The FIM moved into its new headquarters in October 2024, located next door to the previous HQ. Rather than let it sit vacant or be demolished, the federation decided to turn the old building into a museum.

Known as the Racing Motorcycle Museum, the repurposed facility formally opened on Saturday as part of the FIM Awards Ceremony weekend. Council of Vaud president Christelle Luisier Brodard and Mies mayor Pierre-Alain Schmidt led the inauguration alongside FIM leadership.

The museum is operated by the International Foundation for Motorcycling, the non-racing arm of the FIM.

Schmidt described it as an “invaluable asset for our municipality and for the entire region,” one that for locals would be a “true source of pride, and for visitors, a unique landmark. The presence of the FIM and its museum in our territory allows our municipality to shine far beyond our borders. It enriches our local life and offers enthusiasts an emblematic venue.”

The 2025 title holders of the most prominent world championships—the non-pavement side represented by Daniel Sanders for the W2RC, Romain Febvre from MXGP, Josep Garcia of EnduroGP, and TrialGP victor Toni Bou—were among those in attendance.

“With such a long and rich history, it is tremendously exciting that motorcycle racing now has a permanent home at the Racing Motorcycle Museum where its legacy can be celebrated and enjoyed by visitors from around the world,” said FIM president Jorge Viegas. “So much knowledge, expertise and passion have gone into curating the exhibits that together form a world-class collection which has been carefully assembled to create an unmatched historical and educational resource that I am confident will prove invaluable for future generations.”

While paved-surface disciplines comprise the bulk of the collection, dating as early as Leslie Graham’s AJS Porcupine that won the inaugural Grand Prix motorcycle title (now MotoGP) in 1949, off-road gets plenty of love too.

Garcia’s KTM 250 EXC-F and Sanders’ KTM 450 Rally Factory, Febvre’s Kawasaki KX450SR, and Bou’s Montesa COTA 4RT HRC were displayed as part of a champions exhibit. This section included the following passage on the wall written in English and Italian:

Motorcycle racing has always conjured up a very powerful image in the public’s mind. It is a sport comprising an array of disciplines, each with its own unforgettable champions who have raced legendary motorcycles around circuits, arenas and tracks that have in turn made history.

What is more, the spirit of motorcycle racing is fuelled by heart-pumping thrills, something that unites generations and is built on the cornerstone values of respect, fairness and sacrifice that inspire its massive and passionate community.

The history of motorcycle racing is inextricably woven into that of technological progress, which relentlessly drives performance and safety to new heights in a positive self-perpetuating process of innovation, the fruits of which are now enjoyed by all motorcyclists, on and off the race track.

This museum is the proud guardian of all this…and so much more.

Sanders claimed four of five races in 2025 including the season-opening Dakar Rally, making his bike one in a decorated company of former Dakar champs at the RMM. This company includes Hubert Auriol’s BMW R 80 G/S which won in 1981 and Stéphane Peterhansel’s Yamaha YZE750 that dominated the early ’90s. Sanders’ KTM 450 isn’t the only one of its kind here either as it’s joined by Marc Coma’s 2011 winner.

Four-time MXGP champion Harry Everts was one of the guests of honor, which was fitting since his son Stefan’s Yamaha YZ450F that led him to the 2006 MX1 title is in the motocross wing. Also on display are Jordi Tarrés’ Beta Zero trial prototype, Francesco Cecchini’s 2019 Zaeta DT450RS used in Flat Track, and EnduroGP star Andrea Verona’s 2024 GasGas EC 350F.

“This has been a challenging project which has been brought together in a relatively short period of time,” offered FIM marketing director Fabio Muner. “We always wanted it to be far more than just a display of famous motorcycles, so we have worked hard to create an educational journey of the development of bike racing, the associated advances in technology and FIM protocols too. We obviously wanted to celebrate our great champions over many decades, but we also wanted to acknowledge just how far motorcycle racing has come too.”

After the ribbon cutting, the older Everts, trials legend Sammy Miller, Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, and MotoGP great Giacomo Agostini were inducted into the new FIM Hall of Fame. They each received a watch and had their handprint taken for a centerpiece in the museum’s garden.

Featured image credit: David Reygondaeu / Good Shoot