the show was enormous even by EICMA standards: more than 730 exhibitors and roughly 2,000 brands from around fifty countries filled the halls, drawing a record crowd of over 600,000 visitors. This year’ s theme,“ That’ s Amore,” was reflected not only in the spectacle but in the way the show leaned into the emotional core of motorcycling— heritage, community, aspiration and the thrill of possibility. From the moment the doors opened, it was clear that this wasn’ t simply a trade fair but an event designed to celebrate motorcycle culture in all its facets.
MotoLive, the sprawling outdoor arena, marked its twentieth anniversary with an amplified program of stunt shows, flat-track battles, freestyle exhibitions and racing demonstrations, providing a thumping soundtrack to the quieter business being done inside the halls. Intermixed with the new models were immersive displays ranging from start-up showcases and mobility technology to simulators, art installations and a lovingly curated collection of iconic desert-rally machinery known as the“ Desert Queens.” This exhibit, lined with legendary Dakar and long-distance rally bikes, reminded visitors that adventure motorcycling isn’ t a recent invention— it’ s the spiritual backbone of the sport.
And it was the adventure segment, more than any other, that defined the show. Manufacturers across the spectrum used EICMA 2025 to present their most significant moves in the dual-sport and travel enduro world, sending a clear message about the market’ s direction: more capability, more accessibility and more global appeal.
The most talked-about adventure reveal was BMW’ s F450GS, introduced as a production-bound lightweight GS for 2026. The bike represents a deliberate shift toward smaller-capacity adventure platforms, blending an all-new 420 cc twin with a lightweight chassis and the unusual addition of a centrifugal clutch. It occupies a space BMW hasn’ t touched in decades— offering a gateway into the GS family for riders who value approachability as much as performance. The crowd response suggested immediate interest from newer riders, shorter riders, off-road learners and anyone fatigued by the escalating size of bigbore adventure machines.
Just across the hall, BSA caused a different kind of stir with the Thunderbolt, the resurrected brand’ s first foray into the adventure category. That a heritage-rich British marque would return to the market with a modern ADV model seemed to resonate with retro-minded travellers and riders who crave simplicity without sacrificing longdistance potential. With its expected 2026 release window, the Thunderbolt adds an entirely unexpected badge to the rapidly diversifying adventure landscape and hints that nostalgia and practicality can indeed coexist.
Benelli, meanwhile, leaned into momentum from its
TRAVERSE 156