The year was 1987, and Italy's motorcycle rally scene was dead.
That’s when a group of bikers from Friuli Venezia Giulia, a region of northeast Italy, banded together to create the first annual Biker Fest International. They envisioned a show that could rival German Bike Week, Daytona, and Sturgis. Gaining that level of notoriety would take some time, though.
Beset by rainy weather, the inaugural installment drew a total of 850 visitors and 400 motorcycles. The only way was up, and BFI did just that. In 1990, attendance rose to 4,000. By the turn of the century, total participants totaled 32,000 and parked bikes reached 17,000. The festival only carried that momentum into the new millennium.
A popular resort town along the Adriatic Coast, Lignano Sabbiadoro is now synonymous with the Italian motorcycle rally. It welcomed 10 editions of Biker Fest International and all four years of Italian Bike Week. Italian Bike Week photo.
BFI’s continued growth called for several venue changes throughout the 2000s. In 2004, the show was held at San Daniele del Friuli before shifting to Sutrio the following year. After the commune of Osoppo played host in 2011, the rally found its true home, Lignano Sabbiadoro, in 2012. The resort town soon earned BFI the title of the “Italian Daytona.”
Even after Biker Fest International rebranded to Italian Bike Week in 2022, the event still returns to Lignano Sabbiadoro every year. It’s no different in 2025, but the show’s activities are more diverse than ever. Scenes from the fourth-annual IBW prove as much.
When Biker Fest International became Italian Bike Week in 2022, organizers broadened the event’s appeal by including activities for off-road riders. This year, IBW featured a “dedicated off-road track” for attendees to “test out the latest Enduro and Motocross models for free.” Italian Bike Week photo.
Adventure excursions, on-road demo rides, and enduro riding courses were also on offer throughout the September 18-21 weekend. Italian Bike Week photo.
The belle of this year’s ball was the Galbusera 500 V8, which is a faithful recreation of a design originally introduced by Plinio Galbusera and Adolf Marama Toyo at the 1938 Milan Motor Show. The concept never made it to the production stage, but Friulian restorer Mirco Snaidero (middle) built this example from scratch based on photos of the original. Italian Bike Week photo.
The Galbusera’s 500 cc longitudinal V8 is the brainchild of Marama Toyo. The supercharged (via compressor) two-stroke engine is anything but conventional, featuring a four-stroke-style lubrication system and dual counter-rotating crankshafts. Italian Bike Week photo.
The Custom Bike Show is an IBW mainstay, and this year’s Best in Show prize went to Pacelli Custom for its Kilometro 32 build, a V-twin-based custom. In the ARTigliate Custom Contest, which is dedicated to custom scramblers, trackers, and ADVs, Carlo Santamaria’s H-D Sportster Sterrato took top honors while Paolo Massera’s Ducati Megaenduro 900 (middle) nabbed third place. Italian Bike Week photo.
As the sun set on Saturday’s festivities, 700 Harley riders lit up Lignano in what’s known as the Saturday Night Parade. The procession was just a preview of the American muscle to be put on display Sunday morning. Italian Bike Week photo.
No party’s complete without music, and this year’s IBW lineup included Beatles cover band Get Beat along with Friulian outfits like Phenix Band and Loosing Money. Italian Bike Week photo.
The rally isn’t limited to bike enthusiasts, either. Organized by Cruisin’ Life magazine and the Old School Garage Club, Sunday morning's U.S. Car On The Beach parade showcased 240 American cars, from hot rods to muscle cars, from classics to customs. Italian Bike Week photo.
Another year has come and another Italian Bike Week has gone. The pictures suggest it was another one for the books. By the looks of it, Italy's motorcycle rally scene is alive and well these days.
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