international motorcycle show?

[DeBenGuzzi]

no triumph or morini or KTM or MZ or Benelli or so on and so on

Guzzi and Aprilia were there and had 'free hats' if you talked to a dealer, yeah they were all gone half way through yesterday's half day show

BUT husqy was there!! I want one of those for a dual sport toy!!! nothing beats a husqy right? or so steve mcqueen says.

 

but I really learned something, one, I need a new smaller camera because I can't bring a nikon d50 just 'along' for the show, and two, the bike I want has been decided. FINALLY I can't stop twisting this way and that and never again will you have to hear me banter to and fro, the stars have aligned and showed me the bike I shall buy.

The triump 675 was a contender but its too small for my 6'3" 225 the thing is like a toy, Aprilia is nice and big enough but piaggio is letting ot flounder, and for guzzi I don't see a need to have two of them unless it's an oldie.

the winner is the Ducati 1098, suprised? I am a little I used to hate ducati but the bike was decently comfy, could use some bar risers and a taller screen but the tank seat and pegs were all nice and the bike is pretty big and I didn't look like a giant on it.

only thing I don't like is the $3000 exhaust upgrade OI!

and the girls at the ducati booth were the hottest too, that might have something to do with it

 

 

the show overall was lame and for $12 just to get in, NOT worth it. I could have gone to one or two dealers and gotten a better free experience.

[richard100t]

Hmm they had the KTM setup at the Cleveland show last week Ben. Come to think of it Triumph hasnt had a booth setup for at least the last two years now. I dont know...I thought it was worth the $12 just to try on all the new helmets & sit on all the new bikes. Plus there had to be the smokin hotties handing out bags in Minnesota too right? I never get tired of looking at them either.

[Dan M]

Hmm they had the KTM setup at the Cleveland show last week Ben. Come to think of it Triumph hasnt had a booth setup for at least the last two years now. I dont know...I thought it was worth the $12 just to try on all the new helmets & sit on all the new bikes. Plus there had to be the smokin hotties handing out bags in Minnesota too right? I never get tired of looking at them either.

 

 

Triumph has opted out of these shows Seems silly. Why wouldn't they want the exposure?

[Skeeve]

Triumph has opted out of these shows Seems silly. Why wouldn't they want the exposure?

 

I seem to recall reading something on this to the effect that Triumph USA had done a cost/benefits analysis to the effect that for the ever-increasing rates Advanstar Attractions wanted to charge for their participation [leave us not forget; w/o the manufacturers booths, there's absolutely no reason to go to one of these events vs. attending the local county fairgrounds biker swapmeets ("jumble sales" for you U.K. types)], Triumph was far better off spending the money one print advertising & local cooperative promos w/ their dealership network.

 

That said, I think it was pretty short-sighted of them to bow out too. The manufacturers would be better off hosting their own regional shows that last a week or more (to give people travel time & enough chance to actually test-ride) and tellling Advanstar where they can stick it. Figure one at Las Vegas (Reno?) for the west, another in Kansas City for the central U.S. and maybe somewhere in PA, NC or maybe upstate NY for the eastern seaboard? Heck, make it big enough, get enough vendors on board, and lower the entry to $5 so that the only cost is for travel, and I'm willing to bet it would be a smashing success. Schedule some races & other stuff along side it & call it a circus & charge little more if need be, but it would still seem to be a bit more appealing than what the CWIMS has evolved into...