EICMA, the Milan motorcycle show: 110 years of history and still the biggest

Every November, the motorcycle world turns its eyes to Milan. That’s where EICMA takes place: the Esposizione Internazionale Ciclo Motociclo e Accessori, the biggest motorcycle show in the world. The 2026 edition, the 83rd, runs from November 3 to 8 at the Fiera Milano Rho exhibition centre. But where does this show come from, and how did it become a must?

It all started in 1914. The first edition, then called the Cycle and Motorcycle Show, was held at the Kursaal Diana, in Milan’s Porta Venezia district. Fewer than forty exhibitors from six countries showed their bicycles and their first motorcycles. Back then, the motorcycle was in its infancy: Italian manufacturers needed a showcase to present their machines to the public and to buyers. Milan, Italy’s industrial capital, was the obvious place.

The show then went through more than a century of history, evolving with its industry. It celebrated its 110th anniversary in 2024 with a record 81st edition: more than 770 exhibitors from 45 countries and more than 2,100 brands. Today the event is organized by EICMA SpA, the company of ANCMA, the Italian association of cycle and motorcycle manufacturers.

Over the decades, the show has followed every revolution in motorcycling: the golden age of Italian sport bikes, the arrival of the Japanese, the birth of adventure bikes, and today electric and connected motorcycles. Each era left its mark, and that’s why collectors rub shoulders with engineers there: you see the past, the present and the future of two wheels all at once.

Why is EICMA the most popular? First, its size. The 2026 edition fills ten halls and more than 300,000 square metres, with 754 exhibitors and 2,120 brands from 52 countries, nearly three quarters of them from outside Italy. No other motorcycle show comes close to those numbers.

Second, because that’s where everything is unveiled. The major manufacturers choose Milan for their world premieres: the legendary Ducati 916 was revealed at EICMA in 1993, and it’s there again this year that Honda presents its new Africa Twin and Royal Enfield unveils its Himalayan 750. The first two days are reserved for the press and the trade, then the public gets in from November 5 to 8.

Finally, EICMA isn’t just a show: it’s a celebration of motorcycling. The MotoLive shows, races and demonstrations draw families as much as enthusiasts, and through two wheels the show tells the story of Italy itself, the home of Ducati, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi and Vespa.

That’s why, 110 years after its modest beginnings at the Kursaal Diana, the Milan show is still the event every rider dreams of visiting at least once. And if you can’t make it this year, remember that the new models unveiled in Milan are the ones you’ll be meeting on our roads in the years to come.

Photos

Main photo: the Husqvarna E-Go electric concept, shown at the 2011 Milan show. Photo: Desmodromico, via Wikimedia Commons (free licence, attribution required).

Sources

• EICMA, official website (eicma.it): first edition in 1914; 110th anniversary celebrated in 2024 (81st edition, more than 770 exhibitors, 45 countries).
• Wikipedia, “EICMA”: opened on May 3, 1914; annual show at Fiera Milano Rho.
• EICMA 2026, press release (PR Newswire, October 14, 2026): 83rd edition, ten halls, more than 300,000 m², 754 exhibitors, 2,120 brands from 52 countries.
• TopSpeed: Ducati 916 unveiled at the Milan show in 1993.