Ride 6 is the latest motorbike-themed video game and, according to our testers, it’s pretty good.
The Ride series has been around for over a decade now, being touted as the two-wheeled answer to the iconic Forza Motorsport games on the XBOX. Updated versions have appeared every few years, adding new tracks, motorcycles and disciplines.
Now, for 2026, there’s a sixth iteration of the game. Ride 6 features off-road riding for the first time and also includes digital interpretations of 10 legendary racers, who act as end of level bosses. Beat them and you win (perhaps in the style of the Terminator) their clothes, their boots and their motorcycles!
Those riders include multiple former Superbike World Champions Troy Bayliss and James Toseland, MotoGP legend Casey Stoner and Isle of Man TT superstars Ian Hutchinson, Peter Hickman and Guy Martin.
At the heart of the game is the same basic concept as before. Buy bikes, modify them, race them and earn credits to unlock new bikes and series to race in. As always, there’s an absolute feast of virtual bikes and tracks, some based on real life circuits and some created especially for the game. The latest version introduces bagger racing, the popular US series featuring Indians and Harley-Davidsons, with a digital recreation of the Indian Challenger race bike included in the game.
Also featuring are adventure bikes, including the KTM 1290 Super Adventure R and Yamaha’s Ténéré 700 World Rally Edition, which can be ridden around dirt tracks. There’s a single player career mode which can take you down specialist strands against AI competitors, for example supermoto racing, endurance, baggers and adventure bike riding to win certain awards, while there’s also a multi-player function where you can play against fellow racers from around the world in various online lobbies.
The Ride franchise has long been a favourite among motorcycle racing enthusiasts, and Ride 6 pushes the series further than ever before. Developed by Milestone, the studio behind some of the most technically refined racing simulations on the market, Ride 6 delivers a blend of realism, accessibility, and visual fidelity that cements its place as a must-play title for fans of two-wheeled motorsport.
Of course, you can never truly replicate riding a motorcycle on a gaming console, but real life riders will appreciate some of the detail that’s gone into the game. The physics system has been refined to provide a more natural and responsive riding experience.
Weight transfer, braking dynamics, tyre grip and aerodynamics all play a part in chasing the all-important lap times, although casual gamers are able to use assists for a more ‘arcade’ type of experience. The graphics have been tweaked too, with neat details like glowing brake discs and moving suspension all combining to create a more immersive experience. Engine sounds are also fairly realistic, and confirm that the developers are real bikers who understand the visceral experience you get from riding a motorcycle.
There aren’t too many motorcycle themed computer games out there, with only really the official MotoGP game (which is also developed by Milestone) as competition. Ride 6 is available for PS5, XBOX and PC, and the only shame is that it’s being launched in February, when the weather’s starting to come good and we’re starting to get out on our real bikes again. Had it been out four months ago, we’d have been playing this all through the long winter months!
