The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a plague on the schedules for the motorcycle trade shows, and now the effects are coming to the plans of the 2021 AIMExpo.
Unsurprisingly, the American trade show has been canceled for 2021 (or “postponed” until 2022, if you want to use the words of the MIC’s press release.
The news is unfortunate, but to be expected considering the various travel restrictions, event restrictions, and worries about the spread of the coronavirus.
Around this time next week, the new Honda Africa Twin will drop. If you have been keeping up on the news, this news shouldn’t be too much of a surprise.
We have known for a while now that the Honda Africa Twin would be getting an update for Euro5 for the 2020 model year, which meant a displacement increase to around the 1,100cc mark.
Since that early news, we have seen some photos and details leak, and now Honda Motor Europe is making it obvious that we will see the new Honda Africa Twin (CRF1100L) officially debut on September 23rd.
The 2019 AIMExpo is just around the corner, and the largest motorcycle trade show in the United States has something special for us to look forward to this year.
This is because Honda is set to have the expo be the landing ground for a new motorcycle model.
The debut is said to be a world premiere for this new machine, which leads to some interesting hypothesis on what American Honda could be hiding behind its curtain.
The motorcycle industry in the United States needs to attract new riders. This is a well-established fact, and we have already begun to see manufacturers catching on to this idea – most notably, Harley-Davidson with its “More Roads” business plan.
Now, the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) is rallying the troops to the cause, announcing a new long-term initiative to bring in new riders.
Vegas, baby! That’s the phrase that shot through my mind as I pulled up to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center for the 2018 version of AIMExpo.
You may remember from a previous AIMExpo article that I wrote, that I found the energy level to be a bit low at this show. I wondered if being in Vegas would bring a new level of excitement and energy to the show that it lacked in the past.
Besides the glitzy location, the show was held in conjunction with Las Vegas Bike Fest and Monster Energy Supercross, with all of the events being lumped under the label of Powersports Industry Week. Maybe this could be a big deal?
We heard rumors of this tire at the beginning of the year, and finally we can talk about the new Bridgestone Battlax Adventurecross AX41 tire. A knobby dual-sport tire made for adventure-touring machines, the AX41 means that Bridgestone finally has an offering for ADV riders.
It is surprising to think that the Japanese brand has been without a tire for such an important market segment for so long, but that is water under the bridge now, with the Battlax Adventurecross AX41 tire debuting at INTERMOT and coming to American dealers at the start of next year.
In a few hours, the 2019 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R is going to debut at the AIMExpo in Las Vegas…so of course here are some photos and details on this “new” supersport, a bit early.
While there was much anticipation for this new machine before the trade show, it looks like Team Green is giving the 2019 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R more of a modest refreshing, rather than an all-new treatment.
For American readers this news will be a bit of a yawn, but for our friends across the pond, this means that Kawasaki is re-entering the supersport market in Europe, which is of course welcomed news.
It’s that time of the year again, where Christmas comes early to the motorcycle industry, and we get to see all the new motorcycles that will be coming for the next model year, and beyond.
For the 2019 model year, we expect to see new models debuting at the INTERMOT, AIMExpo, and EICMA trade shows, which are in Cologne, Las Vegas, and Milan.
With things kicking off in Germany next week, we thought we would put together a guide for all the new motorcycles that we expect to see in the coming weeks. There are a bevy of new models that we know will be released at these three trade shows, and there are more than a few rumors of new bikes as well, which may surprise us.
Without wasting anymore time, let’s get down to it. We have broken down the new models and rumors by each manufacturer. Enjoy!
It looks like the Yamaha YZF-R3 will get a refresh for the 2019 model year, as photos of the bike – complete with a facelift – have surfaced in Indonesia.
The new design brings the R3 closer into the rest of Yamaha’s supersport family, particularly with an intake shape that looks inspired by the Yamaha YZR-M1 MotoGP bike.
There is a split on rumors as to whether the rest of the machine will get an update as well, specifically the frame and engine, though we can expect some some minor refinements to the overall package, no matter what the case may be on that front.
LED headlights and lighting all around have been tipped, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see an updated dash as well.
Announced today at the AIMExpo, Yamaha is bringing the XSR700 to the US soil, as the tuning fork brand sees an opportunity for the twin-cylinder heritage model in the land that brought hipsters their skinny jeans.
The choice must have been an easy one for the folks at Yamaha Motor USA, with the Yamaha FZ-09 and Yamaha FZ-07 selling well here in the United States, and the XSR900 already being critically acclaimed by the US moto media.
Adding the Yamaha XSR700 to the 2018 model lineup seems like an obvious no-brainer for Yamaha, and we are happy to see it finally coming to the United States of America.
The annual AIMExpo is a pretty big deal for the American motorcycle industry, it being the de facto consumer and industry trade show for motorcycling, and all.
This year’s event might get some extra attention though, as Vice President Mike Pence is slated to deliver the keynote address at the trade show.
According to DealerNews, the Vice President has the event on his schedule, and has told his aides to “make it happen”. Of course, a lot can happen between now and September, when it comes to the schedule of the person who is just a heartbeat away from the presidency.