Informa halts IMS Motorcycle Show indefinitely
I have been attending the IMS Motorcycle shows since 2007. Back then it was sponsored by Cycle World magazine and presented by Toyota. Over the years I have seen it grow and shrink alongside the industry itself. Regardless of my skepticism that it would actually manifest, I was saddened by the news. The worst – or perhaps inevitable- has finally happened.
The following is a release by Informa/IMS Outdoors:
We have some important news to share today with our IMS Family. After 40 years of producing The International Motorcycle Shows and IMS Outdoors, we have made the difficult decision to suspend the IMS Tour in 2022.
Unfortunately, as you are aware, the powersports industry is at a crossroads with where and how brands promote their products amidst the continued manufacturing and sourcing delays associated with the pandemic.
These current hurdles would have made it difficult for us to produce an IMS that would meet the industry’s, your, and our, expectations. Therefore, we will not be moving forward with the planned 2022 events, including the Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show. We hope to return the tour in the future, but at this time, we are suspending the events for the foreseeable future.
We greatly appreciate your continued support, loyalty, and partnership over the years and hope to work with you in an editorial capacity again in the future.
Long before Flo and her white Progressive® apron represented the two-wheel showcase, the show was highly anticipated albeit less themed. Although Progressive® would later leverage theme-based branding and couple it with a powersports ‘lifestyle’ paradigm, the older shows had their own awe and mystique simply because there were no expectations.
Having come off of the secretive Harley-Davidson Dealer meeting in 2006, the IMS Show presented by Toyota was my first foray into media access and press-only days. It was thrilling to inspect and photograph the new bikes and projects before the throngs of plebeians arrived and began to plant their asses all over the merch and chase off the brand reps with all the answers.
2007 was a new beginning in the motorcycle industry. Soaring gas prices meant that the rocketing SUV sales over the early part of the 2000s was now forcing auto owners to choose between food, rent, or commuting to work in their Escalade every month. Or… there was another more practical option – buy a motorcycle or scooter. Maybe even an electric one!
Although Brammo was in full swing in 2007, Zero motorcycles were still little more than a giant eletric mountain bike. Even though we have many options today, Vectrix was the promise of an electric future in 2007. The Massachussetts-based company debuted a 3-wheeled scooter that year (a-la Piaggio’s MP3). They also offered a regular scooter and had a sport bike in development.
Roland Sands was also at IMS in ’07, but not with Harley-Davidson, BMW, Indian or any of the other brands that he has been solicited by over the years. It was to present his custom Honda CBR1000RR to the Ride for Kids foundation. For many years the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation had a presence at the show and a custom bike was designed each year to raffle and benefit the organization.
For a year that boasted astronomical gas prices, the 2007 show featured a custom built and tuned Hyabusa complete with clear wheels. Yes, like two machined and polished discs of plexiglass, you could see right through them! Accompanied by many more privately owned stretched and boosted ‘Busas on the show floor, Peregrine Falcon was the word on the street that year.
2007 ushered out the waning years of the custom chopper and big bike craze, and announced the explosive beginning of a hipster bike trend that would consume the following decade. Unfortunately it would also usher in the worst financial crisis of the new millennium and 2008 would end the dream for many. High gas prices and liquid money would make 2007-08 the milk and honey years that the motorcycle industry continues to talk about to this day. With the market going bust, it was all gone in a matter of months.
Despite the setback, IMS would become the space where I met Mark Dugally -one of our first interviews, and artistic creator and builder of many odd and awesome vehicles over the next decade. Ryca was there with their initial Suzuki S40 bolt-on kits. Carducci Sportsters would precede the Bitwell Frijole by a few years. And Porche Taylor was just another up-and-coming attendee at that time.
The likes of Bimota, Brammo, Victory, Buell and many others who have disappeared would bookend my time there with the new arrivals that persist today. The creation of Arch, the anticipated return of the Africa Twin and Honda’s whole mini-moto success alongside the re-emergence of Indian and the Godzilla-esque side-by-side market takeover are prime examples.
I’ve been fortunate enough to see the debut and development of several key vehicles, and sadly the destruction and demise of some legendary models, manufacturers and riders. Through it all, I have made some strong friendships and met some really great people who continue to make the community what it is despite the loss of a giant presence like IMS. It is this community that will continue to carry the torch and develop new meetings and events until motorcycling goes the way of the penny farthing.
In the end, Lauren and crew- it’s been a good ride. Thanks for showing us the road.