NEC Bike Show 2007

[Boxadog 2000]

Ok Winger spill the beans what was the show like ?

Bob

[oyster]

Me first! Better than last year!
New location, Hall one for most of the bike displays, upper level to hall 2/3/&4 for all else.
Most of the big bikes were represented, Lots of Ducatis and a new range of Benelli. Some lesser known makes, well to me, Hyosung, Generic PGO, Vectrix. Very big Honda display. It seemed to me fewer clothing sales and fewer clearance bargains. Autocom were doing a great trade clearing their current units at half price, but all the peripherals are full price. They 'dont know' what is coming in to replace. Garmin are directly opposite, also doing great trade. Touratec had a stand, lots of interest; seen a lot of fully equiped Long way Around/down type bikes traversing the rugged London traffic in recent months. They must be looking forward to a happy christmas. Baglux are pushing their very nice seat covers, send in yours and have it recovered for about £200, gel inserts front and rear another £70.
Despite the competition there, 'roundandblack' still have the best tyre prices. Possibly. Huge Carole Nash display, ever more specials to drool over.
Its on till Sunday 2nd December. Bike park free, car park £8.00. It was 3 degrees C and foggy at 07.45 hrs on the M6 this morning.

[Dog Tyred]

Carpark £8

As if they don't alreardy charge enough to get into the f**king show!!

My advice, park at the train station (if you can find a space due to all the inconsiderate w**kers taking up two spaces so they don't get their shiney company cars dented sorry, rant over) as its only £6 for a day and is only a short walk (undercover) to the show (as they appear to have moved it back into the original halls).

Hopefully see a few of you there over the weekend

Nu2

[winger]

Well opposite to Oyster,not as in good or bad,as i've always said, takes me all of twenty minutes so if i had to travel miles might have a different point of view,and for me trade day is a major social day.

Saw Mr Sandbar for a milisecond,as so many people are, on a social mission!!!

Who was the guy in the wheel chair with his Boxertrix tee shirt,just never got round stopping him and asking,i was always gassing(as normal!!) and he always seemed to be on the way to somwhere!!!.

As for the show?? trying to be as objective as pos,not bad,not so many stalls selling crap(a few) i have to say,which seemed to raise the tone of the show a tad!!.

Had a very interesting chat with Hyosung guy,they've still a longway to go but getting there,or be it slowly,supermoto is worth a look,most of the major dealers stands are very presentable,although god knows what big H are thinking,no new VFR and the blackbird is being discontinued,maybe they think selling Blades and CBR 600 will do.

Interesting stand selling Halvarssons Swedish bike clothing,god knows how much it cost,but someone else new in the market,i normally go back a second time,as much to do with bugger all else to do at this time of year,and maybe if a spent less time talking and more looking i'd have seen more,but will be happy to go back next week and another look at what i missed today.

Normally i'm loath to stick my head over the parapit on shows,but i don't think it's to bad,but as i said i live 20 minutes away!!!


Forgot!!,didn't see were the bike park was,certainley won't be as friendly as normal with the halls going back to how they used to be.

[Ruffy]

That was me in the wheelchair winger,MS and walking round the NEC don't go together so an electric buggy it had to be,you should have said hello,i don't bite!!

[winger]

If i'd have talked less or you had slowed down!! but by the time i finished gassing you'd disappeared and that must have happened 4/5 times

[Ruffy]

Never mind eh,if your in wales in april we'll talk then eh.

[winger]

Yea no worries,problem with what i do now, have to wear incognito clothes so i'm not upsetting anyone.

[Ruffy]

You haven't upset me winger,we just weren't in the same place at the same time today,that's all

[sandbar]

Better than last year!

I would probably agree, but only because it appears that the organisers have made more of an attempt to seperate the proper show from the market and bazaar. Somebody, though, needs to ask why Ducati got so split from the rest of the manufacturers. Perhaps like the most of the Italians they originally were not coming and then, unlike the others, changed their minds at a late stage.

IMO a show should not have any selling - period. I know a lot of you will disagree, but if you do, then I suggest you go to INTERMOT next year at Koln. It is about ten times the size and there is no selling - it is not allowed.

Saw Mr Sandbar for a milisecond,as so many people are, on a social mission!!!

You were deep in conversation and I did not want to interrupt!

sandbar

P.S. Oh yes. One of the biggest stands at the show?................DVLA Cherished Registrations

[Ruffy]

Whatever anyone does don't miss the Wall of death,iv'e seen it a couple of times but it never seems to amaze me how they all do it!!

[timbox2]

IMO a show should not have any selling - period. I know a lot of you will disagree, but if you do, then I suggest you go to INTERMOT next year at Koln. It is about ten times the size and there is no selling - it is not allowed.

Here here, Im for that aswell, might try Koln next year as Ill probably be working in Germany a fair bit

[winger]

Better than last year!

I would probably agree, but only because it appears that the organisers have made more of an attempt to seperate the proper show from the market and bazaar. Somebody, though, needs to ask why Ducati got so split from the rest of the manufacturers. Perhaps like the most of the Italians they originally were not coming and then, unlike the others, changed their minds at a late stage.

IMO a show should not have any selling - period. I know a lot of you will disagree, but if you do, then I suggest you go to INTERMOT next year at Koln. It is about ten times the size and there is no selling - it is not allowed.



It's called budget,dispite how much they do,people have no idea how small Ducati is,when i was at the show,i think there were only 3 people short, out of the whole Ducati UK's office,there are 2 reps north and south,a press man,2 technical,1 PR,and 4 in the office and an MD and thats it.

As for the retail section??,i honestly don't know,there are some people i guess who just want a day out and spend few bob,they'll spend 10 quid on a pair of gloves and 50 quid on a crap helmet and say it's a great show,and their entrance fee is as good as the next man's,most of the time i think jeeze i can get that cheaper away from the show,but it's each to his own.

[Blackal]

Yea no worries,problem with what i do now, have to wear incognito clothes so i'm not upsetting anyone.

You need to have a word with Trinny & Susannah

Al

[sandbar]

It's called budget,

My information is that on this occasion it was the timing. That was also the reason why Benelli are where they are and they arguably have a much better position than Ducati

As for the retail section??,

IMHO there should be no retail section at the main UK Bike Show. It is fine to sell at all the peripheral shows like Excell, Ally Pally (if there is one this year), BMF and the like.

It would be a lot better for all of us if, for example, Arai themselves were there showing all the new designs and technology, rather than their retailers (I use the term in its loosest sense) flogging off piles of their outdated obsolete stock.

I am sure that a lot of potential exhibitors are put off by the possibility that they may be buried next to stands with tie-dyed T shirts, tassled leather bikinis or other assorted tat. It is certainly the reason why I do not even consider having a stand at that show

It should be a show - not a bizarre bazaar!

The problem is that, for the organisers, what is right or wrong is irrelevant - I suspect that it is the 'bottom line' that is the only consideration.

sandbar