Anyone going this year? I've not been since 2019, but as I have some holiday days to use up at work I'm thinking of going one day next week. Not entirely sure the trip from Hampshire to the NEC will be worth it, but I might try to time my day to allow a quick scoot round the Motorcycle museum as well because it's 20yrs since I've been there.
We are driving up the Thursday evening for the last Friday. Not looking for anything in particular, more an opportunity to catch up with a few people. Andy
We went last year, Ducati was there but i seem to recall MV and Aprilia weren't, still had a good day walking round and sitting on the bikes, go in the week to avoid the throng if you can though.
Oh yes, wouldn't contemplate going to anything like this at the weekend, and would normally avoid Fridays as well. Am thinking Monday or Thursday at the moment. I don't work on Fridays, so it would be a nice long weekend either way.
My girlfriend works a 9 day fortnight and that Friday, she is off. Enjoy, whichever day you choose Andy
I went to the NEC bike show last year and left somewhat underwhelmed. If I recall MV, Moto Guzzi, Aprilia were absent. Yamaha just had a clothing stand. Lots of start up companies pushing electric bikes. On the positive side, Suzuki had an interesting stand with a lot of the Sheene era race bikes on display. The Langen two-stroke was the star of the show for me. Apparently they are delivering the first customers bikes at this years show. I went to the National Motorcyle Museum open day the other week. The additional stands and events they had put on for the weekend were excellent. Even Henry Cole was reasonably entertaining! I was not overly impressed with the museum. It seemed they had just crammed everything in in tightly packed rows, and the explanation boards were at ground level and difficult to read. Couldn't help thinking they didn't need 6 Triumph race school bikes or a dozen Norton rotary bikes on display for example. That said, they have some interesting bikes in there. Maybe I'm just hard to please these days!
Last went to the NEC a few years back. The immediate impression I got was that it felt even more watered down than before. Noticeably sparce in places and probably somewhat neglected, as global marketing platforms go. The fact that some of the major manufacturers were missing, smacks of the importance (or rather the lack of) they place on it as a serious showcasing opportunity. Personally I'd save the pennies and get a cheap AirBnB and a flight to Milan and go to EICMA instead. Everyone and his mate will be exhibiting there on a scale that would put the entire NEC affair into a cocked hat. It takes a full day, preferably two to have a look around the entire show, such is the size of it. Great food stands and Italian beer to boot, at prices that are not a total p*ss take and a bevvy of 'other distractions' to look at. What's not to like.
7, wow this forum is slipping, as soon as NEC shite show is mentioned EICMA “save your money”, “cheap flight”, “8 Halls” will usually be in the very next post. If you give it a while there will most like be a post saying the NEC show has been shit since Brexit and its all the Conservatives fault.
oh yeh, I’m going on Sunday 20th, in an official capacity as our TRF group are manning the TRF stand for the day. The dress of the day is pipe, slippers and grubby Belstaff jacket in keeping with the TRF image.
It reflects the age of the posters and their cynicism towards shows I suggest. For me they’ve been a no go since the mid 90’s. They’re just an indoor car boot sale mostly for me. The NEC is very near to where I live but it’s just not worth the effort. I wouldn’t go to a euro show either.
It is what it is and what you make of it. Over priced, dubious food and beer, nothing new, outlets selling 2 and 3 year old sh*t …….. and I’m looking forward to it Andy
The NEC show has been in decline for a lot longer than since Brexit entered the dictionary. It's noticeably shrunk in size in the last twenty years. Yamaha didnt even bother attending in 2021. Don't get me wrong, I for one would love to see more investment in it as an event, to bring up to a level where it can compete with the Intermot, IMS and EICMA shows, but it falls short by a country mile, which is regrettably where it finds itself right now.
Not sure that the motorcycle shows at the NEC and Excel have been any competition for the likes of EICMA for a good number of years. Andy
In Bristol with work on the Friday morning. Quick drop in to the NEC on the way home in the hope of picking up a new lid at a fair price. Not expecting much from the show, having been an EICMA fanboy for the last decade or so.
I went last year but didn't stay long. I have all the kit I'll ever need, the best bike I've ever owned & don't like paying £12 to park my car so I'll give it a miss this year and go & earn some money instead!
EICMA is on another level altogether. I suspect we are seeing the death throes of these sort of shows...but its a day out looking at new bikes and better than a day at work.
