Vintage and Classic Motorcycle Events in Europe 2019

Spring has sprung and it is good time to think about saddling up and heading off towards adventure on an old clunker. This year's listing comes a bit later in the season than previous installments - apologies that a few events are already in the past but you could consider them for next year.. 

The original reason behind this listing was that I and several other good friends take enjoyment in riding our old nails to events abroad at least once a year: as we already did the research in to what was going on it seemed a good idea to share the knowledge and save others having to do the same. Most of the events below are those I have been to or have secondhand knowledge of. This year I hope to make it to at least one, perhaps two. As ever the listing is heavy on events in France, Belgium, Holland, Germany and Italy and very lacking in ones in Eastern Europe, the Balkans and Scandinavia. If you can help me rectify that error with events to add to the list then please get in touch. 

There's the usual caveat that only a rash fool would use this page as the sole information source before heading off into the sunset. Check details for yourself, dates change, events get cancelled.  

Get out there and enjoy, don't be scared to take something old on a long trip, they were made for it, breakdown cover is a cheap and wonderful thing and there's a great joy to be had riding with friends on machines you've put together yourselves.

6 to 10 February 2019: Salon Retromobile, Paris, France.
- A sumptuous display of exotic two and four wheelers.

9 and 10 February 2019: Moto Retro Wieze, Wieze, Belgium.
- Billed as Belgium's biggest old bike autojumble.

2 and 3 March 2019: Old Time Show, Forli, Italy.
- Mixed car and bike show.

9 and 10 March 2019: Salon de Reims, Reims, France.
- Mixed car and bike show.

29 to 31 March 2019: Auto Moto Retro, Dijon, France.
- Mixed car and bike show.

5 to 7 April 2019: Veterama, Hockenheim, Germany.
- Very big autojumble.

10 to 14 April 2019: Techno Classica Essen, Essen, Germany.
- Large car and bike autojumble.

14 April 2019: Circuito di S.Pietro in Trento, S Pietro in Trento, Italy.
- Pre 1930 motorcycle event.

21 April 2019: Horsepower Run, Veenhuisen, Holland.
- Dutch equivalent of the Pioneer Run.

27 and 28 April 2019: Ventoux Classic, Mont Ventoux, France.
- Classic and vintage motorcycles racing up Mont Ventoux. What more could you want?

3 to 5 May 2019: John Bull Rally, Belgium.
- Organised by the BSA Owners Club Belgium but open to all old British bikes. Gets great reviews.

11 and 12 May 2019: Vintage Revival Montlhery, Montlhery, France.
- Absolutely wonderful pre-war car and bike event. One of the very best there is. Go!

15 to 19 May 2019: IVVMCC Slievenamon pre-31 Rally. Co. Kilkenny, Ireland.
- Gets very good reports.

24 to 26 May 2019: ASI motoshow, Parma, Italy.
- Popular track based Italian show.

24 to 26 May 2019: Paris Dunkerque Rally, France.
- An event for adventure bike types rather than classics but no reason not to take your old nail along. Non-competitive and looks like fun.

26 May 2019: Boulogne Bicycle Rally, Boulogne, France.
- A leisurely and tipple fuelled trundle around the former Boulogne Grand Prix Circuit. There's no official website, the whole event is informal. There are vintage cycle happenings in Boulogne the whole bank holiday weekend. A good account of it and some tips here.

26 May to 1 June 2019: Motogiro D'Italia, Italy.
- Hooning around Italy on small bikes! Touring event for big cc lovers too. Finishing the near 1000 mile course on a pre-57 sub 175cc is quite an achievement. 

29 May to 2 June 2019: Oostblocktreffen, Friesland, Netherlands.
- Eastern Bloc bike rally.

30 May to 2 June 2019: Vuelta a Cantabria, Cantabria Spain.
- MC Piston organised. Sure to be a fine event.

1 & 2 June 2018: VFV Niedersachsen Pioneer Run, Niedersachsen, Germany.
- pre 1914 event.

1 and 2 June 2019: Coupes Moto Legende, Dijon, France.
- All old bike enthusiasts should visit at least once.

2 June 2019: Rando Cyclo, Sars Poteries, France.
- Event for those who favour fewer horsepower. Double check the date if planning to go, I always find it difficult to get online info on this event. There's an account of the 2015 event here.

7 to 10 June 2019: Tour de Bretagne, Bretagne, France.
- Large gathering of old vehicles in Brittany. Several days of routes through the local countryside.

7 to 10 June 2019: Ibbenbürener Veteranen Rallye, Ibbenbürener, Germany.
- Large riding event for pre-1939 machines.

12 to 16 June 2019: Wheels and Waves, Biarritz, France.
- New wave custom and classic event. Fully corporate and sponsored to the hilt, never been but several mates have and it gets great reports.

14 to 16 June 2019: International Rallye / Fete de la moto a Luc Sur Mer
- dates tbc

21 to 23 June 2019: Grand Prix de Tours, Tours, France.
- Glamorous vintage car parade held around the scenic city of Tours.

22 and 23 June 2019: Cafe Racer Festival: Montlhery, France.
- Popular does what it says on the tin bike event at the fantastic Montlhery circuit near Paris.

27 to 29 June 2019: International FIVA Rally, Istria, Italy.
- Annual roving rally.

5 to 7 July 2019: Biker's Classics, Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium.
- Racing for more recent classics.

7 to 13 July 2019: Milano-Taranto, Italy
- Like the Moto G but lower key and possibly more hardcore.

14 July 2019: Stella Alpina Rally, Bardonecchia, Italy.
- Ride up a mountain with fellow enthusiasts.

19 to 21 July 2019: Classic Bikes Chimay, Chimay, Belgium.
- Belgian vintage street racing. I went along a few of years ago. Great fun, proper street racing, Belgian beer. Close to the town. Camp at the circuit for the full experience.

20 July 2019: Red Bull Alpenbrevet, Lugano, Switzerland.
- For me Red Bull is the Devil's own piss but don't let big corporate sponsorship put you off: a 1000 moped endurance run over Swiss Alpine passes must by its very nature be an awesome event. Date tbc.

2 to 4 August 2019: Schloss Dyck Classic Days, Jüchen, Germany.
- The German equivalent of the Goodwood Revival.

3 and 4 August 2019: Journées Coyote: Nogaro Circuit, France.
- Weekend track event. Looks like mostly more recent classics.

17 August 2019: Oldtimerdag Ruinerwold, Ruinerwold, Netherlands.
- Old vehicles take over Dutch town.

17 and 18 August 2019: Oude Klepper Parade, De Haan, Holland.
- Pre-21 motorcycle parade.

22 to 25 August 2019: Irish National Rally, Munster, Ireland.
- Perenially popular jaunt through Irish countryside. Dates tbc.

23 to 25 August 2019: Belgian Classic TT, Gedinne, Belgium.
- Belgian road racing.

24 and 25 August 2019: International Hengelo Rally, Hengelo, Holland.
- Large pre-41 bike rally.

30 August to 1 September 2019: Glemseck 101, Glemseck, nr Stuttgart, Germany.

- New wave customs and cafe-racers, corporate sponsorship and hipster drag racing.

6 to 8 September 2019: Imola Mostra Scambio, Imola, Italy.
- Huge Italian autojumble.

13 to 15 September 2019: Circuit des Ramparts d'Angouleme, Angouleme, France.
- Glamorous vintage cars racing around medieval town.

13 to 15 September 2019: Trophees Gerard Jumeaux, Circuit Carole, North of Paris, France.
- Classic racing French style. Dates tbc.

15 September 2019: Veteranentreffen Oostende, Oostende, Belgium. Date tbc

15 September 2019: Oldtimerrit Gullegem, Gullegem, Belgium

15 September 2019: Montée historique Maurice Violland, Coligny, France.
- Promising looking historic hill climb.

20 to 22 September 2019: Grossglockner Grand Prix, Zell am See, Austria

- Mighty historic alpine hill climb. There used to be bike entries too but they seem to have vanished from entry form. A shame as I would like to have ridden it. All the same, it should be worthwhile to turn up to spectate some impressive cars racing up the mountain. Dates tbc.

20 to 22 September 2019: Bol D'Or Classic, Circuit Paul Ricard, Le Castellet, France.

- Good if classic endurance racing is your bag.

21 September 2019: Nationaal Veteraan Treffen, Woerden, Holland

- large and longstanding gathering for all old two wheelers.

22 to 29 September 2019: International Piston Rally, Santander, Spain.
- I've had the pleasure of riding this event a couple of times. Brilliant. The MC Piston lads put on a great, friendly and efficiently run event. Not only that but it is fantastic value. If you like to use your old bike this is an event you will definitely enjoy.

6 to 13 October 2019: Rally de Colombres, Colombres, Spain.
- This is what the MC Piston event started out as. MC Piston moved the rally to Santander and some guys formed a club called Moto Club Indianos and carried on running it as it was.

11 to 13 October 2019: Veterama, Mannheim, Germany.

- Huge autojumble.

19 and 20 October 2019: Franz Josefs Fahrt, Bad Ischl, Germany.
- Large pre-1929 run.

20 October 2019: Moto Retro Leuven, Leuven, Holland.
- One day bike jumble. 

24 to 27 October 2019: Auto Moto d'Epoca, Padova, Italy.

26 and 27 October 2019: Reims Retro Pieces, Reims, France.
- Mixed car and bike show.

22 to 24 November 2019: Salon Moto Legende, Paris, France.
- French show. The dates are provisional. No exact dates available at time of writing.

Finally, other useful listings: 
- The Dutch Veteraan Motoren Club has a good listing with some extra small scale local events too which may be work checking out.
- The Solexia site has a very comprehensive listing of French events, for all machines, not just Velosolexes.
- The Motards Montmorrillonnais site also has a long listing of French events.
- For Italian events (car and bike are listed) check the ASI site.