Motorcycle Live attracted 110,512 visitors over the nine days of this year’s show, down from 117,000 in 2014.
Organiser Finlay McAllan said: “Despite a drop in attendance, the vast majority of exhibitor feedback has been very positive and visitors taking the time to get in touch via social media or more traditional channels have given nothing but praise. The overall feeling is that the show has been a great success and we’re already looking forward to 2016.”
More than 35 motorcycle manufacturers showcased their latest machinery and entertained bike fans with special features and displays, while over 150 other exhibitors and retailers presented their two-wheel related wares.
Visitors of all ages – from biking novices to seasoned motorcyclists – enjoyed 16 live and interactive features, including nine free opportunities to ride a bike and the all-new FMX Live presented by Arenacross, which showcased stunts from some of the world’s top freestyle motocross riders.
The racing stars were out in force each and every day, with riders from MotoGP, World and British Superbikes, the Isle of Man TT and speedway taking part in chat shows, quizzes and rider signings. Keen-eyed visitors could also spot one or two bike-mad celebrities among the crowds, including Busted’s Matt Willis, The Great British Bake Off’s Paul Hollywood and TV presenter Rav Wilding.
The non-stop entertainment inspired show-goers to take to the Motorcycle Live social media channels with praise including: “A fabulous day out for adults and children. Motorcycle Live 2015 was a great success” and “A huge thank you to all involved the whole family had a fabulous time at the show as we do every year.”
The exhibitors also gave positive feedback, hailing the show a success in terms of footfall to their stands and quality of interaction with customers. Jeff Turner, marketing manager of Yamaha Motor (UK), said: “Motorcycle Live 2015 has been an exceptional show for Yamaha with the launch of several new products on the stand, the Dark Side MT ride out and the AMCA MX Experience. We’ve been inundated with customers from day one.”
Paul Taylor, PR and sponsorship manager for Bennetts, enthused: “Last year was our first year at Motorcycle Live and we were so impressed that we decided to increase our presence this year. It’s been worth it as we’ve seen about about twice the footfall compared with 2014. The organisers do a fantastic job and it’s such a great opportunity for us to meet and chat to existing and potential customers. We’ll certainly be back in 2016.”
“We’ve had a great show and if you asked us to rate it out of 10, we’d say 9.75,” commented Rob Puttick, MD of Infinity Motorcycles. “The visitors here really are enthusiasts and they are very knowledgeable about the market. We’ll definitely be back again next year.”
Motorcycle Live 2016 will take place at The NEC, Birmingham from 19-27 November.