It’s incredible that we even have to talk about this, but the BOSS Ironman Motorcycle Challenge (BIMC) has hit the news again—and not in a good way (does it ever?). The Land Transportation Office has announced that it issued a Show Cause Order to the BMW Owners’ Society of Safe Riders (BOSS), the organizer of BOSS Ironman Challenge Mindanao Cup 2026 held in General Santos City on January 31 to February 1. The action follows widespread circulation of troubling footage and accounts of accidents on social media.

The first thought that came to my mind was: It is still going on? I really thought that the whole concept would have been stomped into the ground and buried six feet under by now. But no, here we are again, like a horror version of the movie Groundhog Day. And “horror” is indeed the right word as it seems that at least two people died according to the LTO, including a seven-year-old child. Before we go on, I should make something clear: I’m not writing this as someone who has been hating on bikes or doesn’t want people to have fun on two wheels. Quite the opposite. I want people to enjoy their hobby, and I’m an avid defender of motoring freedoms.

To better understand my background: I’ve been involved with another motorcycling event further afield that you may have heard of for over 20 years now: the Isle of Man TT. That’s the most dangerous road race in the world, where bikes race along public roads on a small island in the Irish Sea at speeds of up to 320km/h. One lap of the famous TT Mountain Circuit measures no less than 60.75km, making tracks like the Nurburgring Nordschleife look like a kid’s birthday party in comparison. I’ve worked around the Tourist Trophy in various capacities, from filming and photographing it to sponsoring riders and even being a local councilor for the city that owns the famous grandstand and paddock area.

I was also one of the key people who fought off an attempt by the Isle of Man government to bring in a national speed limit some 20 years ago, keeping the road racing capital of the world speed-limit-free for those of us who want to legally get out of second gear. Plus, I’m German and an autobahn-loving car nut, so trust me that I’m with you when it comes to defending the freedom to ride and drive in a spirited manner.

But even the wildest, fastest, most dangerous biking event in the world has to have rules, and one of the most important ones is: Public highways are public highways, and racetracks are racetracks. On the Isle of Man, that’s enshrined in law—with the roads legally turning into a racetrack when they are closed for the event, and any trespassers risking arrest. The same goes for anyone misbehaving on public roads outside the races. Your chances of putting on such a chaotic, disorganized and dangerous event like the BIMC on the Isle of Man would be precisely zero, and people would think you’re nuts for even suggesting something so irresponsible.

It doesn’t matter what the organizers of the BOSS Ironman Challenge call their event, or how often they emphasize that everyone should respect local road rules. They have shown time and time again that they cannot run a safe event, and that such an endurance challenge should not ever take place on public roads. Period. End of discussion. I don’t care how often people say: “But I’m a good rider” or “I stick to speed limits” or “It’s just a bit of fun.” You are using public roads for a private event involving hundreds of bikes. The risks are immense, and organizers are clearly not able to control them. It also beggars belief that someone would have the arrogance to unleash hundreds of bikes on an unsuspecting public that has the right to use the roads without being wiped out by some wannabe racers.

I get it. You want to have some excitement in your life and some fun with your bike. That’s cool, but it doesn’t give you the right to put others at risk, especially those who never signed up for your event and just happened to go about their day. There are two simple options for you here: If you want to have an organized rideout, then have a big parade under a police escort. It’s how we manage mass rideouts involving thousands of bikes on the Isle of Man. They are slow, but are still loads of fun (and look pretty awesome).

If you want to race or take part in any kind of challenge, then do it on a racetrack under controlled conditions. Either on a short circuit or create a proper road racing circuit, with everything that’s part of it—which is quite a lot, I assure you. To put on a TT event, we need over 900 volunteer marshals; two rescue helicopters; a hospital with a world-leading trauma team; the full support of the local police force, the fire brigade, and an ambulance service; a government that underwrites the massive insurance requirements for the activity; and the goodwill of the people who live on the island.

I’m not saying it couldn’t be done. And if someone is seriously interested, I’d be happy to help and even connect them to TT organizers for a knowledge exchange (we have over 100 years of road racing experience on the Isle of Man). But it’s not an easy task to do it right. To do it as safely as you can and without putting an unsuspecting public in danger takes massive resources and huge commitment. Until the BOSS Ironman Challenge organizers can do that, they really only have one option: Stop the event. You’re not fooling anyone, and you have no right to do what you are doing. You are seriously damaging the image of the motorbike community in the Philippines, and you are hurting people.

Just stop.