Motorcycle Live will return to the NEC from 19-27 November, and along with it will be the Test Ride Zone, supported by Shoei, Sidi and Spada.
The Test Ride Zone is an area at Motorcycle Live where visitors can get a feel for one of a selection of motorcycles out on the road before deciding if it’s the bike for them.
Perhaps the most appealing part of the Test Ride Zone is that it is totally free to sign up. Bookings are taken in-person in the morning and afternoon, on a first-come-first-served basis and, as long as you have your entry ticket to Motorcycle Live and an appropriate UK motorcycle licence*, you can take a wander up to the Test Ride Zone and take your pick from the bikes available.
You don’t even need to bring your own gear. For 2022, the Test Ride Zone is supported by Shoei, Spada, and Sidi, who will provide protective and comfortable riding gear on the day for anyone wishing to do a test ride.
The available motorcycles to try out at the Test Ride Zone will be announced soon. Keep an eye on the Motorcycle Live website to see the list when it is announced.
Motorcycle Live’s Test Ride Zone is not only an opportunity to test out new motorcycles, you can also take the option to improve your own riding. An IAM Observer will accompany each ride out, and afterwards you’ll receive some pointers on how you can improve your riding – only if you’d like them!
There is also the presence of the Elite Rider Hub, just next to the Test Ride Zone, which was set up earlier this year by the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) as a response to the difficulty in finding a suitable post-test motorcycle training course.
The Elite Rider Hub brings together in one place the most credible advanced riding programmes in the UK - including the IAM Roadsmart course - to make it easier for riders to find the course which is right for them.
So, after taking a test ride with an accompanying IAM Observer, you could take any advice they had for you to the Elite Rider Hub stand and decide which advanced training course would best suit you and the areas of your riding you wanted to work on to become a more confident and skilled rider.
Motorcyclists are some of the most vulnerable road users in the UK, and often it falls to bikers to protect themselves and each other on the road. Learning how to improve your own riding is a great way to do that. It can be very helpful for riders to better understand how situations might develop and how to best react to these.
Motorcycle Live 2022 begins on Saturday 19 November, with advanced tickets on sale until 17:00 on Friday 18 November. Booking in advance will cost £22 per adult, with tickets for children aged 6-18 costing £1, and those five-years-old-and-under going free with an accompanying paying adult. Advanced tickets will also grant a discounted car parking fee of £10, while motorcycle parking is free. There is a £2 admin fee per order.
*All visitors will be breathalysed before any rides are taken, Motorcycle Live operate zero tolerance on alcohol consumption.
More information about Motorcycle Live 2022 can be found here
All images courtesy of Motorcycle Live.