In what can only be seen as an effort to countermine the upstart American International Motorcycle Expo (AIME) scheduled for October 16-20, 2013, in Orlando, Florida, Advanstar Communications has announced a change in dates for its show, the Dealernews International Powersports Dealer Expo, from its traditional weekend in February to one month before AIME’s show beginning in 2014.

Citing information gleaned from research and a gradual shift in dealer buying cycles, Advanstar claims to have determined that powersports dealerships prefer to make their purchasing decisions prior to the beginning of the new year. ”September is the ideal time of year for the 46th annual Dealer Expo, given that it falls perfectly into the dealer purchase cycle,” says Dealer Expo’s director of sales, Jim Moore.

At a press event in January of 2012 AIME announced the launching of its new expo to be held in the fall of 2013. Motorcycle.com reported the announcement the following day. “There’s a new motorcycle show coming to the States that promises to deliver the excitement and pageantry of Europe’s ultra-cool EICMA and Intermot shows. Scheduled for the fall of 2013, the American International Motorcycle Expo looks to create an annual event where consumers, OEMs, dealers and the aftermarket can converge in a single location for a week-long motorcycle extravaganza,” we reported.

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When BMW released its second quarter report last month, the company reported a 4.2% decrease in BMW and Husqvarna motorcycle sales due mainly to a struggling European economy. The economic woes persist but BMW appears to be recovering, reporting a new sales record for the month of August.

BMW reports sales of 7,400 motorcycles and scooters in August 2012, a company record for the month and an 11.3% increase from the 6,646 units sold in August 2011 and 14.7% more than the 6,405 units sold in August 2010.

Sales were buoyed by the introduction of the new C600 Sport and C650GT scooters to the European market. The maxi-scooters should provide an additional boost when they reach other markets such as the U.S., BMW’s second largest market. Continue Reading »

Documents released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board confirm the existence of a new member of BMW‘s F800 lineup, the F800GT.

The 2013 BMW F800GT will likely be a more touring-oriented replacement for the F800ST (pictured above) which was conspicuously absent from the CARB document. The new model is likely the same bike that appeared in spy photos published in the U.K.’s MCN in January.

The F800GT will be powered by the same Rotax-produced engine as the F800R, F800GS and F700GS. According to the EPA’s documents, the 798cc parallel-twin engine produces 62.5 kW (83.8 hp) at 8000 rpm. Continue Reading »

The American International Motorcycle Expo has selected Orlando, Fla., as host of its inaugural event in 2013. The first AIMExpo show will take place Oct. 16-20, 2013, at the Orange County Convention Center.

Organizers Marketplace Events aspire to make AIMExpo the premier motorcycle show in North America, hoping to match the excitement of major international shows like Italy’s EICMA or Germany’s Intermot.

As such, the choice of host city is important in helping attract OEMs, dealers, aftermarket suppliers, the press and consumers to the show. Continue Reading »

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the ground-breaking Kawasaki Z1 which made its public debut in 1972, becoming what many would regard as the world’s first superbike.

Kawasaki’s first large-capacity four-stroke multi-cylinder motorcycle took center stage at the 1972  IFMA, the precursor to the INTERMOT show in Cologne, Germany. Together with the Honda CB750, the Kawasaki Z1 helped spearhead the popularity of the Japanese Inline-Four.

The Z1 trumped the CB750, which hit the market in 1969, by offering a larger engine (903cc vs 736cc) and double-overhead cams. Some of the Z1′s design elements such as the four-pipe exhaust layout carry on in today’s Kawasaki Z1000. Continue Reading »

There’s a new motorcycle show coming to the States that promises to deliver the excitement and pageantry of Europe’s ultra-cool EICMA and Intermot shows. Scheduled for the fall of 2013, the American International Motorcycle Expo looks to create an annual event where consumers, OEMs, dealers and the aftermarket can converge in a single location for a week-long motorcycle extravaganza. Continue Reading »

The INTERMOT 2010 motorcycle show kicks-off this week in Cologne, it officially starts on Wednesday, October 6th and runs to Sunday, October 10th.  The motorcycle.com European contributor, Tor Sagen, managed to sneak into the show as the OEMs have been setting up, keep your eyes open for his updates this week from the show.

UDATE: Click here for INTERMOT 2010 coverage.

After the jump you can see some of the shots Tor sent us.

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This is defiantly not a good time to sell such a bike but if your interested and you have around $150,000 to burn then head on over to JamesList.com and check it out. The bike weights in at 315 lbs, with 170 hp, has a top speed over 180 mph and goes 0-60 in less than 3 seconds.

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