It is a generalization , of course , and all such judgements are imprecise by their nature , but despite the multiple issues confronting all markets of all kinds at this time , the evidence from EICMA 2022 is that the mainstream international motorcycle industry remains mostly positive about its business prospects for the coming season . That was the primary ' take-away ' for the AMD team from the 79th edition of EICMA , Milan , in November . After |
the post-pandemic 2021 ' comeback ' year had seen a near collapse in the ( almost certainly exaggerated ) attendance numbers being reported for the shows to 2019 , to some extent there did appear to have been at least some ' bounce ' in 2022 . The organizers are not quoting an attendance number , but are claiming a 38 % increase over 2021 . In 2021 , they had released a number , claiming a 342,644 total attendance figure - way down from the absurd 800,000 plus pre-Covid claims that the organizers had been making . That would put |
2022 at around 472,000 total visitors . Whether or not one believes the numbers , the fact is that the show was busier this year . Despite all the reasons not to be cheerful ( Russia ' s attack on Ukraine , consumer price inflation , supply chain bottlenecks , logistics , materials price rises and shortages , impending recession in some or all markets , high interest rates etc .), the motorcycle industry continues to be able to sell most , if not all , of the PTW unit inventory it is generating . In fact , lack of inventory has been the primary issue for dealers this past year . The powersports industry may yet again prove to be one of those few , rare markets that can grow in a downturn . |
With the magic of momentum filling its tires once again , expect to see the number of vendor booth comebacks that were seen in 2022 increase for EICMA 2023 , with fewer withdrawals and more new generation business continuing to fill the halls of Edition 80 . Maybe even Harley-Davidson may deign to grace EICMA ' s hallowed aisles with its presence once again . Or perhaps the primary expo showcase for a market with 38 million total machines in-use and worth some 1.2
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