International Dealer News IDN 139 October/November 2017 | Page 15
AIMExpo’s Columbus, Ohio, debut
a success with Harley and Polaris
CEOs pointing to need to work
together to promote motorcycle
ownership to new generations as
MIC unveils new ‘Ride’ initiative …
he fifth annual MIC (Motorcycle
Industry Council) AIMExpo made a
promising debut at Columbus, Ohio, in
September, after four years at
Orlando, Florida, with some 500 or so
exhibitors from all sectors of the motorcycle
and wider powersports industry being
generally satisfied with the attendance, even
if nobody there ‘was able to pull up trees’ in
business-done terms.
The show had the backing of most of the top selling
OEs in America, and many of those who wish to
become so, and the choice of venue was especially
popular with the V-twin parts and accessory industry
in the United States – a market that was boosted by
the participation of both Indian Motorcycle and Harley-
Davidson for the first time.
There were more new product offerings on show than
IDN had expected to see, especially given the pressure
that new product development budgets are coming
under in a U.S. market best described as “soft” in new
model registration and parts and accessory sales terms.
However, that may also be a timing consideration.
T
Words by Robin Bradley
[email protected]
Pics by Sara Viney
[email protected]
Additional photography by AIMExpo
Although common sense dictates that the fall is the
most logical timing for a market whose distributor
inventory decisions and catalogue cycles place a
premium on being ready early, the domestic U.S. parts
and accessory industry has not always been one where
common sense has been King.
The parts, accessory and apparel industry in America
has always been geared towards launching new
products in January and February, which is historically
peak season for trade shows closer to peak cash cycle,
and with the three leading importer/distributors now
focussing their own events at that time and placing
vendor expo budgets under ever increasing pressure in
a declining market, achieving the worthy objective of
bringing the aftermarket more in line with OE new
model cycles may continue to be a challenge, especially
as logistics and dealer inventories continue to be
shaped by increasing online ordering.
The mid-western United States has always been the V-
twin heartland of the American motorcycle industry,
and although the organisers have confirmed a return
to Columbus in September 2019 after a year in Las
Vegas (October 11-14) in 2018, many V-twin-specific
INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017
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