Motorcycle Live 2012 - Big Ed's Highlights
So it's that time of year again when the bikers of Great Britain descend on the NEC in Birmingham for this years offerings at Motorcycle Live 2012. As usual there are all the new up and coming bikes as well as innovations, top gear and girls! These are some of my highlights:
Ducati - Stand 2C20: Definitely worth a look! The 20 years anniversary stand for the Monster is great. They've got a line up of each model from every year right up to the new 2012 bike. It's great to see the development through the years! They've also got the beautiful 1199 on a rotating stand, very pretty bike!
Triumph - Stand 2C30: Great assortment of bikes on the Triumph stand. The new Daytona looks fantastic. Re-developed from the ground up this bike should do well for them in 2013. For you touring boys, the Tiger is definitely worth a look.
Honda - Stand 3D30: The Honda stand this year is very much aimed at targeting the new Licensing changes coming in January. In fact they seem to be the only manufacturer who is really gearing up for it. The stand is spilt into sections for the relevant licenses. Their A2 offerings are probably the most impressive. The CB500F, CB500X and CB500R are three variations of a bike using the same engine, very clever move by Honda as each appeals in its own way. The F is the standard, The X is an adventure and the R is a sport. Using the same engine they can keep costs of manufacture down and are able to offer them at very competitive prices of under £5000. Out of all the big four, Honda seems overall to be the cheapest across the whole range. The CB1100 is also worth a look. Classically styled like the old 70's Hondas but with the reliability of a modern machine. They've got a cream one at the show but it will also be available in Red and Blue.
Kawasaki - Stand 2E30: Trimmed in black and green the Kawasaki stand is quite a sight. They're showing off the new Ninja 636 which is supposed to be more everyday road friendly. Still looks pretty racy to me but I'm not saying that's a bad thing! They've also got a 40th Anniversary stand for the Z with some beautiful examples of old machines. Check it out!
Zero - Stand 2C40: The electric bike manufacturer have got quite a large stand at this years show. It's worth a look just to get an idea on prices and performance of these machines. They'll be improving year on year. Not really a highlight more of an insight.
Morgan 3 Wheeler - Stand 2E45: Yeah it's not exactly a bike but it's still pretty cool! The Morgan lads have brought two of their 3 wheelers along to the show this year. One sports and one deluxe one. Great to look at and I reckon they're pretty good fun too being powered by that S&ambS 2 litre V-twin. Go along and have a sit in one!
Eagle Rider Motorcycle Rental - Stand 2D45: These guys hire out Harleys for tours across the US. They've got a replica of Peter Fonda's Captain America bike from the movie Easy Rider, which you can hire for your trip!
Yamaha - Stand 4C20: It's worth popping down to the Yamaha stand and checking out their new concept for a triple engine. It's a slimmer, lighter engine compared to the four off the R1. It will be interesting to see what bikes get developed around it. There's also a Swan Yamaha Team stand offering a number of race bikes including Tommy Hills from the MCE BSB this year, well he won't need it anymore!
Isle of Man TT - Stand 4B60: The TT stand is somewhere you can lose yourself for a bit. With a number of classic and modern bikes from the TT in years past, trophies, videos and a large gift shop there's plenty to keep you occupied. Lots of riders knocking about too!
The Custom Xtreme Zone: This is worth a visit! Some customs from Fireblades to all sorts of crazy looking choppers. The Repsol Race Rep Custom is a strange beast, check it out!
Ramp'd Up, Freestyle Motocross Arena: Not only do you get stationary bikes at this years show but down in Hall 1 they've created an Arena with jumps and all. Make sure you head down to watch one of the spectacular shows with riders from all over the world showing off their mad skills. Breathtaking stuff!
KTM - Stand 3G20: Disappointingly KTM have not brought their Superduke 1290 to the show as published in MCN. There's only one in Europe and it went back to the factory after Milan. Bit of a shame! There are other things to look at though, the Duke 390 is a sweet little bike built for A2 license holders, could be a good seller!
MCE Insurance - Stand 4A10: Want to meet me and some of our fabulous team? Come on down to the stand for incredible Insurance deals including 15 months for the price of 12! And not forgetting all the extras you get at the MCE BSB events through Club MCE. Get the best Insurance deal for you right at the show!
There's a lot more to see at this years Motorcycle Live and different events going on everyday. These are just some of my highlights. Keep up to date with photos being released on my Facebook page and enjoy the show!
27.11.12 - Big Ed
