It was a big leap for BMW to move the legendary Motorbike Days from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to the Summer Garden of Messe Berlin. A leap that the fans didn't fully take part in. But was the event a flop because of that?
BMW has ventured the leap from the Alps to Berlin for its Motorbike Days. Instead of the Hausberggelände in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the exhibition center at the ICC in the capital became the venue. There was not the Alpine panorama to be seen, but the radio tower as the highest point, which, however, cannot be climbed by motorbike. If you asked around, then that was probably the biggest resentment that spread: The Alps are missing, the winding routes with their extraordinary panorama. Of course there are also beautiful motorcycle routes in Brandenburg, but on the one hand you have to find them, on the other hand it is a good part of the way before you reach them from the radio tower.
Otherwise, BMW had brought everything to the summer garden in the exhibition center that was also available in Garmisch: training sessions, workshops, test drives with all BMW models, exhibitions, an Enduro Park for off-road training, which, however, was only reached after a long bus ride to Brandenburg, and stunt riding. In addition, there was a really spectacular trial show or a no less exciting FMX demonstration. And yet the mood from Garmisch-Partenkirchen did not seem to want to transfer to Berlin.
The fact that the Motorrad Days are based on the Pure
Nevertheless, the first motorcycle day on Saturday was really well attended. BMW fans came from 40 nations. While visitors from Italy and Great Britain are traditionally well represented, motorcyclists from Poland, Argentina, South Korea, Colombia and South Africa also found their way to Berlin. Not to forget those who came to the exhibition center from the surrounding area. But somehow the Saturday enthusiasm could not be carried over to Sunday. With the same program, the crowds were manageable.
Now 17,000 visitors in total are not small. And the initiators can look forward to a first serve in Berlin. But compared to the last Motorbike Days in 2019, the number of participants was just under half. The fact that the tour of the BMW motorcycle factory in Spandau gave us another really exciting insight into the production process could not change that.
However, BMW-Motorrad is determined to hold the Motorcycle Days in Berlin again next year. And maybe it will be possible to exchange the trade fair atmosphere for the campfire atmosphere for which Garmisch was so famous. Then there will definitely be the gasoline talks of like-minded people again. Because one thing is certain: that there are no beautiful motorbike routes in the surrounding area is simply not true. Sure, there are no mountains here, but there are significantly more lakes than in the Alps.
