Motorcycle show in Long beach Sunday, anyone goin

[guzzi jon]

Hello,
I am hooking up with OC Johnnie at the show in long beach, should have HD Goose (gary) along too, any of you folks going to be there Sunday... how about you wallis????

 

[guzzimike]

Thinking about it..

What time are you guys gonna be there..?

--

 

[stmike]

I went today with some friends. Wasn't too impressed - it seems to shrink more and more each year. Of course, there were no Guzzi or Aprilia displays, and the booths were mostly schlock. The new carbon Diaval looked better in person than in the pictures, and there were some interesting custom bikes. The best thing about the day was the lunch across the street at Islands. Every year I say to myself that I don't think I'll go again next year, but this time I hope I mean it.

 

[Cat City Rider]

The last two years have been kinda sucky. No more for me. Last year was just that. The last year.

 

[Conteacher]

I spent three hours there yesterday. Not too bad. Checked out the Super Tenere. Nice.

 

[ken farr]

Went to the motorcycle show in Long Beach, Ca. yesterday, and these are my observations, valid only to me, as your opinions, and preferences will probably vary.

We are having a weather event in So. Cal., the rest of the world calls it rain, but it didn't seem to hurt attendance much. I was surprised to see that Triumph actually had a display set up, not just relying on the local dealers to pick up the tab. The Russians were absent as was Piaggo, Moto Guzzi, KTM and probably some others that didn't register on my radar.

1) I have been interested in the Nolan Trilogy helmet, and was anxious to try one. I was disappointed. They run waaay small, the flip down dark sun shield was balky at best. Best to put it on and off without the chin bar on. I walked, I think they were asking $240. Shame as I really like my current Nolan flip up.

2) Honda had a couple of concept bikes based on their 750 V-twin. One looked kinda flat-trakerish, and the other looked retro, with an old style Honda tank, etc. I really liked the retro looking machine, maybe they'll pursue these.

3) I test sat some bikes I had an interest in, the Triumph Tiger 800, the Ducati Multistrada, and the Yamaha Tenere. I really want to like the Triumph, and it sat pretty nice. The Ducati surprised me, as it sat really well, the position was very comfortable and the seat seems it would do well for a lot of miles, but from what I've read they want it more than I do ($$). The previous time I tried one on, it was hard and had an unpleasant seating position. I was really surprised by the Yamaha....it was very comfortable and actually #1 in my precision sitting on a stationary motorcycle in a large building test.

4) Suzuki had the 600 version of the V-Strom, but not the 1000. I was told they aren't bringing new 1000's since they have left overs. It would have been nice to have a 1000 just to compare. The 600 was a little small for me.

5) Guzzi, wasn't there. I didn't get to sit on a Norge or Stelvio.

I understand these shows are expensive to participate in and with the amount of sales out there with the economy being what it is....blah blah blah... I can understand.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, our weather event continues, I will investigate other helmets, and have to look further into the Yamaha.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

kjf

 

[guzzimike]

Didn't make it.

House got flooded a bit....not fun times.

 

[wsholar]

Sorry, just saw this. Did you go, Jon? I was there on Sunday afternoon with my friend, Sawsan. Sawsan rides an '02 650 V-Star, and her apartment mate, Denise, works up at Pro Italia. We checked out most of the bikes, sat on a few, did some shopping when the vendors started getting desperate the last couple of hours. Bikes I could enjoy, if I had some extra money to throw down (even though I found most of the pricing a little scary): Honda VFR with double-clutch six-speed (like my Audi's), Ducati Diavel would be a lot of fun, yet comfortable and rideable in the mountains, kind of liked the $10k BMW F-800 naked street bike (not overpriced) and the new inline-6 K-bike sport tourers, the small-displacement Triumph Tiger looked pretty versatile, the Harley XR1200 looked kind of fun in a nostalgic way. The new Victories, although funky/weird to most people, I thought were cool in the sense that they're going their own way without taking so many cues from Harley, but from the guys who do the creative work with big twin customs-- they have custom looks without the custom $50k price tags. Also, their full dressers are built with the idea that aerodynamics and plastic are not necessarily evil, but practical and advantageous. Conspicuously missing: KTM, Guzzi, Aprilia, MV Agusta, and the Korean bikes. All-in-all, a pretty boring show with little to justify the admission price and schlep down there in the rain.

Sawsan on the Victory Zach Ness Vegas:


The Ducati Diavel: