MotorCycleLive (NEC) 2011 … FullChatter Report

We wanted to be there early, as we usually do, preferably as the doors open, 10.00am, therefore it was a 6.30 wake up call.

We made it, after an extended breakfast at the ‘Truck Stop’, muesli and prunes all-round, for approximately 10.20am.

We needn’t have got up so early, we could have gone later, mind you we’d have missed our prunes.

By 3.00 the place was rather quiet. Certainly the bike stands – after 3.00, you could just about climb over any bike you wished for as long as you wished. None of that cocking your leg 3 or 4 times before actually getting astride, no, straight on.

Had we waited, our photos would have been cleaner too, none of the clambering hordes (that’s you lot!) getting in our way … just because they wanted their own photo!

It seems a shame for organisers and exhibitors. As the major bike show in the UK, it did go quiet, quite early.

Why? Could be the effects of, not last year but, the previous three or four shows perhaps; the general economic climate, maybe? Or worse, is biking facing such a downturn, altogether? Who knows? … one thing for sure, from our point of view, and several of us went, it was not the show’s fault. This was a good show.

All the major manufacturers were there, with a decent stand and new models on view.

Perhaps not the Honda stand of old but, a fantastic display from Yamaha and their 50yrs in GP celebrations. A brilliant entertainment zone; the Whitham clinics; Classic zone; Escape zone; Streetfighter zone and loads more, even the Motocross Arena was included in the ticket cost this year, fantastic.

By the way, how do those guys do that!

Another thing for sure is the diversity of bikes and bikers nowadays, everything goes ….

It also seems to us that more bikers are travelling wider and further than ever before, that real adventure spirit glows and grows in more and more of us, whether it’s the first time for a European jaunt or a more rugged South American trek, there’s true adventure out there for all of us. And the places and people you see and meet will stay with you forever … oops! sorry, going all soft and gooey, enough of that.

Back to the show. The bikes that took our interst:- the new Kwak Versys 1000 (why haven’t Suzuki done more with the Vstrom?); the Triumph 1200 Adventurer; the Honda Fury (a chopper offered mainstream, is this a conundrum?); the 1199 Panigale (as nice as the original 916).

It’s impossible to cover everything and we all have our prejudices so, sorry if we’ve not mentioned your favourite, or included a snap but, you can can always send us your photos for publication and any words you want to go with them!

Final comment, unfortunately prices go up and definitely you can look forward to paying more for your new bike in 2012. It will be interesting to see how new sales go, and what happens to the second-hand market.