EICMA 2026, Speed Legends: 32 motorcycles tell the story of MotoGP, from the 1949 Porcupine to the latest 1,000cc bike

Seventy years of premier-class history under one roof, with a finale that feels like the end of an era. “Speed Legends,” the exhibition bringing together 32 motorcycles from the history of the Motorcycle World Championship for the first time in Italy, has opened its doors at EICMA 2026.

The journey begins with the AJS Porcupine on which Leslie Graham won the first 500cc World Championship title in 1949, and ends with the Aprilia RS-GP26, a machine from the current season and the latest generation of 1,000cc MotoGP bikes before the regulatory revolution of 2027.

 The exhibition was created in collaboration with MotoGP, under the patronage of the FIM and with the support of ICE-Agenzia. It covers around 1,400 square metres and is one of the outcomes of the partnership announced this year at Mugello.

The first part of the journey is a tribute to the engineering of the golden years. After Graham’s Porcupine come Ken Kavanagh’s 1955 Moto Guzzi eight-cylinder, John Hartle’s 1958 MV Agusta six-cylinder and the 1963 Gilera four-cylinder ridden by Derek Minter for Scuderia Duke. Also on display are Mike Hailwood’s 1969 Benelli Quattro, Bruno Spaggiari’s Ducati 500 twin and Armando Toracca’s Paton 500.

Giacomo Agostini features prominently, with his 1971 MV Agusta and 1975 Yamaha OW23, alongside Phil Read’s 1974 MV. Then comes the era of Japanese two-strokes and more: Barry Sheene’s Suzuki XR22, the XR40 on which Franco Uncini won the title in 1982, Kevin Schwantz’s Suzuki RGV, Mick Doohan’s Honda NSR and John Kocinski’s 1993 Cagiva C593.

The MotoGP era begins with Colin Edwards’s 2003 Aprilia RS Cube and continues with Valentino Rossi’s two Yamaha YZF-M1s, from 2004 and 2009. Among the most photographed are Casey Stoner’s 2008 Ducati Desmosedici GP8, Jorge Lorenzo’s 2010 M1 and Marc Marquez’s 2013 Honda RC213V. The collection is rounded out, among others, by Loris Capirossi’s Desmosedici GP6, Pol Espargaró’s KTM RC16, Fabio Quartararo’s 2021 M1 and the Desmosedici GP22 on which Pecco Bagnaia won in 2022.

The organisers highlight the value of a collection that would be difficult to replicate. "With Speed Legends, we are sharing an extraordinary heritage with the public: motorcycles that changed racing and champions who inspired generations of fans," said Pietro Meda and Paolo Magri.

The meaning of the exhibition comes into focus at its final stop. The Aprilia RS-GP26 represents the state of the art in today’s Grand Prix motorcycles, but it also marks the farewell to an era: from 2027, the premier class will switch to 850cc bikes under a new technical regulation. Visitors to EICMA through Sunday can get an up-close look at the culmination of more than seventy years of evolution, just as MotoGP prepares to open an entirely new chapter.

Photo: gp.sportfoto

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