It may be a little early to start thinking about motorcycling, but now is actually the best time to see what’s on the market and to shop for your next ride. And boy, are there a lot of choices for 2014.
Spectators got to see and feel for themselves many of the new bikes—from off-road to sport touring—at the Calgary Motorcycle Show in Calgary, Alberta. The event, which took place January 10 to 12, 2014, was held at BMO Centre in Calgary's Stampede Park.
KTM, Yamaha, Suzuki, Triumph, Ducati, Harley-Davidson—you name it, they were all there. For some, it was the first chance to see the new—and yes, I said new—Indian Motorcycles. Thanks to a buyout from Polaris Industries, these iconic bikes are making a comeback—with same great looks but better technology.
Everyone had their favourite bike at the show. For RidersWest event correspondents Eddy and Sarah Bell, it was the new 1190 Adventure from KTM. This bike is available in two versions: the 1190 Adventure and the R model. The R version, Eddy said, is the one that is meant to compete with Ducati’s versatile Multistrada 1200.
If all the eye candy wasn’t enough for showgoers, the Calgary Motorcycle Show also featured an extreme thrill show, stunt riders and trials demonstrations by Canadian Superbike Champion Jordan Szoke and Canadian women’s ISDE medallist Lexi Pechout.
There was something for the little tykes as well. Presented by Yamaha Motor Canada and Canadian Motorcycle Training Services, the Yamaha Riding Academy allowed kids as young as six to take a free ride on the latest TT-R dirt bike. Eddy said it was amazing how fast the kids learned how to ride a bike—even the ones with little to no past experience.
For those who were serious about buying a new bike, the Calgary Motorcycle Show was the place to be. According to Eddy, nearly all of the bikes on display were available for purchase and some of them were priced below market value. Great deals on new gear and accessories could also be found at show.
If you missed it, don’t dismay, because this won’t be your last opportunity to see all the new bikes, gear and accessories in one place. Canada’s Premier Motorcycle Show Circuit heads east in February, hitting up Toronto, Quebec, Montreal and Moncton.
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