Donkey’s First ABR Festival 2026
Since getting my Triumph Tiger in November 2024 I always wanted to do and see more with it.
I’m not an adventure guy so figured off roading and stuff where never got be my thing and I would stick to just touring. But being a fan of the Long Way series with Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor made me realise that there was more out there.
In June 2025 three friends of mine, Jim (aka Subway), Ryan (aka Tredz) and Ian, set off on a tour around Ireland which was mostly the Wild Atlantic Way but its the occasional detour (intentional and un-intentional).
Sine then I’ve tried to get out an about more but always wanting to go further and do more. After all the Triumph Tiger 900 GT Low is an “Adventure Bike”
So last year I heard about the Adventure Bike Festival or ABR Festival down at Ragley Hall near Alcester.
I got a ticket for the weekend, Friday to Sunday, although it seems getting a Super Thursday ticket is the big thing so you can ride in and be part of the opening parade.
Travelling down the M6 on the Thursday night with my mate Andrew, we stays over in a Travelodge so we would be fresh and early for the Friday morning.
Would check in was easy, no queues and it took about 5 mins then off round the site to find a tent pitch. There was still plenty of spaces although it was clear a little of people were there already.
Once pitched off we went to get our bearings and explore.
The size of the place just blew my mind and looking back on it I think I missed a lot of stuff. There was a tonne load of manufacturers there, you could book a test ride as long as you had the relevant documents with you, namely license and DVLA Code.
There were retailers from every section form clothing, to accessories, to luggage and much more. The post won’t do it justice, as I said there was stuff I missed and for that I am gutter. However, it was my first ABR so I was finding my feet.
I decided not to do any of the trials as I have practically no off road experience. I also felt that it was not the place to “give it a go and see what happens”. My mate Andrew did and came of whilst test riding a BSA Scrambler and damaged the bike and his foot. Thankfully he was still able to make the rider home and nothing was broken.
The speakers there were fantastic, at least the ones I seen as I know there were loads of others there as well. AS a result of missing some of the speakers I’m catching up by following them on social media, and also to find out more about them and their adventures.
Charley Boorman is someone I’ve admired since I start watching Long Way Down and that’s what ignited my ambition to one day get an Adventure Bike and see more of the world.
I was looking forward to seeing and hearing him so imagine my surprise when I looked over to the Zerofit Stand and there he was, chatting and signing stuff. I was straight in the queue, and ended up having a good chat with him and the obligatory photo.
The guy is the same in person as he is on TV, very down to earth and has time for everyone and as he moved around the ABR there was no entourage etc it was just him. Saying hello to people as he went about his day.
Another surprise for me was seeing comedian and biker John Bishop. He’s someone I’ve admire for a while as we are in the same age bracket and he too only recently got into adventure biking and touring the world.
He is another person who is so down to earth and happy to have a chat although I didn’t want to take up a lot of his time as he was there to enjoy ABR as well.
At night there was food and entertainment to suit everyone which is the best thing you can have when people have been obsessing over biking all day.
I didn’t think the queues for the bars or the food where too bad given the number of people there so hats off to the bar staff and food vendors for getting everyone fed and watered.
The entertainment was good, yes they were not headliners but lets not forget this isn’t Glastonbury it ABR.
In summing things up, because this was not meant to be “War and Peace”, I enjoyed my first ABR Festival so much that I’ve already bought my ticket for 2027.
Is it getting too big, possibly, but I recently saw an interview with Alun Davies, the founder who said “It’ managed growth” and that’s the best and only way to do it.
Things I never really went into but were great:
The people were fantastic, always welcoming and great banter
The showers were great with not many queues depending when you went.
Same for the toilets
The were was first class, I’m Scottish so anything without rain it a bonus.
The online groups on Facebook etc, get on there and find people to chat to and get tips etc.
That’s enough from Donkey, next year I will be more organised, take more footage, have more fun, hopefully have had some off road tuition and every better, hopefully be coming down with a few more mates.
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