Offseason Motorcycle Fix

Last weekend was the Cycle World International Motorcycle Show in DC. Having not attended any of these in the past I went in with an open mind and limited expectations. I was also aware of how the struggling economy has taken a serious toll on the industry. Everyone is struggling, but the 'toy' industries are suffering the worst. That having been said, I was prepared.

The first thing I noticed was the number of people at the show. It was shoulder to shoulder the entire time I was there. I was very surprised. I took the time to visit the NESBA booth to sign up for a chance at a free trackday. It seems that I didn't win. I then started walking around checking out the displays, trying out how the different bikes felt underneath my 6'4" frame and generally absorbing the atmosphere.

Suzuki, Yamaha and Ducati did the patrons the favor of bringing out their fast bikes. Yamaha, of course, had the most to show off with a MotoGP championship and a World Superbike Championship. Both bikes were there, and I'll tell you, it was fun to check them out. Ducati had Hayden's machine on display, and Suzuki had Mladin's bike out for people to look at, and (gasp) sit on. Kawasaki and Honda had very large display areas but did not bring out any bikes, which was surprising. With the popularity of Monster, I was shocked to see that they didn't exploit that. Same goes for the Repsol partnership. Everyone that knows anything about bikes still enjoys seeing a Repsol GP bike even in the post-Hayden, post-Rossi era.

In terms of gear, there was precious little of interest. A local dealership had a nice display, and I did have a chance to try out the Sidi Vortice boots, which have come in a very nice white and blue combo. I can see myself in a pair of those! I also had my first chance to try HJC and Shoei helmets, which I have not been able to do yet. The Shoei fit incredibly well! It might just be my next choice for protecting my head. Several brands of gear failed to be represented at all. This would have been a great opportunity for me, as a track rider to check out the latest in suits, gloves and other protective gear, but now I am stuck taking forum recomendations and advice from friends. Disappointing.

Overall, the show was vanilla. I didn't expect much more, but it was a touch underwhelming. It fulfilled my need for motorcycle stuff in the offseason, but not my need for a hands on experience with gear and equipment. I will likely go again next year, but I will be more prepared for what the purpose of the show is. Its all about seeing bikes on the floor and not at all about getting to know about the other stuff that makes the industry run.