Adventure
Six spectacular days, 200 vintage motorcycles and nearly 1000 miles of gorgeous Italian scenery. Weeks on two wheels don’t come much better than the Motogiro d’Italia
By Jeff Buchanan Photography Motogiro / Roberto Brodolini
There are worse fates than to be lost in Italy on a new Benelli, I suppose. That’s what I keep telling myself as I wander the roads outside Verucchio, slightly panicking that I haven’t seen another rider for a while and have probably veered off course.
A meandering tree-lined road eventually guides me towards the ancient hilltop village. More than a hundred vintage motorcycles are parked on its cobblestoned main square, riders sharing tales from the road while enjoying treats presented to them by locals. Yes, there are definitely worse fates.
Welcome to the 2025 Motogiro d’Italia, a six-day celebration of vintage motorcycles set in a succession of stunning Adriatic landscapes. Understandably, it attracts riders from all over the globe. This year almost 200 enthusiasts are taking part, some from as far as the US, Canada, Argentina and Australia. Participants may not share a language but they share a passion.
Everyone has a story about why they ride what they do, whether it’s a cherished Motobi, an ardently maintained MV Agusta or a long-sought Ducati. There may be a prized family Moto Morini handed down through the generations. And it’s not only Italian bikes – there are Nortons and BSAs, too. Whatever the bike and the brand, behind each bike is a sentimental story.
The Motogiro unfolds as a moving vintage motorcycle show, with famed machinery in immaculate condition being ridden as their inventors intended, rather than just parked in a museum or garage. The motorcycles taking part are from a different era, decades old, but still belting out their imperious war cries on roads that feel like they were created specifically for riding.
‘Immaculate vintage bikes being ridden rather than just parked in a museum or garage’
Each morning riders clad in well-worn leathers roll their beloved bikes to the starting gate and line up according to their number. The air is then filled with the sound of old engines coming to life. There are more kick starters here than you’re likely to encounter anywhere else. Some bikes start first try, others are slightly more temperamental. There is simple gratification in hearing a cold vintage engine cough into life after several kicks. And as you might imagine, there’s a lot of bump-starting. The clock ticks down and riders are flagged off for another day of adventure amid a chorus of clapping valves, slapping pistons and belting exhaust notes.
The Motogiro is a timed rally with points tallied to determine individual stage winners and an overall victor. Speed is not the goal but rather punctuality, with points demerited for late arrival to any of the five or six checkpoints each day. Additional points are earned (or lost) in a series of special tests, which usually comprise of a short course of cones, and a subsequent straight section that must be traversed in as close to the same time as possible. It’s tougher than it sounds. The serious competitors have mounted stopwatches to accurately gauge these transitions. The Motogiro is a competition, but there tends to be more smiles and laughs than angst or arguments.
Averaging just over 150 miles (250km) per day, the stages are made up of winding roads through beautiful landscapes and quaint villages. The first stage of 2025 begins in Pesaro, with a loop through Rimini, San Leo and Tavullia, before winding back to Pesaro. Over the next few days the circus moves on to Terni, Amelia and Bracciano, before returning to the seaside at San Benedetto del Tronto.
The fifth day, backdropped by the Adriatic Sea from up high in the mountains, traverses charming villages such as Loreto, Montegiorgio and Pedaso. The final day returns to the start point in Pesaro via a stop at the Benelli Museum. Through it all are the gracious and appreciative waves and applause of locals who warmly welcome riders into their towns and villages. Checkpoints and water stops are traditionally chosen for their heritage and historical significance: a castle; an ancient town square; a tree-covered park. Sometimes there’s a hero’s welcome of schoolchildren lining the avenue, cheering wildly. Several times we’re greeted by a full regalia of drummers and trumpeters in period costume, performing a traditional folk song with flag bearers waving the town’s colours. The Motogiro is an environment of celebration and culture.
The circus moves to different hotels every second day. Each morning Carabinieri leap-frog ahead to block traffic for the 200 vintage motorcycles easing out of town. The noise is wonderful. Each day is its own unique adventure. Some ride in groups or with friends, others choose to go solo. Between the checkpoints, the food stops (plenty of pizza and pasta) and the special tests, there is a lot of glorious riding. Despite 200 motorcycles and various support vehicles, things spread out and there are plenty of solitary moments to be enjoyed, when the road opens up ahead and behind with not another soul in sight. Throughout the day there are overtakes, or being overtaken, accompanied by the various sounds of singles, twins, triples and fours and the occasional crackle of a two-stroke, leaving the sweet scent of burnt premix wafting in the air.
The Italian hills are an appropriate backdrop for this escape into the past. The pace is surprisingly swift. Traditionally scheduled for May, the weather offers the best possible riding, with mild temperatures and relatively little precipitation. The planners of the Motogiro do an impeccable job of searching out interesting places with motorcycle-friendly roads.
Locals welcome the rally with real pageantry
The route is carefully marked to keep riders heading in the right direction. Naturally, people miss markers and get lost, but that’s just part of the event. A sweep team locate the lost, pick up those who have broken down – after all, these are vintage bikes – and deliver everyone to that night’s hotel.
Evenings turn into indulgent affairs of great food and plenty of libation, where the nightly presentations for each day’s stage winners often get loud and rowdy. This culminates on the sixth day with the final overall standings and awarding of trophies. The top scorers stand atop a podium.
But of all the myriad joys to be found at the Motogiro – the riding, the villages, the people, the bikes, the food – there’s one aspect that really moves me. When we stop in each town, locals peruse the machines. There always seems to be a grey-haired senior citizen, often walking with the aid of a cane, who would find one bike to contemplate with a gleam in their eye. I couldn’t help but imagine they’re unearthing old memories and reliving their youth.
What is it that drives us to embrace and lust after these old machines – the fascination in old engines still turning and the charm of their dated performance? It all serves some respectful alliance to motorcycling’s glorious past. Yes, obviously, a return to a simpler time, but also one that celebrates the magic of motorcycling’s past inventions. For behind each brand and model, were entrepreneurs, designers and engineers, long departed, who conjured these marvellous machines from pure passion.
Bike verdict Intended as an easy-to-ride road-focused adventure bike, Benelli’s TRK702X is designed in the firm’s original Pesaro headquarters, though it’s manufactured in China under partnership with Qianjiang Motorcycle (aka QJMotor). After spending six days and 1000 miles with the TRK, it’s a pleasant surprise. Everything from throttle response to transmission to turn-in feels solid, smooth and predictable. Not just an ideal mount for newer riders, the TRK has room to grow into with enough performance to keep an experienced rider entertained. Plus at just £6999, it costs a quarter of some other adventurers.
‘The fifth day, backdropped by the Adriatic Sea from up high in the mountains, traverses charming villages’
SPECIFICATIONS
BENELLI TRK702X
Price £6999
Engine 698cc 8v liquid-cooled DOHC parallel twin
Bore x stroke 83 x 64.5mm
Transmission 6-speed, chain
Power 69bhp @ 8000rpm
Torque 52lb·ft @ 6000rpm
Weight 218kg (claimed, dry)
Seat height 835mm
Fuel capacity 20 litres
Fuel consumption 48mpg (average, tested)
Motogiro: from race to rally
» The Motogiro d’Italia was Italy’s most prestigious and famous road race. First run in 1914, it was born out of the crazed love affair the public was enjoying with the nascent motorised excitement of automobiles and motorcycles. These road races were genuine spectacles, routing through remote villages and winding mountain roads, allowing locals the opportunity to cheer on the riders and drivers as they raced through the normally peaceful enclaves. However, as vehicles evolved over the years, so did the speeds. The danger became obvious. Crashes and injuries, as well as fatalities, began to accrue, resulting in public outcry.
The concerns of the public, and the government’s efforts to curb the events, were given sobering evidence in 1957. A horrific crash at the Mille Miglia car race resulted in the deaths of a driver and navigator, as well as nine spectators. In response, the government shut down all races on public roads. It was the end of an era.
A decade later, in 1967, the Motogiro – now classified as a timed road rally as opposed to a race – enjoyed a one-off rebirth. It was granted permission again in 1968, and in 1969.
Twenty years would elapse before it was relaunched – in 1989 the event attracted enough participants to prove its enduring popularity. After another hiatus the Motogiro returned in 2001 and has since enjoyed regular annual running, giving aficionados of vintage motorcycles an opportunity to relive the glory of these motorcycles’ storied pasts.
Ride the Motogiro
The 2026 Motogiro d’Italia heads to Sardinia from 24-30 May. If you want to be transported back in time for a week of glorious food, zany characters and a shared love of classic machinery, you should seriously consider making it happen. The Motogiro is open to anyone with a motorcycle licence. There is almost certainly a class to accommodate your bike – all years, engine configurations and displacements are covered. Rentals are also available.
Visit motogiroitalia.it to secure your place.