Season opens at full throttle: MOTORRAD MESSE LEIPZIG wows with premieres, innovations, and show action

Brand presence, first feels, and programme highlights over three exhibition days.

Top brands, real bikes, and a widely-varied programme all came together over the three days of the Leipzig exhibition. The MOTORRAD MESSE LEIPZIG sent the biker scene off to a flying start early in the season with a dazzling February show including premieres, first feels, and show highlights both indoors and outdoors.

Leipzig/Dortmund, 12 February 2026 – Three days of hands-on bike experience: Running from 6 to 8 February 2026, the MOTORRAD MESSE LEIPZIG motorcycle fair once again marked a couple of red days early on in the industry calendar. Visitors seized the chance to discover new models, witness exciting premieres, and check out the latest trends all-in-one-place in Leipzig, before the season traditionally kick-starts in March, a great opportunity to size up and try out. Once again, Leipzig opened the road for genuine encounters, personal guidance, and firsthand product experience, allowing visitors to see the latest machines, accessories, and rider gear in action, eye the nuts-and-bolts close-up, and touch base with brand reps, experts, industry insiders, and other enthusiasts.

Top Brands. Real Bikes. All Things Motorcycle

Once more this year, the MOTORRAD MESSE LEIPZIG showcased the rich diversity of the motorcycle industry, ranging from manufacturers and importers to retailers, equipment, safety, and rider gear. Among the big-name exhibitors were Triumph, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Kove, Royal Enfield, KTM, Harley-Davidson, Ducati, CFMOTO, BENDA, JAWA, GOES, Benelli, Brixton, and Segway. Complementing this vast array were other exhibitors and brands from the tyre, safety, and riderwear sectors, including Mitas Moto (Yokohama), ABUS, Triumph Bekleidung, and MotoLive Leipzig – Held Center Leipzig.

New organiser setup marks a change of pace

The 2026 show sees Leipzig taking another step in setting the two motorcycle exhibition formats in Leipzig and Dortmund on a new footing, with the Dortmund Exhibition Centre Messe Dortmund GmbH taking charge as event organiser. The aim is to evolve the content and organisation of the exhibitions, refine formats, and visibly upgrade the trade fair experience, offering clear orientation for the community, new ideas in the programme, and a stronger brand presence. “For many bikers, this date at the beginning of February is an ideal start to the season: You can sneak a look at all the latest offerings, gather sound advice, and fuel your enthusiasm before things really get going in March,” said Sabine Loos, Managing Director of the Westfalenhallen Unternehmensgruppe, which owns and operates the Messe Dortmund venue. “Responsibility for Leipzig and Dortmund now lies in just one pair of hands, opening the door for steadily developing both events with fresh ideas and a clear sense of what the biker scene expects.”

Household names return, and innovation abounds on stage

A clear indication of the exhibition’s ongoing significance was the presence of leading manufacturers who had skipped Leipzig a few times in recent years: Suzuki Germany, Harley-Davidson, and Ducati Leipzig were back on the grid in 2026, adding to the wide range of models on show at the start of the season. Many exhibitors used Leipzig to offer a sneak-preview of what’s hot, with model updates, débuts, and design enhancements for the new season. Harley-Davidson, just for example, raised the curtain on a German first, premiering the 2026 Harley-Davidson CVO® Street Glide® ST at the Leipzig show.

Action-packed programme line-up – close-knit, manageable, and visitor-friendly

To accompany the exhibition, MOTORRAD MESSE LEIPZIG also lined up a clearly organised daily schedule of events. Between 10 a.m. and 4.30 p.m., programme highlights alternated on the stage and in the indoor and outdoor areas, offering a plentiful mix, and live experiences throughout the day. This also accounted for the broad visitor demographic in attendance: From novice riders and families to classic bike aficionados, spanning all generations.

Over the course of three days, the stage spotlighted a packed programme of events with brand slots and brief updates, flanked by daily interviews with motorcycling experts offering sound advice on coming out of hibernation and getting back in the saddle, and the lowdown on all the latest trends and technology. The indoor Circus Trial Show delivered highlight-reel moments showcasing acrobatic skills and challenging trial sections, staged as a continuous show, making it easily accessible even for families and first-time visitors. Meanwhile, the Supermoto Show in the outdoor area adjoining Hall 4 brought a high-octane atmosphere to the grounds: Drifting skills and racing simulations were on view in demo runs starring drivers from the International German Supermoto Championship, including Max Orbanz and other familiar names from the announced billing.

“We want to give our visitors some substantial takeaways from their visit to the show – real advice, real bikes, and real guidance to make informed decisions. This demands a programme line-up that reflects the many facets of the motorcycling world – from families and young riders to mechanics, seasoned enthusiasts, dealerships, importers, and experts – and elevates the trade fair experience with real highlights,” asserted Sabine Loos. “Leipzig laid a solid foundation, and we’re taking all these ideas on board in a concerted effort to further enliven the formats in Leipzig and Dortmund.”

All eyes are already on the next highlight, which sees the MOTORRÄDER DORTMUND, set to take place from 5 – 8 March 2026 at the Dortmund Exhibition Centre, continuing the opening round in March: Ticket shop