Telesia Motor Show – «Tonino Limata» Memorial

The Telesia Motor Show: Two Days of Engines in Sannio

Every year in September, the heart of Telese Terme in the Province of Benevento transforms into a gathering point for motorcyclists from all over Italy. The Telesia Motor Show is a national rally organized by the Moto Club Overdrive «Tonino Limata» and featured on the Italian Motorcycling Federation (FMI) calendar. Piazza Minieri hosts the exhibition area, technical trials, and the event headquarters, while the winding hillside roads of Sannio serve as the playground for the motorcycle tours.

A Memorial That Became a Community Festival

The event bears the name of Tonino Limata, a local motorcyclist who passed away prematurely and is remembered annually by his friends at the motorcycle club that carries his name. 2024 marked the eighth Memorial, followed by the ninth in 2025—a tradition that has grown over the years to involve the Municipality of Telese Terme, the University of Sannio, local associations, spa operators, and town families, reaching far beyond the circle of two-wheel enthusiasts.

A Stop on the Italian Mototourism Championship

The Telesia Motor Show is more than just a social gathering: it is a qualifying round of the FMI Italian Mototourism Championship, a circuit that awards points to motorcycle clubs and individual riders based on their participation in national events. In 2025, the Telese stage closed the championship season, drawing delegations from various regions. The Moto Club Overdrive «Tonino Limata» is no stranger to these rankings, having been crowned Italian Mototourism Champions in 2023.

Rides Through Thermal Baths, Wineries, and Villages

The heart of the rally lies in the motorcycle excursions to neighboring towns, always paired with cultural visits or tastings. Destinations featured in recent editions include:

• Castel Campagnano and the Hesperia Wineries, with the «Harvest Ride» (2025)
• Dugenta, at the Meoli Farm, featuring local product tastings (2025)
• Sant'Agata de' Goti, one of the most photogenic villages in Sannio (2024)
• Guardia Sanframondi and the Sanctuary of the Assumption (2024)

These are complemented by the Telese Thermal Baths, offering wellness packages for participants, and the Villa Comunale with its «La Peschiera» amphitheater, which hosts the evening buffets.

Beyond Motorcycles: Culture, Family, and Territory

The program balances engines with moments of reflection. In 2025, the photo exhibition «Lightning in the Night» accompanied the two-day event, while the Sunday morning conference on «The Role of Women in the World of Motorcycling,» sponsored by the University of Sannio, brought together administrators, professors, and representatives of the FMI Women's Commission. For younger enthusiasts, the «Hobby Sport» safe-riding course, promoted by the FMI Campania Regional Committee, is available on both days. The event also features a evening truck parade, a popular dinner with pasta and beans, live music, and the blessing of the helmets, a ritual that symbolically closes the rally before the official awards ceremony.

Telese Terme: The Town of Sulfurous Waters

Telese Terme is a small spa town in the Telesina Valley, Campania, known for its sulfurous waters and the lake that bears its name. It is the perfect backdrop for an end-of-summer rally: scenic roads leading to the Matese mountains, Falanghina and Aglianico del Sannio wineries, medieval villages just a few kilometers away, and a central square, Piazza Minieri, large enough to display hundreds of motorcycles. The municipality has supported the event for years as a driver for off-season tourism.

The 2026 Edition

At the time of publication, a new edition of the Telesia Motor Show has not been officially announced. However, the 2026 FMI National Mototourism Calendar lists a national qualifying motorcycle rally in Telese Terme on September 5–6, 2026, organized by the same Overdrive motorcycle club under the title «Sorgenti in Moto» (Springs on Two Wheels). Before setting off, it is advisable to check the official channels of the motorcycle club and the Municipality of Telese Terme.