ABR FESTIVAL ZONE · MCL 2026
Pull up a seat.
Plan your next adventure.
21–29 NOVEMBER2026HALL 3NEC BirminghamSIX TALKS A DAY11am–4pm · 20 minutes each
Remember the training montage in Rocky IV? The one where Sly’s running through the snow, chopping wood and running up a mountain, with Hearts on Fire providing the soundtrack. Every time I watch it, I feel motivated to pull on my trainers, lose my belly, and shout “Drago!” from the top of the nearest mountain.
A good adventure biking story has much the same effect. You hear from someone who’s ridden around the world, crossed a desert or found a way to travel on next to nothing, and suddenly a fire starts burning inside you and that trip you’ve been putting off starts to feel possible.
That’s the feeling we’re bringing to the ABR Festival Zone at MCL this November (21-29). In the Travellers’ Tales tent we’ll be bringing together a curated collection of inspirational tales and practical sessions, and we’re very happy to be able to share the full nine-day schedule with you.
Pick your day, round up your mates and grab a seat. You never know, you might have a Rocky IV moment and end up riding around the world yourself.
Who can I see in the ABR Festival Zone at MCL?
Choose a day below to see all six sessions. Talks start on the hour and last approximately 20 minutes.
Programme subject to change. Further session titles will be added as they’re confirmed.
Make a day of it
The ABR Festival Zone is just one part of MCL, and this year there’s so much going on you’ll find it hard to fit into just one day.
Alongside seeing all of the new bikes (I’m very excited to check out the new Africa Twin), across the nine days, MCL’s Super Stage will welcome guests including Charley Boorman, Max Biaggi, John McGuinness, Dean Harrison and Leon Haslam. The programme ranges from celebrating 30 years of British Superbikes to exploring Allen Millyard’s extraordinary V10 Viper motorcycle.
When your feet need a rest, the Fan Zones in Halls 3 and 3A have food, bars and plenty of seating. The new MCL On Demand will bring Super Stage talks and exhibitor features to their screens, with that content going on YouTube after the show. There’ll also be live MotoGP qualifying and racing screened across both weekends, so a day at the NEC needn’t mean missing the action.
You can get some riding in yourself with a free ride at the Elite Test Ride Zone, while Learn2Ride gives newcomers a chance to have a go. Or leave the ambitious stuff to the riders in the Moto Action Show, with its freestyle motocross and trials displays, before catching some live music in the Live Lounge, Amplified by Yamaha. Then come back to the Festival Zone and tell us which bike has caught your eye. We’ve made plenty of room for a catch-up.
21–29 November 2026 · Hall 3 · NEC Birmingham
Pick your day and book ahead: advance adult tickets start at £25 for a weekday visit. Online bookings are subject to a £2 booking fee. MCL is also subsidising car parking to £10 when booked by 23:59 on Thursday 19 November, instead of the £19.95 on-the-day price. Coming by bike? Motorcycle parking is free.
