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T H E L E A D I N G B U S I N E S S M A G A Z I N E F O R T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L C U S T O M M O T O R C Y C L E A N D PA RT S I N D U S T RY
Spring 2018 represents a landmark
change in the V-twin market’s
dealer expo opportunities
s of 2018, the absence of
both the independently
owned and operated
dealer expos that used to
dominate the spring parts and
accessory buying season leaves
the V-twin market with a brand
new marketing and vendor
contact landscape.
Instead, the emergence of the dealer
shows hosted by the market’s two
largest distributors gives the season
an all-new look and a radically
different approach to dealer
business opportunities.
The Tucker Rocky/Biker’s Choice
Dealer & Brand Expo is being staged
on February 8-9 at Frisco, Texas; with
the February 10-11 Parts Unlimited
and Drag Specialties Dealer Show
now moved into the downtown
Indianapolis Indiana Convention
Center - the facility that used to
house the whole of the industry ‘back
in the day’ when Advanstar’s Dealer
Expo moved there in the 1990s from
its long-time home at Cincinnati
(subsequently the host city for the
A
now sadly closed V-Twin Expo).
The changed spring dealer expo
landscape is a direct consequence of
market decline and consolidation.
However, as the pressure continues
to grow on dealer inventories, and
the increasing premium that all
retailers need to place on logistics
excellence, it is not a surprise that
a reboot
of public
enthusiasm
distributor/dealer relationships are
more to the fore than ever. Neither is
the motorcycle industry the only
specialty discretionary leisure dollar
spend-dependent market to see a
similar process unfolding at this time.
The Tucker Rocky/Biker’s Choice and
Parts Unlimited/Drag Specialties
events will both see brands owned
b y t h e M AG o r g a n i z a t i o n
Brian Klock's 2004 Heritage Softail (with Klock
Werks fenders of course) scored second place,
Modified Harley class, in the Minneapolis round of
the 2017/18 J&P Ultimate Custom Bike Builder IMS
show series - full report on the Long Beach, New
York and Minneapolis shows on pages 12 & 14
participating - brands such as Vance
& Hines, Kuryakyn, RSD, Performance
Machine, Burly Brand, Mustang and
others - which is excellent news
because while there is cross-over
between the two distributor
networks it is estimated that they are
at least 75 percent separate.
The changing market landscape
hasn’t only affected the trade show
cycle. Changing demographics have
taken their toll. The emergence of the
New Generation consumer shows
that now populate the calendar on
both sides of the Atlantic is evidence
that new consumers and vendors are
bypassing the established events.
With many of them feature racing of
one kind or another (to say nothing
of the dramatic evolution and
growth of American Flat Track
Racing) there is a reboot of public
enthusiasm for the two-wheel
lifestyle under way.
• For an overview of a selection of
custom and ‘mainstream’ shows for
2018, see our ShowZone round-up
on pages 16-17.
JAN 2018
ISSUE #222
2018
SHOWZONE