Ride 6 adds Baggers and bikes in the mud – but it’s not revolutionary

Ride 6 has finally arrived, as the sixth entry in Milestone’s Ride series looks to reassert the franchise's position as ‘Gran Turismo on two-wheels. With the latest iteration, you get more bikes, more riding modes, new disciplines and a whole new career mode. 

But does it hit the apex, or understeer into the gravel trap?

Ride 6’s headline act is ‘Ride Fest’, a career hub clearly inspired by the Horizon Festival from Forza Horizon. It’s meant to give structure and a sense of belonging, with real-world riders like Peter Hickman, Casey Stoner and Skyler Howes positioned as milestones on your way up the racing ladder.

In reality, it’s more of a menu theme than a reinvention. Beating Tyler O'Hara in an early King of the Baggers-style chapter feels much like any other race. There’s little build-up, the AI isn’t markedly faster, and the overall loop remains the same. You load in, race for five minutes, back to menus, repeat. Without an open world to sell the spectacle, as Horizon does so effectively, Ride Fest lacks a little immersion.

Where Ride 6 does make tangible gains is in its riding disciplines. The addition of Off-road, Supermoto and Bagger modes is genuinely welcome, with the Baggers and big-bore adventure bikes being especially entertaining; lumbering, torquey and occasionally frustrating. They are, though, undeniably good fun to wrestle around a circuit. It’s also nice to see a bike racing game warmly accepting left-field disciplines and bringing them to the fore.

The off-road racing is a solid first step, with adventure bikes and off-road maxi scooters finally getting muddy. The new off-road sections and ADV tracks are beautifully rendered, with strong environmental detail. Curiously, rider and bike models haven’t progressed at the same pace, and overall, the graphics and physics don’t feel like a major leap forward. That’s not fatal, though, as Ride 5 was already near the front of the pack visually and when talking about gameplay, but it does make this sequel feel evolutionary rather than revolutionary.

On track, the physics are dependable. Not quite the high-water mark of Ride 4, but better than Ride 5’s slightly numb feel. There’s a comprehensive electronics suite to play with too, with ABS, traction control, engine brake, anti-wheelie and power modes. Each is adjustable and useful for smoothing out short career events. A touch of ABS, for example, tames an otherwise abrupt front-end lock under trail braking.

The sticking point remains AI. Since the machine-learning shift in MotoGP 19, Milestone’s opponents have been aggressive and occasionally oblivious. Ride 6 continues that trend. Close passes can end with the AI turning into you, which usually leads to the player sliding out of the race. That lack of actual awareness means clean overtakes are reliant on straight-line speed rather than any epic racecraft.

There are smart ideas here, including a used bike rotation system reminiscent of Gran Turismo 7, but the execution doesn’t always maximise them.

Ride 6 review: Verdict

Ultimately, Ride 6 broadens the series with dirt, Baggers, adventure bikes and more. And those additions aren’t just worthwhile; they do add a huge level of depth to the game, and it’s still the undisputed champion in the two-wheeled gaming charts. Perhaps once Ride 7 comes out, the gameplay and graphics will get the same kind of polish that the race schedule of Ride 6 has.

You can find out more about Ride 6 on the official website.

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