Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

The news and your views about biking
Post Reply
User avatar
Kwacky
Posts: 38538
Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
Location: Brum
Has thanked: 4314 times
Been thanked: 8352 times

Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

Post by Kwacky »

Another good weekend away, this time to a bike show I've wanted to visit.

It's massive. I reckon it's easily twice the size of the NEC Bike show, if not 3 times. Every single bike manufacturer you've heard of plus dozens more were there. I was surprised how many scooter and push bike stands were there as well, I guess it makes sense seeing as Europeans do use scooters more than we do. I reckon you could do two days there.

It's not a place to go to if you don't like crowds. It was packed. Everywhere. Even around the accessory stands. I wouldn't mind seeing if I could get a media pass if I go back.

Getting to a bike was a struggle. Some of the bikes were cordoned off but the cordon was close to the bike. If you wanted to see it you had to physically shove your way to the front. Taking photos was tough. I didn't notice I was doing it but D6Nutz made a comment that I was sticking my shoulders out to block people from coming past :D

One method to keep people at bay was sticking a model on a bike. Fine, but that meant you couldn't sit on the bike or take good shots of the machine.

Some of the stands were very impressive. The Honda stand had two Africa Twins which were sat on about 4 tonnes of rocks and sand. All of the big companies brought more than one of most models which meant you got to sit on them where possible. We used a technique of getting on one side, then getting off on the other side while your mate got on the way you did.

There were loads of electric bikes there. Some of them looked really good.

Despite how busy it was the staff on the stands seemed to be happy to chat and spend time with you.

One final thing - while I was happy to join in with the locals in barging people out of the way to get to bikes, I wasn't going to allow my strong British sense of the beauty of queuing to be abused by 3 locals. Oh no. Nothing was lost in translation when I had my say. God save the Queen.
User avatar
D41
Posts: 12923
Joined: 22 Sep 2014, 11:36
Your Bike: Triumph Daytona 650.
Has thanked: 4283 times
Been thanked: 1129 times

Re: Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

Post by D41 »

"the beauty of queuing" :D
User avatar
C00kiemonster
Posts: 8425
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 07:11
Your Bike: Triumph Street Triple 765 R
Location: Not Froggie Land
Has thanked: 4296 times
Been thanked: 1737 times

Re: Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

Post by C00kiemonster »

Indeed a good weekend, i've yet to sort through my photos as not had any time today yet but as has been said, i wanted to go to the show and Duke really enjoyed it last year, so me and Mrs C00kiemonster attended. Another reason is i'm trying to pursuade Mrs C she needs a new bike and this show might pique her interest in a model or two.

I might edit this post later if i think of more, but.....

Things I enjoyed / wanted / liked / noticed:

New BMW 1000 RR. Best road based sportsbike of the show for me. Detail, looked a quality item and lovely lovely TFT screen. Compact and small too - like a 600 with 200 odd BHP. If i was buying a new 1000, that would be top of my list.

Aprilia 660 RSV concept. Please make it and take my money. It looks light and pretty but with all the RSV suspension, brakes and electronics. Perfect and as fast road bike, nothing more needed.

The MV stand and their bikes. They still make the best looking bikes in the business. Mrs C loves them and wants an older F4. She also tried and liked the feel of the F3, so there is hope there.

The supercharged Kawasaki's. Not something i'd ever want to buy, but the carbon and colours they have used are lovely.

Triumph - the breadth and quality of their bikes rivals and exceeds the Japanese ones now i thing. They must be making a fortune with their retro ranges now too and they have fitted them with a very different TFT screen to mine and it looks lovely. I sat on the new Speed Triple and i prefer the feel of mine, but it is a nice bike.

The Husqvarna 701 road bikes. All look a little different with same DNA, but different and smart looking bikes.

The size of the show was immense. The best thing about it over the NEC show is the breadth of biking manufacturers. Tons of stuff and manufacturers I've never seen before. The layout of the halls and the food halls outside between all the show halls was way better.

Titties everywhere. Back to the 70's with lovely womens on the bikes. I'm all for equality but they did make the show better for me. As long as they are well paid and happy to do it i'm happy to look :)


Disappointments or elements not liked?


The crowds - i did well in the crowds (i dont cope normally) but i've never seen crowds like it. Plus it didnt matter which hall or area you were in - jam packed. We must have missed a few things due to the human beings everywhere, but once you played the italian crowd game you did get to see what you wanted, plus italians are still small so i could push them out the way and see over them (devil)

Kawasaki 600 Ninja. Didnt look any better in the flesh than photos. Had a cheapness to it and too many angles.

KTM in general has gone down the tubes in terms of quality. My RC8 was better quality that any of the bikes on the stand and the 790 Adventure was as bad quality wise then the 790 when it came out last year. It also had very poor styling with a very strange shape and layout. Plus it looks wrong.

Suzukis - all a bit meh these days, just not going anywhere and the Katana? WTF.

Because of the crowds difficult to get any free gifts or leaflets / booklets too.



Best bit of the show? Not the show, but the whole weekend with my Slapper mates, we had some real laughs, too much beer and food and put the world to rights. A long weekend with plenty of travel and effort needed, but worth every single second.

(bear)
User avatar
Kwacky
Posts: 38538
Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
Location: Brum
Has thanked: 4314 times
Been thanked: 8352 times

Re: Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

Post by Kwacky »

I thought the new Gixxer Thou looked sharp in the white and blue colours.
User avatar
D6Nutz
Posts: 7420
Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:26
Your Bike: Speed Triple 1200 RS
Has thanked: 828 times
Been thanked: 2604 times
Contact:

Re: Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

Post by D6Nutz »

Google made me this album.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/77fyQuzqR5bQ72uf6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.

If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough - Mario Andretti
User avatar
duke63
Posts: 15493
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 07:34
Your Bike: Ducati 748/853 & Triumph Street Triple 765RS
Location: Staffordshire
Has thanked: 4170 times
Been thanked: 4124 times

Re: Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

Post by duke63 »

The camera on your phone takes some exceptional photos, Jon.
User avatar
D41
Posts: 12923
Joined: 22 Sep 2014, 11:36
Your Bike: Triumph Daytona 650.
Has thanked: 4283 times
Been thanked: 1129 times

Re: Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

Post by D41 »

Those are from a phone??

Nice.
User avatar
Kwacky
Posts: 38538
Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
Location: Brum
Has thanked: 4314 times
Been thanked: 8352 times

Re: Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

Post by Kwacky »

Blocked at work. I'll take a look tonight.
User avatar
C00kiemonster
Posts: 8425
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 07:11
Your Bike: Triumph Street Triple 765 R
Location: Not Froggie Land
Has thanked: 4296 times
Been thanked: 1737 times

Re: Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

Post by C00kiemonster »

D6Nutz wrote:Google made me this album.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/77fyQuzqR5bQ72uf6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ooh - which app does that - quite good.
User avatar
duke63
Posts: 15493
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 07:34
Your Bike: Ducati 748/853 & Triumph Street Triple 765RS
Location: Staffordshire
Has thanked: 4170 times
Been thanked: 4124 times

Re: Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

Post by duke63 »

Google photos app.
User avatar
D6Nutz
Posts: 7420
Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:26
Your Bike: Speed Triple 1200 RS
Has thanked: 828 times
Been thanked: 2604 times
Contact:

Re: Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

Post by D6Nutz »

duke63 wrote:Google photos app.
Wot he said. The phone does it every so often an just gives me a notification.
You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.

If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough - Mario Andretti
User avatar
D6Nutz
Posts: 7420
Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:26
Your Bike: Speed Triple 1200 RS
Has thanked: 828 times
Been thanked: 2604 times
Contact:

Re: Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

Post by D6Nutz »

duke63 wrote:The camera on your phone takes some exceptional photos, Jon.
I'm very impressed with the quality, which is good as it was one of three primary reasons for upgrading.

It's even that good it covers up my ineptitude as a photographer (giggle)
You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.

If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough - Mario Andretti
User avatar
Frankie
Posts: 3917
Joined: 11 Mar 2014, 21:37
Your Bike: Fast Ones, and dirty ones
Has thanked: 723 times
Been thanked: 1473 times

Re: Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

Post by Frankie »

Nice pics, how comes Google thought you flew from Tonbridge?
User avatar
D6Nutz
Posts: 7420
Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:26
Your Bike: Speed Triple 1200 RS
Has thanked: 828 times
Been thanked: 2604 times
Contact:

Re: Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

Post by D6Nutz »

Frankie wrote:Nice pics, how comes Google thought you flew from Tonbridge?
Guess that's where I was when I took the last picture on the plane.
You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.

If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough - Mario Andretti
User avatar
duke63
Posts: 15493
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 07:34
Your Bike: Ducati 748/853 & Triumph Street Triple 765RS
Location: Staffordshire
Has thanked: 4170 times
Been thanked: 4124 times

Re: Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

Post by duke63 »

Good job it wasn't this weekend. It would have cost us 2% more.

The general consensus from speaking to others who have also been before is that the crowds were significantly higher on every single day. Not sure I would visit the show on a Saturday again.
User avatar
Kwacky
Posts: 38538
Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
Location: Brum
Has thanked: 4314 times
Been thanked: 8352 times

Re: Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

Post by Kwacky »

Media passes are king.
User avatar
Rossgo
Posts: 10407
Joined: 14 Mar 2014, 02:01
Your Bike:
Location: Berkshire
Has thanked: 5280 times
Been thanked: 1326 times

Re: Milan Bike Show - a few thoughts

Post by Rossgo »

Nutz you got somecracking pics.

Sounds like you guys had a fun weekend but i too don't like crowds and tend to aim to go to the NEC on a week day but if you are saying its worse that NEC then that puts me off!!

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
Post Reply