First off, hoorah!? After the farce of the last few years of two shows on the same weekend, ostensibly covering the same ground, the Ally Pally show has moved to a different date and is now specialising in the custom arena. This stops trade stands being forced to choose (or worse, run the costs of having to send teams to both), manufacturers likewise and the public suffering because of it.
As Motobke.co.uk is a general biking site, for 2011 we will be sticking with the MCN/Carole Nash show as it matches the site’s aims… and aside from anything else Our Man Turner is off being a signed book author (book to be reviewed on this site once it is published), so his normal Ally Pally stint isn’t an option. On the plus side, it gives more space to cover the Excel show.
So without the competition, how was the 2011 show? If we are in a recession, you would never tell from the people passing through the entrance. According to the press office, this year, for the first time, there were counterfeit tickets doing the rounds! A sure, if sad, sign of success. And the Revolution show (more on that later), was ‘practically’ sold out each day – 3,200 seats, three or four shows a day, depending on the day – another sign the biking public has some money to spend.
But the main focus has to be the bikes. And we are delighted to report that all major manufacturers (with the exception of KTM) were in attendance this year. And it looks like they believe the trend for 2011 will be Big(gish) trail bikes, cruisers will become more popular as the once dominant sportsbike sector retracts.
So, in no particular order, the bikes being pushed (and most bums were landing on seats) were:
BMW: The S1000RR was pushed pushed to the front, in a range of colours.? But the K1600GT 6-cylinder tourer was garnering a LOT of attention (and at least one sale, if the in-depth 25-minute conversation between man on bike and BMW rep was anything to go by), ut the GTL version not so much. The McG/Boorman factor continues with the R1200GS seeing bums on seats… with the F800 quietly having a female audience.
Honda: The flagship “Road sports” VFR1200 and the factory custom Fury were pushed up front of the stand, with the former popular all day. But the Varadero was the bike getting attention.? I did not spot the CBR600F.? CBF range was pushed into a quiet corner – after years of being rammed down our throats.
Harley-Davidson: Electra and Street Glide big tourers were the big push, but entry into the cruiser arena was hinted at as the various incarnations of X883 Sportster (Superlow getting female attention) were seeing most of the stand’s attention.
Suzuki: Someone at Suzuki must read this site. We’ve been banging on for the last couple of years at them, asking them to get one of their dealers to run a stand on their behalf. And they got a good one (Premier Motorcycles of West Wickham) to run it. Well-run dealer stands are interesting, as their take on what to push is often different to the ‘official’ line. And this was one of the few stands to make a big thing of their sportsbike range, with the GSX-R750 and 600 after.? But the do-it-all GSX650/1250 range was getting attention (especially the larger bike), as was the SV650S.
Norton: Cafe –racer version of Commando being pushed hardest and also getting most attention from the public. Lets hope it translates into sales.
Aprillia: RSV4 was getting a big push, but the Dorsoduro was the one gaining “I’d like to buy one” interest. The Shiver was also finding a lot of attention… contrast with Moto Guzzi, with three bikes sitting in Eeyore’s Dark and Gloomy corner, largely ignored. But the V7 classic did get some interest
Victory: Hammer S and Crossroads were seeing real interest – the latter being the ladies choice. There was a steady run of bums on seats of the Vision Tourer, but I think this is bewilderment (turns into amazement once sat upon), which in turns draws the punters on to their other bikes in a nice sales tactic.
Ducati: Talking bewilderment, the power-cruiser Diavel got attention… but a lof of it seemed to be very odd looks with people not quite sure what to make of it (Ducati’s diversification plans are heading down their own, possibly odd, roads).? But the Multistrada was the bike where the sales interest was heading this year.
Kawasaki: Z1000SX – this looks like being a masterstroke by the revived company. Offering power (not at sports bike levels, but not far off), flexibility and wind-protection with genuine touring potential… at a price undercutting their rivals by a long way. No surprise that this was seeing lots of attention. Surprisingly, the W800 retro was tucked away on the stand, so getting missed by a lot of people. With the retro look back in (see Triumph), this looks like a bit of a mistake.
Triumph: Biggish trailbikes, retro and cruisers are their take on 2011 popularity, with the Tiger 800/XC proving popular, the cruiser range being shown in full and the various Bonneville incarnations (especially the Scrambler) finding lots of bums landing in their saddles.
Yamaha: The biggest buck of trend, with the largest push of their sportsbikes. But again the big trailbike option was seeing public interest as the Tenere saw a lot of potential riders climb on board..
So that is the popular bike section, so what else was going on? This year, a big thing was made of the new ‘Revolution’ show. This is an additional fee on top of the ticket, so was it worth it? Having seen the show, we give it the thumbs up. Huge leaps, races around a specially designed circuit by such stars as Kevin Schwanz and Dougie Lampkin, a thumping rock soundtrack and fire-breathing girls all made for a spectacular show. Watching Charley Boorman ride an R1200GS up a 60 foot scaffold was entertainment enough by itself!
Verdict:
So how was the show in general? Well ‘Motorcycle Alley” – the curse of Ally Pally – is starting to happen again, with most of the manufacturer stand in one area. That said, a very wide aisle was in place to prevent logjams as people try to get from one bike to the other. But this is something to be borne in mind for future years – and also, if the manufacturer stands are spread around the hall, then it will ensure people are drawn to the trade stands in the same area (all bike stands in one place penalises trade stands further away from them).
But the show remains well-organised, the format is developing rather than any dramatic changes (really not sure about the fashion show). Getting pretty much all the manufacturers in place was a big boost for 2011, lets hope this becomes the norm rather than the exception.
So without the competition, how was the 2011 show? If we are in a recession, you would never tell from the people passing through the entrance. According to the press office, this year, for the first time, there were counterfeit tickets doing the rounds! A sure, if sad, sign of success. And the Revolution show (more on that later), was ‘practically’ sold out each day – 3,200 seats, three or four shows a day, depending on the day – another sign the biking public has some money to spend.
But the main focus has to be the bikes. And we are delighted to report that all major manufacturers (with the exception of KTM) were in attendance this year. And it looks like they believe the trend for 2011 will be Big(gish) trail bikes, cruisers will become more popular as the once dominant sportsbike sector retracts.
BMW: The S1000RR was pushed pushed to the front, in a range of colours.? But the K1600GT 6-cylinder tourer was garnering a LOT of attention (and at least one sale, if the in-depth 25-minute conversation between man on bike and BMW rep was anything to go by), ut the GTL version not so much. The McG/Boorman factor continues with the R1200GS seeing bums on seats… with the F800 quietly having a female audience.
Harley-Davidson: Electra and Street Glide big tourers were the big push, but entry into the cruiser arena was hinted at as the various incarnations of X883 Sportster (Superlow getting female attention) were seeing most of the stand’s attention.
Norton: Cafe –racer version of Commando being pushed hardest and also getting most attention from the public. Lets hope it translates into sales.
Victory: Hammer S and Crossroads were seeing real interest – the latter being the ladies choice. There was a steady run of bums on seats of the Vision Tourer, but I think this is bewilderment (turns into amazement once sat upon), which in turns draws the punters on to their other bikes in a nice sales tactic.
Ducati: Talking bewilderment, the power-cruiser Diavel got attention… but a lof of it seemed to be very odd looks with people not quite sure what to make of it (Ducati’s diversification plans are heading down their own, possibly odd, roads).? But the Multistrada was the bike where the sales interest was heading this year.
Kawasaki: Z1000SX – this looks like being a masterstroke by the revived company. Offering power (not at sports bike levels, but not far off), flexibility and wind-protection with genuine touring potential… at a price undercutting their rivals by a long way. No surprise that this was seeing lots of attention. Surprisingly, the W800 retro was tucked away on the stand, so getting missed by a lot of people. With the retro look back in (see Triumph), this looks like a bit of a mistake.
Triumph: Biggish trailbikes, retro and cruisers are their take on 2011 popularity, with the Tiger 800/XC proving popular, the cruiser range being shown in full and the various Bonneville incarnations (especially the Scrambler) finding lots of bums landing in their saddles.
So that is the popular bike section, so what else was going on? This year, a big thing was made of the new ‘Revolution’ show. This is an additional fee on top of the ticket, so was it worth it? Having seen the show, we give it the thumbs up. Huge leaps, races around a specially designed circuit by such stars as Kevin Schwanz and Dougie Lampkin, a thumping rock soundtrack and fire-breathing girls all made for a spectacular show. Watching Charley Boorman ride an R1200GS up a 60 foot scaffold was entertainment enough by itself!
So how was the show in general? Well ‘Motorcycle Alley” – the curse of Ally Pally – is starting to happen again, with most of the manufacturer stand in one area. That said, a very wide aisle was in place to prevent logjams as people try to get from one bike to the other. But this is something to be borne in mind for future years – and also, if the manufacturer stands are spread around the hall, then it will ensure people are drawn to the trade stands in the same area (all bike stands in one place penalises trade stands further away from them).