HONDA CANADA Reserves Manufacturer Booth Space at the 36th Annual North American Inte | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

HONDA CANADA Reserves Manufacturer Booth Space at the 36th Annual North American Inte

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topendz said:
Well personally I think they achieved that. The December show is a class act and is a better representation of International Motorcycle Shows around the world. To me the so called Supershow is a flee market.
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The problem is that the downtown location, with the attendant parking costs and difficulty of access, for those coming in from out of town, failed to be the intended draw. You can make something as glitzy as you want but if your intended audience isn't willing to put up with the additional costs, you'll eventually fail. Proverbial pearls before swine, where the swine pay the bills.
 
Rob MacLennan said:
The problem is that the downtown location, with the attendant parking costs and difficulty of access, for those coming in from out of town, failed to be the intended draw. You can make something as glitzy as you want but if your intended audience isn't willing to put up with the additional costs, you'll eventually fail. Proverbial pearls before swine, where the swine pay the bills.
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And that my friend is why Canadians will never have the exposure to all the great products other nations have... we're not willing to invest in our local motorcycle community. Personally I want motorcycles and motorcyclists to be glamorized and up market and not displayed is some back alley dust filled warehouse... but that's just me I'm a snob. Some things are just worth paying for like fine dining, good beer and beautiful women.
 
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I like the december show because it's across the street from my office :D
 
topendz said:
And that my friend is why Canadians will never have the exposure to all the great products other nations have... we're not willing to invest in our local motorcycle community. Personally I want motorcycles and motorcyclists to be glamorized and up market and not displayed is some back alley dust filled warehouse... but that's just me I'm a snob. Some things are just worth paying for like fine dining, good beer and beautiful women.
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When the majority of riders seem happy with McDonalds, Labatt's 50, and the town bicycle, you're just cutting off your nose to spite your face. Raising the bar (pardon the pun) would have been a far better idea, for the long haul, than jumping ship could ever be. We're too small a community to fracture into smaller groups, when it comes to things like shows, and having people pay the better part of $20.00 for parking, then again for entry, is going to significantly narrow your clientele.

DoubleJ said:
Who worries about parking etc. Hop on the streetcar, subway or GO train.
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All well and good for those of us who work in Toronto, but it can be a significant pain in the butt for those coming in from outside. Far too many people have been frustrated by such things and just never returned.
 
Chaos said:
ok... so what is the real reason? power? control?
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A little of that, plus more. I don't think that there's any single, simple reason. Part of it may well have to do with when the manufacturers were moved back, out of the first hall nearest Airport Rd., in order to (it seemed) create an Ikea-esque flow through everything else.
 
killerkeith said:
You work at the CBC?
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Ok well maybe not directly across the street :p. I'm across the street and a little east.

Edit: Wait...are you gonna stalk me? Because I'm pretty reclusive. Like a ninja.
 
The show that is held by the airport is a joke, that's not a show, that's your everyday developing country underground market without the good deals. I will not be going to that again. And Kawi and Honda having a booth means...what... Showcasing power equipment...well, not driving an hour to bump into people to see the newest weedwacker and generator or atv. Oh unless Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes are explaining how great they are.

So December is the good show. Glad I read this so now I know as I had no idea what the difference between the two shows were. The exhibitor list looks nice. I'd be one coming from out of town, driving to Oakville and hopping on the Go Train from there all the way to Union then subway. Takes a long time for sure. But, people are bloody lazy if they think public transport is a hassle. I mean, I know it sucks here but once in a while it's OK, your not taking it everyday, just once to the show!
 
The downtown show is closer for those of us in the east end. The Go train is about six bux from Ajax to Union station, and there are nice warm pedestrian tunnels to travel thru.

If the weather isn't entirely sucky in January, maybe I will venture a little further :).

(and if the ponds are frozen over nicely in Jan. I'll be shooting a puck or two with the kids at any chance I get)
 
Rob MacLennan said:
When the majority of riders seem happy with McDonalds, Labatt's 50, and the town bicycle, you're just cutting off your nose to spite your face. Raising the bar (pardon the pun) would have been a far better idea, for the long haul, than jumping ship could ever be. We're too small a community to fracture into smaller groups, when it comes to things like shows, and having people pay the better part of $20.00 for parking, then again for entry, is going to significantly narrow your clientele.



All well and good for those of us who work in Toronto, but it can be a significant pain in the butt for those coming in from outside. Far too many people have been frustrated by such things and just never returned.
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Re point one: I agree with you in that example because there are 2 shows where one perceived as more elite than the other. If there were only one show, people would find a way to get down there. But there is enough redundancy between the two shows for most people. My favourite: "Ducati" is at the December show via GP Bikes. "GP Bikes" is at the January shows and rolls out the Ducatis on the floor.

Re point two: If there were one show, people would find their way there. The hassles are looked at with less emphasis.
 
Perhaps we in the GTA are fortunate to have 3 (or is it 4) motorcycle shows but I notice that both Kawasaki and
Honda have booths at the Vancouver, Edmonton & Calgary shows.

Those 3 western shows and the December Toronto show are run by the Canadian National Sportsmen’s Shows.

What does the future hold for those western shows? Would the organizers continue to let them exhibit in only 3 out of their 4 shows?
 
Manufacturers should have spent their advertising coin on promoting the product at the sport bike rally in parry sound instead.

Current shows = zzzzzzzz Fest.
 
usually at the december show i find the changes in bikes from year to year to be mostly minor. it was great the first year i went, i was new to motorcycling, second year i went it was ok, third year i only went to see friends because it was free. granted i'm making a special trip from out of town so my attendance costs are higher and it takes more to impress me...
 
CruisnGrrl said:
usually at the december show i find the changes in bikes from year to year to be mostly minor. it was great the first year i went, i was new to motorcycling, second year i went it was ok, third year i only went to see friends because it was free. granted i'm making a special trip from out of town so my attendance costs are higher and it takes more to impress me...
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If it takes more to impress you after a couple of years, then just wait until you've gone to more than thirty shows :lol:
 
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