The FIVA Challenge Cup, traditionally awarded to the organiser of the FIVA World Motorcycle Rally, has been on a long and adventurous journey around the globe, representing the ideals of cooperation and mutual heritage of motorcycle enthusiasts everywhere. The original cup was donated to FIVA by the Swedish Motocykelhistoriska
Klubben, who named it the “Skåne Rundt Trophy.”
The FIVA Motorcycle Commission was initially created in 1972 as the “Motorcycle Working Group“ From 1974-1980, it was designated as the “Motorcycle Sub-Commission“ (MC), and in 2005, it was formally constituted as the “Motorcycle Commission“ It is currently headed by Keith Gibbins (United Kingdom).
The international motorcycle rallies under the banner of FIVA began in the year 1983. The second international rally was held in the year 1987 and was organized by Benito Battilani in the location known as Misano Adriatico, Italy. The Challenge Cup still bears its very first sticker from the historic rally.
Benito Battilani explains: “Although the original regulations that accompanied the Cup during its various transfers have been lost, we can still recall some of its fundamental principles.
The Cup was entrusted to the organising club after each event, provided that the FIVA Motorcycle Events Commission had judged the rally to be successful, culturally significant, and that all participating vehicles were equipped with a FIVA Identity Card.
From the first rally organised in Italy, it was decided to engrave on the Cup the date and the organising nation. Later, as direct engraving became impractical, a system of small standardised plaques was introduced, to be fixed onto the Cup with the event details.
It was considered essential that the Cup should leave a lasting cultural mark on all those who had taken part in the FIVA International Motorcycle Rally, as well as on those who would organise it in the future.”
Perhaps the most entertaining part of its long history got underway in 2018, as the Motorcycle Commission began planning for its next rally and realised no one knew where the cup was.
Due to the size and impracticality of carrying this trophy, it had been left in the care of our French organiser in 2017, who kindly offered to bring it to the next rally in Hungary.
Unfortunately, no French representative was present—and nor was the cup. In fact, the sticker with Hungarian rally is still missing on the Cup.
After the Hungarian rally, a full-scale “search mission” was launched. The intention was for the Commission to award the trophy at the 2019 rally, organized by HROS from Croatia in cooperation with Italy and Slovenia—but first, the trophy needed to be found.
At last, the mystery was solved, and the cup was finally located in the French organiser’s office, nestled quietly away under a pile of papers and a liberal amount of dust, waiting patiently to be returned to the spotlight.
This was the beginning of this new adventure, which was to become the turning point. A new concept was developed, and the Commission decided to create a new, smaller, and more practical trophy, which would meet the requirements and interests of organisers and participants, without forgetting the tradition and spirit of the original Challenge Cup. The original Cup was trasnfered to the FIVA Headquarters in Torino, till 2025.
Though a smaller trophy circulates at the rallies, the original cup represents the historical heart of the tradition. The original trophy was entrusted to our museum for safekeeping in 2025, at the express request of the FIVA Motorcycle Commission, which met in Mandello del
Lario (Italy) during a Moto Guzzi gathering. The decision of the FIVA Executive Board to place the trophy in our care was subsequently presented once again to all FIVA members at the FIVA General Assembly in November 2025 by the Commission Chairman, Mr. Keith Gibbins.
As a museum with the purpose of preserving and protecting motorcycles and their history, it is our privilege to look after this historically significant collection of FIVA. The founder, Petja Grom, was for many years a member of the FIVA Motorcycle Commission and continues to
actively support FIVA events. This tradition will continue in 2025, as the Federace Klubů Historických Vozidel will stage the FIVA World Motorcycle Rally in České Budějovice, Czech Republic, from 16th to 21st June.
The Cup’s Journey – Chronological List
1983 – Sweden
1987 June – Italy, first nation to take the baton, alongside “Moto Storiche in Grand Prix”
1991 August – Sweden, stepping in due to lack of other bids
1997 May – Italy, Silvi Marina, alongside “Costa a Costa”
2001 May – Greece, transfer from Italy to Greece
2003 May – Italy, organised by Tuscan–Romagna clubs
2005 June – Czech Republic & Switzerland
2006 May – German
2007 May – Greece
2008 June – Slovenia
2009 June – Norway
2010 June – Spain, PuigcerdĂ
2011 June – United Kingdom, Brands Hatch
2012 June/July – Italy, Pesaro
2013 July – Latvia, Cup handed from Battilani (Italy) to Ramba (Latvia)
2014 June – Switzerland
2015 July – Andorra
2016 June – Czech Republic
2017 May – France
2018 June – Hungary
2019 May – Slovenia
2020 – not held (COVID)
2021 October – Greece
2022 July – Romania
2023 June – Austria
2024 September – Poland
2025 May – Italy
2026 June – Czech Republic