Bauer Media's UK operation has closed the MCN (Motorcycle News) London Motorcycle Show. Staged at east London's Docklands based Excel exhibition centre since 2007, it is a show that can trace a lineage back as far as the earliest days of the Earl's Court International Motorcycle Show in London in the early 1950's, and beyond. That leaves the modern MCIA UK motorcycle industry trade association's Motorcycle Live at Birmingham's NEC as the UK's only real 'major' motorcycle expo, though Bike Shed's annual "School of Cool" at Tobacco Dock at the end of May and also in east London continues to grow.
The provisional 2026 MotoGP schedule, the first to be released under the imprimatur of new Dorna Sports owner Liberty Media (Colorado, USA) again includes 22 Grands Prix on five continents. A highlight will be the return of the Brazil GP for the first time since Makoto Tomada's win for Honda in 2004 - the new venue for the Brazilian race will be Autodromo Internacional Ayrton Senna at Goiania near Brasilia. This will be the final season before the 1,000 cc formula (introduced in 2012) switches to 850 cc for 2027. The season opener is still slated for Thailand but an alternate city and venue to Bangkok is expected to be announced shortly. The casualty for 2026 is the Indian GP, due to ongoing logistical and financial issues since its inaugural race in at the Buddh International Circuit in 2023. Argentina's race at Termas de Rio Hondo also falls off the 2026 calendar, but it is expected to return in 2027 at a new location in Buenos Aires; www.motogp.com
Germany's e-Rocket, which has been in insolvency since November 2024 appears to be back 'in-play' with an Ari Motors joint venture to build military electric two-wheelers. The companies are based at Borna near Leipzig and the news venture is named 'eRocket Defence'.
The FIM has announced 5 December 2025, as the date for its annual General Assembly, with the 2025 FIM Awards being handed out on 06 December - both events being hosted at the SwissTech Convention Centre in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Storied British Motorcycle manufacturer CCM (Clews Competition Machines - founded in 1971 by Alan Clews) has entered administration - a UK form of bankruptcy protection - after more than 50 years in the motorcycle manufacturing business. The company was taken over in 2021 by Pitalia Capital. Financial injections to fund new models and expansion ultimately failed to achieve ambitious objectives, including development of the planned new Project X adventure bike, despite the popularity of the best-selling 600 cc Spitfire single platform. The company faced additional headwinds following the closure of one of its largest retail partners, Completely Motorbikes, last year. Broader challenges in the industry, including a slump in new bike sales and the introduction of stringent Euro 5+ regulations, further impacted the business/BDN.
