Motorcycle Service in Hamburg Sees Declining Attendance, Bikers Demand More Respect
Hamburg, June 14 – The traditional Motorcycle Service (MOGO) was held again on Sunday in Hamburg’s St. Michael’s Church (Michel). However, only about 170 bikers attended, a stark contrast to previous years when up to 30,000 participants gathered.
The times when up to 30,000 bikers participated in the motorcycle service in the Hanseatic city are long gone. This Sunday, approximately 100 motorcycles were parked in front of the Michel.
It was a service rich in tradition: blessing ribbons for greeting, moments of remembrance for bikers recently deceased in traffic, accompanied by saxophone and organ music for the comparatively few attendees in the Michel.
Biker Community Demands More Respect
The sermon by MOGO pastor Ulrike Engler focused on the theme of experiencing respect. The biker community yearns for more respect. “It is important to us that we see the person in front of us – with family, with friends, with children, with a history,” said Pastor Ulrike Egener. “That bikers are not labeled as organ donors on wheels, speeders, or the like. They are all human beings.” She intended to address this in her sermon.
Grilling Instead of a Convoy Ride
The motorcycle service is no longer a huge event like it used to be, mainly for financial reasons, but MOGO remains an important event for the community, the pastor explained. “People come from near and far and are simply connected by their passion, by their hobby.”
There was no large convoy ride this year either. However, numerous bikers met at the Vicelin Church St. Jacobi in Bornhöved (Schleswig-Holstein) for a communal barbecue. According to the organizer, everyone was cordially invited to make their way there after the service “on their own responsibility and in compliance with traffic regulations.”
The 42nd MOGO on Sunday included a service in the Michel, but no convoy. A “sustainable concept” is to be developed for the coming year.
This topic was broadcast on NDR 90.3 | NDR 90.3 Aktuell | June 14, 2026 | 3:00 PM.
More News from Hamburg
Other news from Hamburg included the A7 closure causing traffic chaos in the south of Hamburg until Monday morning due to construction work. Also, more children are being placed in foster families, but finding enough foster families remains a challenging task, according to the family authority. Additionally, the Bundeswehr celebrated Veteran’s Day in Hamburg on the Rathausmarkt, though few people attended the celebration. Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) thanked the Bundeswehr for their work.
Source: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/hamburg/mogo-in-hamburg-biker-community-fordert-mehr-respekt,mogo-100.html
