Biker Fest celebrates 40 years of Custom Bike Show
Biker Fest International marked 40 years of its Custom Bike Show in 2026, with the long-running Italian event again bringing together a wide mix of builders, custom workshops and privateers from across Europe.
The Custom Bike Show remains one of BFI’s signature elements, and also serves as the only Italian round of the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building. This year’s awards ceremony again took place on the Main Stage in Viale Europa, with four-time World Superbike Champion Carl Fogarty among the special guests.
The 2026 edition attracted a particularly strong international entry, with builders travelling from Austria, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Belarus, in addition to the Italian custom scene.
BSA Paruk takes IMC Best in Show
The Best in Show award in the Italian Motorcycle Championship went to Paruk, a BSA 650 chopper built by Friulian customizer Renato Peres.
The old-school BSA was built as a tribute to a late friend, and impressed the judges with its personal story, traditional custom approach and high level of craftsmanship.
Paruk was one of the standout machines of the 2026 show, and its win underlined the continued strength of old-school custom culture among a field that also featured modern baggers, streetfighters, cafe racers, scramblers and contemporary freestyle builds.
Mannaia wins AMD and Foggy’s Best
The AMD World Championship selection was headed by Lulù from Varese-based Mannaia Motorcycles.
Powered by an S&S V-twin, Lulù presented a more radical interpretation of modern custom building and was also selected by Carl Fogarty for the special Foggy’s Best award.
The AMD podium also included La Primera, a Harley-Davidson Road Glide by Bad Boys Garage, which brought Chicano-style bagger influence to the stage, and the Harley-Davidson Model B Nike, built by Gallery Motorcycles and Damiano Roncaglioni.
The Model B Nike offered a postmodern take on 1920s Harley-Davidson racing machinery, giving the AMD selection three very different interpretations of contemporary custom culture.
European builders out in force
The class winners reflected the diversity of the 2026 entry list.
Austria’s 2 Wheels Terror Crew won the Clubstyle class with a Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST, while Samuele Gorni claimed Freestyle honours with his Yamaha XT600 Annina.
Custom Thom won Modified H-D with a Harley-Davidson Night Rod, while RCK Roll-Chop took Old Style honours with a Harley-Davidson Shovelhead.
BSS Custom & Repair topped the Metric category with an IZH Planeta, Low Special Parts from Naples won Streetfighter with a Buell S1, and Harley-Davidson machinery headed both the Scrambler and Cafe Racer classes.
The Scrambler win went to Zbinek Threcek’s Harley-Davidson Knucklehead 29 from the Czech Republic, while Austrian builder Wolfgang Mayer won Cafe Racer with a Harley-Davidson XL1000 Ironhead.
Performance Baggers continue to grow
The second edition of the Performance Bagger Show also formed part of the 2026 program, reflecting the increasing momentum behind performance-focused touring baggers.
The category has been boosted internationally by racing series such as the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup, held alongside selected MotoGP weekends, and the Bagger Racing League Europe, which is now in its second season.
The overall Performance Bagger Show win went to a Harley-Davidson Road Glide prepared by 4Touring and Ironborne for A. Pagnanini of Novara.
Golden Rod Awards presented
The Golden Rod Awards were also presented during the event, with recognition coming from international media, influencers and representatives of major custom events.
Guests and judges travelled to Lignano from the United States, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, with awards presented by Sturgis Buffalo Chip, Madness Photography, Norrtälje Twin Club MC, Big Twin, Custombike, Dream Machine, Kustom World, Ila Neutro and Noisy Style.
Biker Fest International 2026 Custom Bike Show Results
AMD World Championship
- 1. BSA Lulù – Mannaia Motorcycles (VA)
Prize: €1,000 Zodiac Prize and €200 San Marco Petroli fuel voucher - 2. Harley-Davidson Road Glide La Primera – Bad Boys Garage (MB)
Prize: €1,000 FG Racing Prize and €200 San Marco Petroli fuel voucher - 3. Harley-Davidson Model B Nike – Gallery Motorcycles/Damiano Roncaglioni (BS)
Prize: €1,000 Rizoma Prize and €200 San Marco Petroli fuel voucher
Best in Show – Italian Motorcycle Championship
- BSA 650 Paruk – Renato Peres (UD)
Prize: €1,000 Avon Prize and €200 San Marco Petroli fuel voucher
Foggy’s Best by Carl Fogarty
- Lulù – Mannaia Motorcycles (VA)
Italian Motorcycle Championship Class Results
Cafe Racer
- 1. Harley-Davidson XL1000 Ironhead – Wolfgang Mayer (Austria)
Prize: Shoei helmet - 2. Royal Enfield Follia – VM Cycles (UD)
Prize: Blauer gloves - 3. Harley-Davidson Cafe Racer – Zoynek Threcek (Czech Republic)
Prize: €100 San Marco Petroli fuel voucher
Clubstyle
- 1. Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST – 2 Wheels Terror Crew (Austria)
Prize: Dynojet ECU - 2. Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST – Full Gas (VR)
Prize: Blauer gloves - 3. Harley-Davidson Carbon Dyna – 2 Wheels Terror Crew (Austria)
Prize: €100 San Marco Petroli fuel voucher
Freestyle
- 1. Yamaha XT600 Annina – Samuele Gorni (MN)
Prize: €500 Zodiac voucher - 2. GS 500 Wilma – Krystek Elejeson Cycle (Poland)
Prize: Blauer jacket - 3. Harley-Davidson Penz Chopper (Austria)
Prize: €100 San Marco Petroli fuel voucher
Metric
- 1. IZH Planeta – BSS Custom & Repair (PN)
Prize: Dynojet ECU - 2. Yamaha Drag Star – Biscotto’s Garage (Switzerland)
Prize: €100 Motodesign Custom voucher - 3. Ducati Monster – Stray’s Garage (MO)
Prize: €100 San Marco Petroli fuel voucher
Modified H-D
- 1. Harley-Davidson Night Rod – Custom Thom (MN)
Prize: Dynojet ECU - 2. Harley-Davidson Pan ’52 – Red’s Garage (VI)
Prize: €100 Motodesign Custom voucher - 3. Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 – Chemical Team/Gabriele Basso (UD)
Prize: €100 San Marco Petroli fuel voucher
Old Style
- 1. Harley-Davidson Shovelhead – RCK Roll-Chop (VA)
Prize: Dynojet ECU - 2. Harley-Davidson Sportster – Nikobikes (BG)
Prize: Harley-Davidson jacket courtesy of H-D Bergamo - 3. Harley-Davidson Shovelhead – Cool Man Customs (Switzerland)
Prize: €100 San Marco Petroli fuel voucher
Scrambler
- 1. Harley-Davidson Knucklehead 29 – Zbinek Threcek (Czech Republic)
Prize: Blauer jacket - 2. Harley-Davidson Sportster – Massimo Perugini (PI)
Prize: €100 BS Macchine voucher - 3. Honda XR600 R – Mike Manetta (BA)
Prize: €100 San Marco Petroli fuel voucher
Streetfighter
- 1. Buell S1 – Low Special Parts (NA)
Prize: Exhibition stand at Salon du 2 Roues Lyon 2027 - 2. Harley-Davidson Pan America – Befuel (MI)
Prize: €100 BS Macchine voucher - 3. Yamaha Fazer – Francesco Melcarne (PD)
Prize: €100 San Marco Petroli fuel voucher
Performance Bagger Show Results
- 1. Harley-Davidson Road Glide – 4Touring/Ironborne
Entrant: A. Pagnanini (NO)
Prize: €800 FG Gubellini Prize - 2. Harley-Davidson Road Glide – 4Touring/Ironborne
Entrant: C. Danza (CR)
Prize: Dynojet ECU - 3. Harley-Davidson Road Glide – 4Touring
Entrant: R. Esposito (Rome)
Prize: Simpson helmet
Golden Rod Awards
- Big Twin, Netherlands – Harley-Davidson Shovelhead, RCK Roll-Chop, Varese, Italy
- Custombike, Germany – IZH Planeta, BSS Custom & Repair, Pordenone, Italy
- Dream Machine, Germany – Harley-Davidson Sportster, Nikobikes, Bergamo, Italy
- Norrtälje Twin Club MC, Sweden – Harley-Davidson Cafe Racer, Zoynek Threcek, Czech Republic
- Sturgis Buffalo Chip, USA – Yamaha XT600 Annina, Samuele Gorni, Mantova, Italy
- Madness Photography, Netherlands – BSA 650 Paruk, Renato Peres, Udine, Italy
- Kustom World, Italy – Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Shovel 1977 Chopper, Bside Motorcycle, Prato, Italy
- Bikers Life, Italy – Harley-Davidson Softail 2010, Savitski Custom Workshop, Belarus
- Bikers Life, Italy – Harley-Davidson Machete, Garage 242, Belarus
- Ila Neutro, Italy – Harley-Davidson Model B Nike, Gallery Motorcycles/Damiano Roncaglioni, Brescia, Italy
- Noisy Style, Italy – Lulù, Mannaia Motorcycles, Varese, Italy
Biker Fest International Images
