Seattle Bike Show

[lamble]

It's on at the end of the week at Qwest Arena. Not sure who is showing and who isn't. But there will be bikes to see, so that's a good thing.

[DarrylRi]

The VME (Vintage Motorcycle Enthusiasts) (http://vme.micapeak.com) will have their big display up, as they have for many years.

[breyfogle]

BMW's participation is way down this year. I have read that BMWNA will be supporting only a few shows in major markets. I was at the Long Beach show this past Saturday and BMW's display was minimal. Basically, a lot of different GS's and the S1000R prototype. What I found odd was that BMWNA obviously paid for their normal display area on the show floor but chose to display only a few bikes. There was LOTS of empty space.

[DarrylRi]

The San Mateo show (aka, the bay area) (12/19-21) won't have an official BMW NA presence.

[jlsquier]

BMW will not be in Seattle

[OfficerImpersonator]

I was requested by SoundRider to submit my bike for display. When I learned BMW wasn't going to be at the show, I lost some of my enthusiasm. When I got the list of hoops I'd have to jump through just to get my bike in the door of the exhibition center (disconnect two batteries, drain the tank, arrive during a two-hour window in the middle of the work-day, clean the bike upon arriving, etc.) it suddenly became a hassle instead of a fun thing to do - so I decided against participating.

Maybe next year.

[bdiver]

I'll be there on Saturday probably most of the day as I have friends from near Edmonton coming down. I wonder if the BMWMOA will have a booth. I purposely didn't renew so I could with them this yr...

Last yr I came home in an almost blinding snow storm
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2020072460062873392DPWOfE
Of course by the time I got home it was mostly off the streets but an interesting ride none the less.

[GrafikFeat]

I was requested by SoundRider to submit my bike for display. When I learned BMW wasn't going to be at the show, I lost some of my enthusiasm. When I got the list of hoops I'd have to jump through just to get my bike in the door of the exhibition center (disconnect two batteries, drain the tank, arrive during a two-hour window in the middle of the work-day, clean the bike upon arriving, etc.) it suddenly became a hassle instead of a fun thing to do - so I decided against participating.

Maybe next year.

Ditto! They wanted my R1200C/Hack...
I could only load it up between 1pm and 3pm on Friday.
I said that's fine for a retiree but most of us work for a living.
No concession.
I too pulled out. Only no next year for me.

[OfficerImpersonator]

Ditto! They wanted my R1200C/Hack...
I could only load it up between 1pm and 3pm on Friday.
I said that's fine for a retiree but most of us work for a living.
No concession.
I too pulled out. Only no next year for me.

Snow is in the forecast for Friday afternoon and off and on through the weekend. If it snows Friday afternoon, they aren't going to have any bikes to display because no one will be able to get theirs there during the specified time.

[lamble]

I went along on Saturday morning. Didn't see much that would part me from my cash.
Met some folks I should have spent more time getting to know better.

[OfficerImpersonator]

Had a thought this morning about how miserable it would have been to try and ride a bike home from the show last night. So glad I didn't display mine at the show - it'd still be stuck in SODO, waiting for the roads to thaw so I could ride home.

[GrafikFeat]

Amen to that brother! :hungover

[SeabeckS]

I went to the show Friday night...and by the looks of the guys on the Bremerton ferry that night I was content knowing that my 11S was home tucked away in the garage with it's Battery Tender plugged in...

Of course when I complain about the "tough" weather we're having, my brother in Northern Iowa just sort of laughs it off!

Thought the show was noticeably smaller this year, with some of the lesser accessory vendors on the main show floor trying to fill up the space left by the absence of BMW, et al. Not much to tempt me either at this year's show, had hoped to see the new F800GS. Disappointed that neither Ride West or South Sound could pony up the bucks to have some sort of presence.

Oh well, perhaps next year will be better (and warmer)!

Merry Christmas to all you NW bike aficianados!

Bill J

[OfficerImpersonator]

Today is the first day I haven't ridden in since last winter. I really missed my morning ride to work. Hopefully the ice will sublimate with the dry air and sunshine and I can ride in tomorrow.

[SeabeckS]

Supreme luxury of early retirement is NOT having to go to work everyday, plus I get to pick days/hours that I get to ride! :thumb

Ciao! BJ

[rideoregon]

It was good, not great. Most manufacturers were there, but with relatively small footprints. Sorry to see BMW not there. They were the only major mfr. not to make it, which was a shame. Heck, Moto Guzzi was there, and they may only sell 3000 units worldwide this year. Maybe Piaggio is displaying the brand for sale?... Word on the street is that Piaggio is going full on for scooters, with Aprilia and Guzzi left hanging. The Guzzi factory is reportedly shutting down for a few weeks, and all design and development work of the brand is now being done at Aprilia.

Suzuki at least had the guts to show with its two new smaller bikes: the TU250 standard and the ill-named Gladius, which despite criticisms from others really struck a design chord with me. Honda had its bizzarro big-ass scooter/motorcycle hybrid there. Didn't seem to generate much interest. Ditto the Aprilia Mana 850, another clutch-free creation. Supposedly, there's a market for motorcycles that are the next step up for scooter buyers. Really? Hmm. Not this boy.

Talked to a vendor friend of mine in Seattle who said his show sales are down about 35% this year compared to last on the tour. Lots of people looking; few people buying he said.

Great to see Dave Hough there autographing books.