WHY YOU SHOULD RACE THE 8-HOUR AT NARRABRI…

Originally added to the event calendar back in 2024, the Transmoto 8-Hour at Narrabri oozes quiet-achiever rural appeal. Here are some compelling reasons you ought to consider signing up to race the third instalment of the 8-Hour at this legendary venue in the picturesque North West Slopes region of NSW in late June. Or, if you couldn’t be bothered to read on, let the highlights video of last year’s 8-Hour at this amazing 10,000-acre property get you across the line.

THE NARRABRI VENUE IS EPIC

Those in the know will be familiar with this slice of riding heaven. The property, called “Castletop” (also known as Bike Territory), is a functioning stay-and-ride venue. It’s situated 35 minutes northeast of Narrabri and features 10,000 acres of unreal riding terrain. The 2026 Transmoto 8-Hour’s loop will again use a bunch of all-new tracks, specifically cut in for this year’s event. With a mouth-watering mix of grasstrack, hillclimbs, flowing tree-lined singletrack and killer ridgeline views, it’s a riding paradise. Plus, Narrabri serves up a very different flavour to events run closer to the coast – in terms of both the riding terrain and the surrounding countryside. Think far-horizon vistas, star-filled skies, mesmerising hardwood campfires, old-school pubs and classic rural characters. 

SUNDAY NIGHT CAMPING – FOR FREE!

On Sunday arvo, when you’re buggered after eight gruelling hours of racing your mates (and, who knows, maybe you’ve even necked a couple of beers to celebrate), the last thing you want to do is pack up and get on the road, right? Right! In the past at Transmoto events, camping has only been available on the Saturday night. But for Narrabri this year, with the shortened daylight hours in June, entrants will be able to kick back and relax on Sunday arvo after the race, reflect on the weekend’s shenanigans, and camp the night. That means you can pack up in daylight on Monday morning and hit the road after a good night’s sleep. Sunday night camping is free exclusively for this year’s 8-Hour entrants (thanks to Bike Territory, who has waived their customary overnight camping fee of $15 per person).

TEST RIDE A NEW-MODEL KTM, HUSKY & GASSER – FOR FREE!

When was the last time you threw a leg over a new-model dirt bike? Have you ever actually compared two-stroke and four-stroke models back-to-back? Or figured out which of the four-stroke range’s capacities best suits you? For many, the answer to those questions is no and never! Well, all that can change at Narrabri. Entrants into this year’s Transmoto 8-Hour at Narrabri will get the enviable opportunity to test ride a selection of KTM, Husqvarna and GASGAS demo bikes on Saturday between 9.30am and 3.30pm – and it’s all for free! That’s right; the KTM Group crew has joined forces with Transmoto to offer paid-up 8-Hour entrants the chance to spin some dedicated test-track laps on a cross-section of these three brand’s finest new-model steeds. There’s no pre-registration; it’s on a first-in, first-served basis. So, to lock in time slots for the specific models you’d like to sample, all you need to do is rock up to the demo program truck as early as possible on Saturday to sign up.

YOU WON’T BE FIGHTING ANY CROWDS

Many Transmoto events sell out in a stampede of entries within a few days of the event going on sale. Narrabri, on the other hand, only joined the Transmoto event calendar in 2024, and is still in its formative years – so it’s yet to bump up against the 600-rider cap. And that means more space in the pits and more space on the race loop (cos the loop remains the same 18km length). Basically, you get the run of the joint – which won’t last, once everyone cottons on to how damn good this place is! In other words, get in quick before the secret gets out. 

WHILE YOU’RE THERE…

Narrabri isn’t just a township that sits on the junction of the Kamilaroi Highway and the Newell Highway. It’s got a whole lot going for it. So much so, you might even decide to hang around the area for a few days before and/or after the 8-Hour. Here’s a snapshot of some points of interest:

• Narrabri is the centre of a major cotton-growing industry, but also boasts big wheat, beef and lamb agricultural industries.
• Nearby attractions are Mount Kaputar National Park, the Australia Telescope Compact Array at the Paul Wild Observatory (administered by the CSIRO) and a number of agricultural centres.
• Just to the south of Narrabri is the Pilliga Forest, the largest remnant temperate forest in Eastern Australia.
• For film buffs, Narrabri also has The Crossing Theatre, a 1000-seat auditorium and cinema complex.

EXTRA VALUE!

As you can already tell, we’re giving entrants extra-special treatment this year to mark the third running of the Transmoto 8-Hour at Narrabri. We’re adding a few value-for-money additions to make this event the ultimate weekender, and that includes:

• Three nights’ camping (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). That means you can pack up in daylight on Monday morning and hit the road after a good night’s sleep;
• Sign up to test-ride a selection of new-model KTM, Husqvarna and GASGAS demo bikes on Saturday; and
• Take up the opportunity to ride Bike Territory’s massive network of epic trails on Saturday.

All that is included for the same price as a regular Transmoto 8-Hour event – three nights’ camping, two days of riding, and an epic (and free!) demo program. There will also be a Juniors and Ladies Loop running on Saturday from 11am-2pm, as well as the usual Saturday crowd-favourite entertainment – including the Dunlop Tyre Toss, Leatt Launch, Gaerne Rut Limbo, MXstore Charity Boot Race, and lots more.

Entries for the 2026 Transmoto 8-Hour at Narrabri, NSW, powered by KTM – go on sale from 6pm AEST on Tuesday, April 7, for Transmoto Tribe members, and Thursday, April 9, for general entries. And, if you enter before 6pm AEST on Friday, April 10, you’ll automatically go in the draw to win a FREE team entry (worth up to $1800) into the 2026 Transmoto 12-Hour at Batemans Bay (Oct 24-25).