EICMA 2008: What To Expect from Bikes in the Fast Lane

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EICMA 2008: What To Expect

October
2008

  File under Exhibitions
  Author: Mike Werner
  Location: Normandy, France

World's biggest motorcycle exhibition will open its doors on November 4th at Milan, Italy

to an ever increasing public.

Despite economic downturns, or maybe because of it, motorcycles and scooters are increasingly popular. Low cost to purchase, cheap(per) to run, PTWs are a popular transport vehicle.

This year at Milan's EICMA

exhibition, we should see several new motorcycles and scooters, though I do not think it'll be like last year. But like at Intermot, we'll be seeing a lot of Asian manufactured electric motorcycles and scooters.

Here are the companies that are calling a press conference. Although it doesn't really mean that they have something new, you don't plan a press conference if you don't have anything interesting to say (at least that's the theory, which didn't work to well at Intermot).

The main conference day is Tuesday, with 2 conferences called on Monday and one on Wednesday.

Yamaha
Yamaha have organized a conference the day before the show opens (Monday), and it's held off-site. Do they have a major announcement, or is it a show? Your guess is as good as mine.

Ducati
Ducati may present a concept of the fighter-model and possibly an upgrade of their Multistrada model (maybe that's wishful thinking). They, as usual, are having their press conference the day before the show opens.

Honda
After Honda's disappointing press conference at Intermot, hopefully they'll have something really new to present. Anyway, Honda open the very busy day of press conference on Tuesday.

New Max
New Max run several brands of clothing and helmets, and I think they'll be presenting some new stuff for the ladies.

BMW
BMW already did their stuff at Germany's Intermot exhibition, so I do not think we'll see anything new. Having 3 big new models (the new K1300 series) should do for another year, unless the present another K1300 model.

Husqvarna
Immediately following the BMW press conference, there's the subsidiary, Husqvarna. Both have 30 minutes, so I expect speeches on how good both are, but no new models.

Leo Vince
Italian Leo Vince will probably be presenting new exhausts.

KTM
KTM have two conference, one on Tuesday and one on Wednesday (together with Zadi - an Italian parts manufacturer). Could this be the event where they present their electric motorcycle?

Aprilia
Piaggio group's Aprilia have 15 minutes, so there should not be anything new.

Moto Guzzi
Piaggio group's Guzzi have 10 minutes, not enough to even say hello.

Gilera
Piaggio group's Gilera have 15 minutes, so don't expect anything.

Vespa
Piaggio group's Vespa have 15 minutes, again, not much.

Piaggio
Piaggio themselves took 15 minutes, not enough considering everyone has to come to the stand and go to the next one, taking 5 minutes,

Scarabeo
Piaggio group's Scarabeo have 10 minutes. What can you say in that time?

Derbi
Piaggio group's Derbi have 10 minutes, Olé!

Kymko
Scooter manufacturer Kymko are calling one of their rare conferences, so expect something new.

Nipponia
Who? A press conference of Nipponia... never head of them...

Suzuki
Suzuki have a 30 minutes press conference, but God knows what they'll present, since they presented their new stuff at Intermot, unless they have been holding something back.

Metzeler
Tire manufacturer Metzeler are closing the day with a press conference, so I guess they have new tires to show.

So, that's all the press conferences. Some stands will be showing new stuff without a press conference, but you need to scout them since they don't communicate these events.

So, did I miss anything? Anyone know of any new motorcycles being presented???

As usual, I'll be there, from Monday until Thursday, reporting on all the wonderful stuff of EICMA.