Triumph returns to the Chicago International Motorcycle Show

Last weekend, I attended the International Motorcycle Show in Chicago. Attendance on opening night was much greater than the previous couple of years – and significantly larger than the opening night crowd at the Detroit show which I attended last month. Adding to the excitement in Chicago was the appearance of Triumph after a seven-year absence from this venue. I was especially excited to see the new Tiger 800 and 800xc Adventure models and the newly updated Speed Triple. The Tiger 800 series enters Triumph into the growing adventure riding category competing directly with the very successful BMW 800GS and 1200GS series. The new Tigers have been getting generous reviews by both the European and North American press and they didn’t disappoint. The bikes on display were a huge draw throughout the night.

The other bike that I was really interested in seeing was the newly updated 2011 Speed Triple. I had always been drawn to the idea of the Speed Triple with its torqued out 1050 engine but I felt like the design had become too dated over the years. For the 2011 model, Triumph increased the torque by 7% and completely redesigned the chassis with a new aluminum twin spar frame. They also fitted a wider back tire and added twin headlamps making the new Speed Triple look even more aggressive than before, and in my opinion, more contemporary and appealing. I think we'll be seeing a lot more Triumphs on the road this year.

Quiet first night at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show in Detroit

Last weekend, I stopped by the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi, Michigan to see the Progressive International Motorcycle Show, touted as the largest motorcycle show on the planet. Having attended the show in Chicago in recent years, I was disappointed that BMW and Ducati were absent (BMW was missing in Chicago last year as well). Triumph is a participant this year but not in Detroit. Present were, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, Harley Davidson, Victory, Can-Am and Indian. Additionally, there was a nice display of custom choppers along with the usual suppliers, vendors and clubs representing both the national and local motorcycle scene. What was somewhat surprising was the fact that there were hardly any people there on opening night. It was a tough weather night with snow falling heavily but c’mon, this show comes around only once a year! I’ll attend the Chicago show in a few weeks. BMW, Ducati and Triumph all have new bikes to introduce in 2011. Let’s hope the attendance will be better.

Both Progressive and Allstate Insurance companies had significant presence at the show. Even though Allstate was not a sponsor of the traveling show, they had two large booths where mechanics and other presenters provided hands-on demonstrations on how to perform valve-adjustments to providing information on how to buy the right fitting protective gear. Unfortunately, all the booths were sparse without a big showing that evening.

This custom triumph was one of the highlights of the show for me. You could hardly call this a Triumph, but they used the Triumph badge on the gas tank. It was a beautifully built bike. Note the large rotors on the front tire. The rear tire had a similar set up. And the way they connected the handle bars into the fork was a great design element. The front shocks system was built into the center right behind the headlight. Just beautiful and amazing!

The 2010 Cycle World International Motorcycle Show in Chicago

Last weekend, I went to the International Motorcycle Show in Chicago with my friends Anthony and Mike. Anthony just started riding again after a long hiatus, recently purchasing a Harley Davidson Sportster 1200. Mike just completed his Motorcycle Safety Class and is ready to buy a Ducati GT1000. I went there to find the new Ducati 1200 Multistrada that was announced earlier in the year. Based on seeing the bike on the Ducati web site and looking at pictures in various motorcycle mags, I fell in love with the idea of the "4-in-1" all-purpose bike – that packed 150 hp. After walking around the show for an hour, we moved our way to the Ducati exhibit area in anticipation of seeing the new Multstrada and Mike wanting to see the GT1000. After setting my eyes on the bike, my first reaction was how "plasticky" the bike looked to me. I had such high expectations of the new Multistrada, I'm not sure that I wouldn't have been disappointed with anything less than "love at first sight." Unlike other bikes I've fallen in love with, I didn't have that complete irrational "I don't care what anyone says, I have to have that BIKE!" feeling. I still want to give it another try however. If I can test ride one this spring, I might feel differently then. I still like the idea of the bike, but the BMW 1200GS might not have anything to worry about yet.

Mike sat on several bikes before settling in on the Ducati GT1000 which he is pondering. On the right, he is on the 1700cc Yamaha VMAX. I saw this bike last year and thought it was a beast. It still looks like a beast.

Anthony was reminiscing about how the new Kawasaki bike reminded him of his old Suzuki. His last bike was a VMAX. When he sat on the Ducati GT1000, a big grin appeared on his mug. Having recently bought a Harley, he promptly said, "Well, if you're not going to ride American, an Italian would do." He kind of took a liking to the Ducati. He looked good on that GT1000.