Calgary Motorcycle Show - January 4th to 6th

[ZED]

I'll sort the pics and post up tomorrow.  Meanwhile I'll leave you with this:

[bubba zanetti]

I'll sort the pics and post up tomorrow.  Meanwhile I'll leave you with this:

Conjoined Triplets ... er ... on a twin?  How strange.

[ZED]

Every year we say that we won't go to the motorcycle show because it's all the same boring stuff.  We finally realized that we'll still go each year because looking at the shiny motorcycles is more fun than looking at the snow on the ground.


One of the first things we came across was this 300cc two stroke two wheel drive dirt bike which still only weighed in at 240lbs.


Lots of off road quad type things.  This one looked like fun

Overall the new Ducati lineup continues to underwhelm us.  Fortunately ZED already has the pinnacle of the Ducati Sport Tourers the ST3S and KLRChickie has a classic 2006 Monster S2R1000


The 848 still has some allure.  Need a new road track for it though.


A young rider on the new Hyptermotard.


The poser adventure bikes were a common theme.


 Triumph had some really nice looking bikes.  We spent a bit of time there.


There was a beautifully restored bonneville.


KLRChickie liked the street triple.


ZED preferred the 675R.

The retro bikes are neat.  Just a bummer they weigh as much as the originals and have the same lousy suspension.  The look is neat but technology has marched on.

[ZED]

Next it was off to Guzzi Land


Griso looks neat but we both dislike the fit.


KLRChickie didn't look too plussed with the Stelvio

Guzzi also has their retro bikes which look neat.


This cafe racer had a polished silver tank.  It looked quite neat.

[ZED]

One thing that really seems lacking these days is factory supermotards.  A few years ago it seemed everyone was making one.  Now almost no one is.  I don't count the KTM Duke as a Pseudo-tard and KTM doesn't seem to have the big SMs any more, at least not on display.


The Husquavarna 650 is one of the few pseudo motards.  About the same weight as a KLR but with better suspension, brakes, wheels, etc.  The 19" front wheel would be limiting for super sticky rubber though.


The Suzuki DRZ is really the only true out of the box sumo left.  Still going after all these years.  Bummer it's design is so ancient.

[ZED]

BMW Land didn't have much new.  It looks like they're wattering down their line to compete with themselves as they now have a 700 line and an 800 line.


Here's the F700GS

BMW has some of the prettiest bikes and one of the ugliest at the show.


Awesome color scheme on this HP4


The BMW blue looked great on this F800R

And the Winner for ugliest bike in the show goes to…


The K1300R.  You have got to be kidding.  What were they thinking?!?

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Honda had by far the biggest booth at the show.  Can you spot any motorcycles here?  I think I see one way off in the distance.




Honda actually did have some bold new graphics this year.  This thing looks awesome.  Wait a minute.  Isn't this supposed to be a motorcycle show?


No.  No motorcycles here either unless you count the video.  Just power equipment.  Nothing to see.  Move along.

There were a few bikes scattered here and there but they had the fewest bikes per square foot of anyone.  Typical Honda.
At least they didn't have any cars or SUVs this year.

[ZED]

KTM seems to be branching out in colors as well.
No longer are the KTM folks limited to pumpkin orange or rotten pumpkin black.


You can now get the KTM 990 Baja Adventure bike in white.  That'll be easy for the posers to keep clean.  


The instrument cluster looks a little small for playing video games on though.  The Ducati clusters look much more like a video game interface.


The RC8 felt wonderfully light.  If there was actually a road track in the Calgary area this would be tempting.


Even the traditional KTM dirt bikes like the 500EXC have changed colors.


300cc of two stroke anyone?

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There were lots of vintage bikes on display.  Many of the usual display and a few other gems hidden about the place.




Who doesn't appreciate the classic Honda look.


OMG.  Stick shift and everything.


1972 Bevelhead ducati.


1969.  Wow.

[ZED]

There were the other usual offerings as well.


You can get two colors of KLR this year.

If you're going to ride a cruiser, be sure to make it 1700cc of flat bad black!






Kawi is now offering a Ninja 300.  It's probably a bored 250.  Good to see smaller displacement bikes still making it.  Good for the city or a new rider.


This Yamaha Tenere rider looked a bit lost.  Not sure how all those cases fit on the bike but he looked a little too engrossed in his maps to ask.


Apparently they've finally figured out how to trim some weight from the FJR.  Leave parts off.  Duh, it took them this long?  Mind you I think a seat might be nice to have on a touring bike.


Another poser bike.

Some of the Victorys do look nice


They're like colored candies.


Awesome flames.


If your ass is visible from behind this bike then it's definitely too wide!


This monster was so big they even gave it a headlight that looked like a freight train.  Fitting.


Some very pretty paint jobs on the Hardleys.  One almost wants one just to set up in the living room to admire as an art form.


Here's something you don't see every day on a harley.  Balled up rubber on the tires.

[ZED]

There were the other usual sights too.


MVAgusta had a nice display.


The kids track was back which was nice to see.  Some of them were riding quite well.  One was working at backing it in.  Another managed to take out another rider and a course marshal in one go.


It seemed to be the year of the poser bike.  Almost every booth had some sort of 'Adventure' bike on display for reasons unknown.


The stunt riders were fun to watch.  Sorry for the blur.  It was the first outing with a new camera and lens combo and I let it do a few too many auto things.


Sleepers for the ultra young motorcyclist.



Well, that's all.  Overall it was an interesting show.  A bit different from the last few years.  Nothing really exciting though.  Nothing that makes us want to add to our existing fleet of 7 motorcycles.  

[Baz]

 

I would suggest booking a private jet and whisk her off to lunch in wine country.  

[alphabet man]

I would suggest booking a private jet and whisk her off to lunch in wine country.  

 She deserves it, but that might be a little hard on the bike budget!!!    

[alphabet man]

There were the other usual offerings as well.



Another poser bike.

 Not sure why you class this as a "poser bike",    after looking at them a little closer I think they could make a decent adventure bike Although  after looking at all the ADV bikes offered I still can't convince myself that any of them can match or compete with KTM
I think I will be looking for an older carbureted   950 to satisfy my needs

[ZED]

 Not sure why you class this as a "poser bike",    after looking at them a little closer I think they could make a decent adventure bike Although  after looking at all the ADV bikes offered I still can't convince myself that any of them can match or compete with KTM
I think I will be looking for an older carbureted   950 to satisfy my needs

I call these poser bikes because I mostly see them in parking lots.  It seems like people dress them all up as though they're going to ride around the world and the do short trips, commuting, shopping, etc. just to make sure they're 'seen'.  Sounds like posing to me.  Granted, there are some people that actually used the bikes for their intended purpose but I think they're slim.  

As far as what's fit for 'Adventure'  (geez I'm tired of the genre around that word) you can have an adventure on anything.  After all, adventure begins when plans start to go awry  .

As for riding around the world I'd still take the lowly KLR.  Cheap, easy to fix, expendable.

As for riding in anything resembling off road, they're all too damn big and heavy.  It still boggles me that you rode Moab Two-up on your KTM  

[blkhrt81]

Damn, well guess I have to accept the "poser" tag, just put a deposit on an 800 XC.

[bubba zanetti]

Damn, well guess I have to accept the "poser" tag, just put a deposit on an 800 XC.

Given your travels Bill, I suspect you simply do not fit, in anyway shape or form, the notion of a poseur !  


I don't think bikes label the rider, I think the rider in fact labels a bike. Plenty of Ducs posed upon at local starbucks along with ricky racers etc ... If riden well, any bike can live up to its pedigree.


Thanks for the pics Keith !

[ZED]

Damn, well guess I have to accept the "poser" tag, just put a deposit on an 800 XC.

Congrats!  New bike.  Much fun. I'm sure yours will travel far and wide.

Given your travels Bill, I suspect you simply do not fit, in anyway shape or form, the notion of a poseur !  

I don't think bikes label the rider, I think the rider in fact labels a bike. Plenty of Ducs posed upon at local starbucks along with ricky racers etc ... If riden well, any bike can live up to its pedigree.

Thanks for the pics Keith !

You've totally hit the nail on the head there bubba.

[alphabet man]

Damn, well guess I have to accept the "poser" tag, just put a deposit on an 800 XC.

 Nice choice Bill,    my Multi is going to look funny with TKC 80s on it for our next ride together  

[alphabet man]

I call these poser bikes because I mostly see them in parking lots.  It seems like people dress them all up as though they're going to ride around the world and the do short trips, commuting, shopping, etc. just to make sure they're 'seen'.  Sounds like posing to me.  Granted, there are some people that actually used the bikes for their intended purpose but I think they're slim.  

As far as what's fit for 'Adventure'  (geez I'm tired of the genre around that word) you can have an adventure on anything.  After all, adventure begins when plans start to go awry  .

As for riding around the world I'd still take the lowly KLR.  Cheap, easy to fix, expendable.

As for riding in anything resembling off road, they're all too damn big and heavy.  It still boggles me that you rode Moab Two-up on your KTM  

 Oh you meant bikes for posers    no argument from me there, but I still have to disagree with you on their (the bikes) capabilities, I think you would have been very surprised if you had seen some of the places the my 990 went and I am no Cyril Despres

 I have to agree on the show tho it was rather Ho Hum none of the bikes jumped out and grabbed me, other than the Hypermotard that I have lusted for since riding one in Kelowna a couple of years ago
The 848 was cool but would probably cripple me, the interesting  models were moving around on the floor holding brochures