Cannonball Bike Run 2026 Review: Portugal to Alicante

What an amazing week on the road. The Cannonball Bike Run 2026 brought together Cannonballers old and new from every corner of the world for an unforgettable ride across some of Europe’s most spectacular landscapes, finishing in Alicante, Spain.

From the moment everyone arrived at the start hotel, there was a real sense that this was going to be something special. Familiar faces reunited, new friendships began, and riders from Scotland, Ireland, America, Italy, Spain and beyond gathered around bikes, maps, stories and the shared anticipation of the kilometres ahead.

Bikes tucked away the night before the off — Cannonball livery and a full week of roads ahead.

Day one set the tone perfectly. Before the serious kilometres began, the first hotel came with its own distraction: a pontoon full of jet skis and a group of riders who had absolutely no intention of behaving sensibly on them.

Day one at the first hotel on the route. Boots off, life jackets on, and every bit as competitive as you would expect.

What is a Cannonball Bike Run?

Held in September, the run benefited from near-perfect riding weather for most of the journey. Temperatures were comfortable rather than exhausting, which makes long days in the saddle far more enjoyable — at least until we reached the Mediterranean side, where the warmth really began to build.

You may be wondering what a Cannonball Bike Run actually is. At its heart, it is a motorcycle rally built around a carefully planned road book. Riders follow the route using a PDF on a phone, tablet or navigation device, although a paper copy can be carried in a map pocket for anyone who prefers a more traditional approach or wants a backup.

Road book check at the top of a pass — the daily ritual that keeps everyone pointed at the good tarmac.

Think of it as a much more simplified, road-going version of Dakar. There is no need for full rally-raid preparation, desert navigation expertise or a support truck full of spares. Instead, the road book guides riders along a chosen route, linking together memorable roads, viewpoints, towns, hotels and overnight stops.

More than a motorcycle holiday

A Cannonball Bike Run turns a normal motorcycle holiday into an event. Rather than simply deciding where to ride each morning, riders have goals, routes, checkpoints and a shared destination. There is still freedom in the journey — plenty of time for food, fuel, photos and the occasional detour — but everyone is connected by the same overall route and the same daily challenge.

Get it right, follow the road book, and you are rewarded with:

• Awesome tarmac and flowing motorcycle roads
• Great views across mountains, coastlines, villages and open countryside
• Amazing stops you might never discover on an ordinary holiday
• A genuine sense of achievement at the end of each day
• A shared adventure with riders from all over the world

Empty mountain roads, blue skies and a wave for the camera — exactly what the road book is for.

From Portugal to Alicante

The route took us through Portugal and into Spain, following some of the finest motorcycle roads known to man. Day after day brought fast sweeping bends, mountain passes, quiet back roads, dramatic scenery and that unbeatable feeling of being out in the saddle with a great group of riders.

One of countless photo stops. Pull over, look back at the road you just rode, grin, carry on.

High granite country in Portugal — the sort of place the road book quietly drops you into.

The official Cannonball route covered almost 2,800 km of pure adrenaline. But for many of us, that was only part of the story.

By the time I had travelled to the start, completed the event and made my way home, my own final kilometre tally was around 5,500 km. The Scottish and Irish contingents probably covered even more, with the long journey south and the return ride adding a serious amount of distance before and after the main event.

Coffee stop on the ride down to the start hotel, bikes still fully loaded. I plotted that run-in myself and saved it as a GPX file.

I put that run-in together as a route of its own rather than a motorway slog, and saved it as a GPX file. Once the event itself begins, the luggage situation changes completely: your bags go in the van each morning and are delivered to that night’s hotel, so you ride light. No panniers stuffed to bursting, no roll bag wobbling about on the pillion seat — just you, the bike, the road book and a much better handling motorcycle underneath you.

That is part of what makes a European motorcycle run like this so special: the adventure does not begin at the start line, and it does not end at the finish. Every rider has their own route in, their own roads, ferry crossings, weather, fuel stops and stories collected along the way.

More than just riding

The riding was incredible, but Cannonball is never only about the roads. It is also about the places you stay, the people you meet, and the feeling of arriving somewhere new after a full day in the saddle.

Along the route, we stayed in monasteries, castles and some seriously cool hotels. After a long day of heat, corners, navigation, fuel stops, photographs and hundreds of kilometres on the bike, a good hotel felt like a real godsend.

Lids on outside the night’s stop — centuries-old stone, bikes parked at the door.

The view from the balcony. Not a bad place to peel off the leathers and compare notes on the day.

There is nothing quite like pulling into a beautiful hotel courtyard or a historic building at the end of a long riding day. Helmets come off, bikes are parked up, riders compare routes and close calls, and the conversation quickly turns to the next day’s roads.

Spain doing what Spain does — a town balanced on a cliff edge, with a road that gets you there.

The mixture of accommodation gave the whole trip an added sense of adventure. One night you could be surrounded by old stone walls and centuries of history; the next, relaxing in a modern hotel with a cold drink and a comfortable bed before another big day on the road.

Riders from everywhere

One of the best things about Cannonball is the international crowd it attracts. Riders travelled in from all over the world to be part of it.

Riders grouped up on the way south. For plenty of people, the trip to the start is an adventure in itself.

Some American riders hired bikes in Italy and rode all the way to the start. Others flew into Madrid, collected rental motorcycles there and joined the run from Spain. For riders coming from overseas it takes serious commitment to make a trip like this happen — but Europe rewards that effort with an incredible variety of roads, landscapes, food, people and cultures in a relatively short distance.

The Scottish and Irish riders, meanwhile, had their own epic journeys getting to and from mainland Europe. For anyone riding from those islands the miles add up quickly — but that is all part of the adventure, and the reason these trips stay with you long after you are back home.

Thumbs up at a viewpoint from Jeremy Simmons — better known as Route Boy — the man behind the routes.

That thumbs up belongs to Jeremy Simmons from the USA, known to everyone as Route Boy, and he is the man responsible for the roads we spend all week enjoying. He is an active motorcycle racer as well as a route builder, which probably explains why the corners keep arriving in exactly the right order. He has also been a friend since my very first Cannonball back in 2011.

Ambassador — helping riders settle in

This year, I was honoured to be named a Cannonball Bike Run Ambassador alongside Corey Lindabury. Between us we have taken part in almost 30 Cannonball events, which gave us the experience to help newcomers feel comfortable, confident and ready to enjoy the adventure from the very beginning.

Our role was not about telling anyone how they should ride or manage their trip. It was about being available: explaining the route books, helping riders understand how the daily routes worked, liaising between riders and organisers, and offering assistance whenever someone looked like they might need a hand — or at least doing our best to help.

For riders joining their first Cannonball, the idea of a road-book-based rally can sound more complicated than it really is. There may be questions about PDFs, navigation devices, paper copies in map pockets, route changes, fuel planning, daily distances, accommodation, or simply where everyone is heading next. Having someone nearby who has done it before takes away a lot of unnecessary worry.

The best part of the role

Corey and I enjoyed the Ambassador role immensely because it brings you closer to the people joining the event. You get to meet new riders early, hear their plans, answer their questions, and see the nerves disappear as the first kilometres roll by.

Very quickly the gap between newcomers and experienced Cannonballers disappears. Everyone relaxes, realises it is meant to be fun, and understands that the whole group wants each rider to have a great time — however they choose to ride or enjoy each day.

A damp summit and a spot of mucking about. Not every day is blue skies, and nobody minds.

Rob, Irish road racer, getting acquainted with the local wildlife somewhere above the clouds.

And no, that is not Ambassador business. That is Rob, an Irish motorcycle racer, who spotted a stone bear on a summit and decided it needed a hug. In fairness, it is the only thing all week that he did not manage to overtake.

Some riders want to cover every kilometre exactly as planned. Others take longer for photographs, coffee stops, sightseeing or a relaxed lunch. Some ride in small groups, while others prefer to head out alone and meet everyone again in the evening. All of those approaches are part of the Cannonball experience.

The first rule: no rules

The first rule of Cannonball is simple: there are no rules.

Nobody is there to tell you how fast to ride, when to stop, or how to enjoy your trip. The road book gives you the framework — it is still your ride.

Of course there are advisories designed to keep everyone safe, and they should always be respected. But this is an event for adults, not a guided tour with babysitters. Riders are trusted to make sensible decisions, look after themselves and each other, and enjoy the experience in the way that suits them best.

That freedom is one of the reasons Cannonball works so well. Everyone arrives with an open mind, a buzz of excitement, and the knowledge that something memorable is about to happen. Within a day or two, a group of riders from different countries becomes a travelling community — sharing roads, stories, laughter, advice and the kind of experiences that only happen on a proper motorcycle adventure.

The pre-finish party

The night before the finish is its own event. Everyone has the week’s riding behind them, the last day is a short one, and the mood lifts accordingly. Out came the banners, out came the flares, and the whole group gathered in front of a floodlit facade for a photograph that will be shared around the world for months.

The whole crew, banners out, in front of a floodlit facade at the pre-finish party.

Alicante — the finish line

Rolling into Alicante after almost 2,800 km of route is a strange mix of feelings: elation, a bit of disbelief, and the quiet realisation that the riding is done. The Mediterranean heat had properly arrived by then, so the bikes were parked and the group swapped tarmac for salt water — this time aboard a catamaran.

The finish-line catamaran off Alicante. Still in Cannonball caps and shirts, still talking about the roads.

Banner out on the promenade. The local port police took it in very good humour.

Then came the awards night, where Lars from Norway collected his Legend award — and celebrated it with rather more enthusiasm than the average trophy presentation gets.

Lars from Norway with his Legend award. Thoroughly deserved, and thoroughly enjoyed.

A proper European adventure

A few riders decided to stay on after the official finish in Alicante and tour further afield. And why not? It is a long way to travel without making the most of the opportunity. Europe is made for this kind of riding: crossing from one country into another, seeing the architecture change, hearing different languages, tasting different food, and experiencing how the roads, landscapes and pace of life evolve from region to region.

Portugal and Spain offered the perfect backdrop for the run, with roads that seemed built for motorcycles and scenery that constantly reminded us why we ride. From wide open stretches to twisting mountain sections, quiet villages to bustling towns, every day had something different to offer.

Until the next one

Cannonball Bike Run 2026 was a huge journey, an unforgettable week, and a brilliant reminder of what happens when a group of like-minded riders gets together with a great route ahead of them.

Almost 2,800 km on the event route. Around 5,500 km for some of us by the time the wider journey was complete. Countless corners, memorable hotels, historic stays, new friendships, old friendships renewed, and enough stories to keep us talking until the next Cannonball.

A massive thank you to everyone who took part, organised, supported, photographed, travelled huge distances and helped make the week what it was. Alicante may have been the finish line — but for many of us, the adventure continued long after the final kilometre.

If you fancy it yourself, the event lives at Cannonball Bike Run.