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Progressive MC Show Phx - Jan 24, 25, 26

4K views 41 replies 18 participants last post by  vintagemxr 
#1 ·
NOTE: Topic Modified...

The discount is over, so this post is modified to now be a discussion of the event only.

You can still buy the tix on-line here:

https://secure.interactiveticketing.com/a/131cc8


One of the ideas of posting this here is to consider this a golden opportunity to do what the kids call "HiRL"


Hangout in Real Life

...for at least a little bit. It's in January - you have time to reconsider any choices made... :D
:joke:




Been a couple of years since it's been here, so might be a nice time to go check stuff out - y'know, like helmets and so forth.
 
#2 ·
Is this the same as the International Motorcycle Show (CycleWorld sponsorship) that comes through each year? I went 2 years in a row expecting something good... and was as disappointed as I was when I visited the Az Bikeweek event at WestWorld the first few years. Even went to the one in Long Beach...a little better...I hate to say this, but WingDing (been there once, done that) has more vendors appropriate to LD riding . Most of the OEM's didn't even have all of the bike models available to preview.
 
#3 ·
When I lived in NY, I used to go to the one at the Javits Center every year as a boys night out: Bike show, steak dinner in NYC and a few beers at the real Hogs & Heifers. It was fun to see all the new machinery in one place and check out the vendors for special deals. Since Phoenix is quite a bit warmer than NYC in January, I hope they have some test rides too....
 
#4 ·
Is this the same as the International Motorcycle Show (CycleWorld sponsorship) that comes through each year?<...> I hate to say this, but WingDing (been there once, done that) has more vendors appropriate to LD riding . Most of the OEM's didn't even have all of the bike models available to preview.
Yes, now title sponsored by Progressive Insurance; main page for it here:

http://www.motorcycleshows.com/

Y'know, the LD gang is part of a really, really small gang of motorcyclists. This may not have every bike, every brand, and every vendor at this one place (as was mentioned in another thread on this topic...vendors can choose to be regional; that wouldn't surprise me at all...), it's the idea that it's back in Arizona after (I think...) a two or three year absence.

Last one I went to was the '09 version. In my opinion, it's sucked badly from the '08 & '07 versions, but hey, I was just getting back into motorcycling after a 17 year hiatus for me, so, for me, it was was a good way of getting back into motorcycling. Thae marketing kool-aid worked. :mrgreen:

<...>It was fun to see all the new machinery in one place and check out the vendors for special deals. Since Phoenix is quite a bit warmer than NYC in January, I hope they have some test rides too....
Don't know if the vendors had really, really strong deals (they're a little beat up as we all are...) so they are bringing the show back to the Valley, and, yes, at the last two that I was at (see above) there were test rides, though those times, I chose to pass them up.

Again, it's only a public service announcement for an event five months from now. I'm still on their mailing list, and the impetus to post this was to let everyone know about the early-bird special they ran yesterday only. I jumped on the deal; the price couldn't be beat.

As I recall, there will be at least one more special that will be run...I'll post that when/if it hits my inbox.
 
#5 ·
I agree with you Ken and hope they have a better show than the last one I went too in '09. We'll all have to wait and see if they feel Phoenix is worth it.
 
#6 ·
We used to go and demo bikes, we thought the inside show had very little. Then they stopped and only the bike week show came to town, rode Victorys and HDs. Interesting they are coming back. The link mentions brands but not demos. We would go if they have a bunch of bikes to demo...
 
#7 ·
I'm glad to see the show coming back. I always had a good time each year at the event even if the vendors and such were a bit sparse. I never have a hard time having fun looking at new bikes, race bikes, vintage bikes, talking to people, taking pictures, etc. Back in '06 I spent some time talking with Dennis Manning who fields the BUB 7 Bonneville streamliner. It had just set the motorcycle land speed record at 360 mph. Great time talking to him. Just seeing the LSR bikes on display that year was worth the price of admission.

In '07 I demo'd the GL1800 for the first time and that's what bumped me to buy my '02 Wing. I also demo'd an Aprilia Tuono, the complete opposite of the Wing, and that was a hoot, too. The guy that led the Aprilia demo ride said "If you get pulled over by the cops just leave the keys with the bike and we'll pick it up. YOU are on your own."
 
#9 ·
Yeah, it was the first place I demo'd a GW. The leader was awesome, it was my wife and I and 6 others. I was in front of the group with the leader, and he said, "we can't speed, but we can see how fast we can get to 55", so we blasted from the light, and it showed me how refined that flat 6 is...

I would like to try the Kaw Ninja 1000 and Yami FZ9.
 
#12 ·
Good, so we'll be able to read your review on how you liked it right?
Oh sure! Good, bad, or indifferent I'm always willing to offer my 2 cents worth on a machine. I test rode a new Electra-Glide early this year just to remind myself why I wanted another Gold Wing. I hope Indian is there, I'd love to ride one of those.
 
#13 ·
Brought back to the top...

...I'll be there sometime Saturday.

Probably no test rides - but, then again, who knows.

Designated time/place for a meet-up there?
 
#14 ·
I plan to go Fri. Night and if the test rides look good, again on Sat. From looking at the website it looks like there will be a few available.
How bad can it be if you get to look at new bikes?

http://www.motorcycleshows.com/phoenix
 
#15 ·
The wife and I (chapter AZ-U) are going on Saturday for an all day trip from Yuma. :thumbup:
 
#17 ·
I'll be there Friday afternoon until I get bored or they toss me out. Look for the guy with the camera and a battered Bultaco cap if you're inclined to say hi.

The website was sort of unclear about if there would be demo rides on Friday. I called the show info line and they couldn't tell me either.

Doug
 
#20 ·
I went tonite, Friday. Not too bad but noticeably smaller than it was many years ago. Lots of bikes on display but the accessory and gear vendors were pretty lean. Overall, it was OK. Not great but OK.

Thats good. It will save me money by vendors not being there....


Its the 'chicken & the egg' dilemma. Vendors don't want to spend the money for the show until there are a lot of customers attending the show. Customers don't want to attend the show until there are a lot of vendors.

Hopefully, if there is a good turn out of customers then next year there will be more vendors.
 
#21 ·
There is a booth right next to the ticket office where you can get a $4.00 off coupon if you have a Military ID. The band was pretty good they were playing Led Zeppelin . The "New Valkyrie" looks worse in person. The new Indians are pretty. Sign ups for test rides start at 0800 and at least the Kawasaki tent will have coffee and buns.
 
#23 ·
Went this afternoon. Definitely thought it was much better than previous CW International shows. Lots of bikes on display and demo rides by HD, Kawi, Victory and Indian...and limited sellers of HD leather and trinkets. Glad to see all the new models.
 
#24 ·
Honda didn't offer Demo rides of anything. Dunlop was the only tire guys there. It was much smaller than a few years ago. At least they didn't have a vendor selling pots and pans. :lol:
 
#26 ·
Moto Show Review

I went yesterday...didn't take any pictures. What I took away from the event:


  • Entire show was on the area floor...it was full.
  • The new Valkerie? Meh. I did sit on it, though - there's NOTHING in that front end - that might be a good thing! :shock: The rims on that bike, though...might look good on my black Wing. I couldn't tell if they were powder coated or painted, unlike what seems to be anodized black rims on both the 'Wing and the F6B
  • Pirates, pirates, and more pirates. Need I say more?
  • $375 for custom-molded power-sport specific earpieces? I can do 8 more sets of Earfuses for that kind of coin.
  • I did pick up my copy of the Why We Ride movie there...more on that later.
  • I'm really, really glad that I picked up the tix to that event at 40% off. I might have been a bit pi$$ed having spent $15/ticket to go, rather than the $8.40/each I did when I bought the tickets the first day they went on sale.
  • The did have quite the display of custom bikes, and a couple of areas of vintage bikes. Very cool. One bike in particular...a Honda XR75. Gawd, I feel old...when your first bike is in the vintage display. :sad:
  • Fit checked a couple of helmets for my wife...where I'm on the line between large & XL, she's on the line between S & M. She did like the fit of the RPHA - same one that I have.

As we checked out the Valk, the F6B and the 'Wing - all parked next to each other - I took my wife and we stepped back, for just a bit. There were a LOT of gray-haired old farts looking at all three of those bikes.

I did get a chance to talk briefly to a mid-40's-aged couple, who were considering trading in their H-D something-or-another for a Wing.
 
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