I’ve had my eye on a trip to EICMA for years now, dreaming of hopping the pond to Milan to properly nerd out at what’s undeniably the mecca of motorcycle shows. The International Motorcycle and Accessories Exhibition is where new bikes, fresh gear, and moto innovations take center stage.
This year, I’m experiencing it all through the lens of my friend Paolo Baraldi, a motorsports photographer extraordinaire (check out his work on his website) who sent back a slew of photos from the front lines. Paolo, being properly Italian, shoots EICMA with an easy familiarity and can pronounce Esposizione Internazionale Ciclo Motociclo e Accessori without the kind of mangling I’d surely manage.
Given the traditional lag between European and American markets, plenty of the machines on display at EICMA may never grace our shores. But the selection that follows, while far from comprehensive, captures a few eye-catchers and updates from the show that will likely find their way to a dirt road here in the US someday soon.
Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally
Fresh off its debut victory at the Africa Eco Race, the Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally was developed alongside the race experts at GCorse and Aprilia rider Jacopo Cerutti. With upgraded suspension, an eye on performance, and refined electronics for sharper throttle response, the Tuareg Rally promises a race-inspired ride. You’ll still be running tubes and weighing in around 450 pounds, but the Tuareg promises rally-grade excitement off-road.
Moto Guzzi Stelvio
While we don’t see them often in the States, Moto Guzzi makes a solid and delightful ADV bike. At EICMA, the Stelvio is a perfect blend of iconic Guzzi style and advanced tech. Powered by a potent 1042cc engine from the V100 Mandello, it delivers 115 hp, embodying the spirit of a true adventure tourer. Bells and whistles include an electrically adjustable windshield and Moto Guzzi’s exclusive ARAS system, offering adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and emergency braking. With a 21-liter tank (that’ll be 5.5 gallons when it gets to the US), the Stelvio is ready to take riders further with iconic Italian flair and modern precision.
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KTM 390 Adventure R
KTM’s updated 390 Adventure R sits beneath bold wall text promising “The next era in hardcore adventure travel.” Between a fresh frame and subframe echo the 390 Duke’s architecture, larger wheels (21-inch front, 18-inch rear), and a new off-road swingarm hint at serious dirt aspirations. Up front, a rally-inspired makeover brings a new tower, windshield, headlight, and five-inch TFT display to the party. There’s some cognitive dissonance between the properly high front fender and that ground-hugging exhaust, but the overall package looks promising.
BMW F450 GS concept bike
Is BMW’s new F450 GS concept the Goldilocks solution in their adventure lineup? Nestled neatly between the entry-level G310 GS and the F900 GS, the fresh 450cc parallel twin puts out a sensible 48 horses with a svelte 385-pound claimed weight that promises real dirt-worthiness. Premium touches abound: adjustable USD forks, load-sensing rear suspension, and tubeless wheels (19-inch front, 17-inch rear) complement a modern TFT dash with Bluetooth connectivity. Expected in 2026, it’s the middleweight adventurer many BMW faithful have been hoping for… asking for a friend, of course.
Benelli TRK 902 Xplorer
Benelli’s TRK 902 Xplorer concept brings serious adventure credentials to the table, blending Italian flair with practical design. The new 904cc parallel-twin engine delivers 100 horsepower and 66.3 lb-ft of torque—an evolution from their 800. It has a steel trellis frame, a 22-liter (5.8-gallon) tank, an adjustable windscreen, LED headlights, and Pirelli Scorpion Rally tires on a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear. With its toolbox in the passenger seat spot and showroom-ready looks, this model could hit North America by 2026.
Honda Transalp
The freshly minted Transalp is already getting a tech makeover from Honda, highlighting just how quickly the adventure bike arms race is accelerating. Twin LED projector headlights now light the way, paired with a new windscreen crafted from “Durabio” – Honda’s eco-conscious mystery material. The cockpit goes high-tech with a 5-inch TFT display running Honda RoadSync, bringing smartphone connectivity and smart safety features like auto-canceling indicators and Emergency Stop Signals. It’s clear Honda isn’t letting this middleweight throwback fall behind in the ADV landscape.
And Then There’s This
Somehow, amongst Paolo’s photos of glossy new releases, this little Honda slipped into the mix. I don’t know much about it other than it seems to have covered some miles, possibly belongs to IlGermanoVolante and is a good reminder of what all this fancy stuff is about… hitting the trail and taking the on whatever bike you happen to have the keys to at the moment.
