UPDATE 2017/01/20: Automobile Club de l’Ouest and Peter Auto have announced that the first Le Mans Bike Festival, initially scheduled for July this year, has been postponed until July 2019. Read more...
Rendezvous on the Bugatti circuit on 7-8-9 July 2017. This mythic setting, where some of the greatest stories of Endurance and Grand Prix motorbike racing have been written, is the ideal place in which to share the pleasures generated by beautiful two-wheel machines in the glamorous world of classic motorbikes and to breathe in the same atmosphere as collectors. It’s also the dream setting in which to organise the biggest possible all-action show based around historic bikes.
So it’s time for the meeting between fans and the general public, for nostalgia and legendary motorbikes, for the sweet aroma of candy floss, the smell of bikes, and time to relive moments of happiness.
Le Mans Bike Festival in the spirit of Le Mans Classic and of a convivial festival
Like Le Mans Classic, which is now a not-to-be-missed event for collectors and legendary cars, the Le Mans Bike Festival’s aim is to become a permanent event held in alternation with the former every two years in July.
The ACO has surrounded itself with the best people in this field to make a success of this first exceptional meeting and to lay down the foundations of a major event destined to become part of the international scene that’s faithful to the values of the club – passion, involvement, sportsmanship and the popular spirit.
Thus, the ACO is very pleased to associate itself with the co-creator of the Le Mans Bike Festival, Peter Auto. The latter’s expertise in the organisation of major modern classic and benchmark events for motor cars are a big asset.
The Automobile Club de l’Ouest has called on the MAB Events Company recognised for its wealth of skills and the combined relationship network of Jean-Paul Boinet, former endurance grand prix rider, Daniel Adrian and Nathalie Maunay, both well-known figures in the historic motor bike milieu.
A different Moto classic event with an original programme
The ACO pays particularly attention to providing all the spectators with the best possible show whether they are lovers of bikes, novices, simply curious, experts, club members, or spare parts seekers. Everybody will find what they wish for or dream about.
The programme is a rich, diversified, attractive one
- More than 800 bikes are entered for demonstration runs to the delight of collectors who dream of riding on the Bugatti circuit for the fun of it with no competition involved.
- The real racing will consist of a 4-hour event reserved for bikes entered for the French VMA (Vitesse Motos Anciennes) Championship, and an ICGP (International Classic Grand Prix) speed race with 2-stroke competition-client bikes from the 70s.
- Non-stop evocation of the 24 Heures Motos with legendary bikes on the track and star riders from the world of endurance, Grands Prix and the Continental Circus.
- A huge swap meet inside the circuit spread over more than 4000m2.
- An exceptional exhibition zone for the Collector Bike and Neo-Retro Clubs.
- A village selling merchandise in the heart of the circuit with boutiques and entertainment.
- An auction with exceptional bikes.
- Parades on the track
- And a whole lot more excitement to be experienced on the spot!
The 40th anniversary of the 24 Heures Motos will also be a great opportunity to retrace the history of the motorbike and motorbike racing. Beautiful retrospectives will be organised and the very best in the different universes of the collector motorbike, vintage, classic, pre-war, customised, etc, will be on display!
The Festival spirit will emphasize the conviviality that will liven up this new rendezvous where the public can brush shoulders with the collectors and experience a joyful ambiance shared by all-comers.
Le Mans Bike Festival
The collector bike as you’ve never seen it before at Le Mans!
Pierre Fillon (President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest): “Thanks to the wealth of experience we’ve acquired with Le Mans Classic which, over the years, has become a resounding success, our aim is to offer motor sport enthusiasts another retrospective that means a lot to us because it too has made such a big contribution to building the legend of the Le Mans circuit. I’m speaking of course about the 24 Heures Motos, an extraordinary saga whose epic history we have decided to revive in a new event called the Le Mans Bike Festival. So I say to all the enthusiasts, jump on the saddle and come and join us next July!”
Patrick Peter (President of Peter Auto): “We’re proud that the professional links we enjoy with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest have today resulted in both of us combining our know-how to organise this big retrospective of the 24 Heures Motos. The bikers are a large, passionate family with a wide array of different branches. It seemed obvious that now is the right time to give them the first retrospective of this motorbike racing classic. We’re going to invest all our expertise acquired as organiser of meetings for historic cars in this first event to make it a huge festive occasion.”