Summer is beginning to fade and, as the days get shorter, thoughts turn to the traditional bike show season. Motorcycle Live at the NEC in Birmingham is easily the biggest event in the UK, but after the misery of Covid, it’s facing some serious competition from the likes of the Bike Shed Moto Show in London and the ABR Festival in Warwickshire. And that’s against the backdrop of other changes in the sector: bike firms are now launching products online outside the normal show schedules. That’s partly because they can and partly because there’s more chance of a PR ‘hit’ when you release a new bike in a quiet week in July rather than during a busy show alongside everyone else. On the other hand, despite background pressure from the cost of living crisis, there seems to be a general post-Covid ‘bump’ in people going in-person to gigs, shows, festivals and events.
We spoke to Finlay McAllan, MD at the Motor Cycle Industry Association (MCIA) events arm and asked how Motorcycle Live is progressing and what to expect this year.
“We’re doing extremely well in terms of our trade content, with good manufacturer support,” McAllan said. “We’re up into the mid-40s of brands presenting this year, and we’ve just been speaking to a new manufacturer who is coming for the first time. So while we are at 45 now [mid-August], I see that matching the 50-odd brands we’ve seen in the past.”
And the sometimes-difficult retail section of the show is also strengthening, according to McAllan. “In terms of retail, we’re seeing an upturn, not new firms signing up, but the companies who continued to support us during the post-Covid years are doing well and expanding accordingly, which is good for the show and the consumer.”
“We’re still working hard to ensure that the ‘Live’ element of Motorcycle Live isn’t just a name. It’s actually a physical thing you can do, and I think there are about eight options to ride currently – all the way from kids’ balance bikes to test rides out on the road. We’ve got our experience adventure track in hall four, and then we’ve got the emerging electric section which was completely booked out last year for the first time. We’ve also got a new Mototrainer feature that’s been in the MotoGP paddock this year. Kawasaki will be sponsoring that, and there will be four simulators on its stand.
“I’m pleased that Black Horse is sponsoring the Trade Day and the free trade tickets. People working in the sector can apply for four free tickets per dealership address. We’re beginning to gain some traction: I understand there was a time when perhaps the dealer network wasn’t completely over-enthused with Motorcycle Live, but in the last decade, it’s changed a lot, and it’s encouraging to see dealers coming back again on trade day, so we’re going to continue to push on that.”
Does the MCIA have a longer-term plan for the next five or ten years? Yes seems to be the answer – but it will be a steady process. “We’ve got to address the next three to five years,” said McAllan. “We’ve got to make sure the content is relevant, audiences are engaged, and we are bringing the right people through the door.
“But Motorcycle Live is like a supertanker, and you can’t just click your fingers and change direction overnight. I have to make sure that I maintain audience and manufacturer interest. So we’re doing some new things, we’ve moved away from custom bikes, and we have a new feature with Motor Cycle News called ‘Dream Garage’. We’ve got a new stage design and content, and this is just the first of many steps we are taking to refresh the show. A lot is happening in the background in preparation for shows to come.”
Does McAllan see a threat from rival alternative show offerings? “Yes, we’ve got to raise our game. Don’t get me wrong, anyone who presents any motorcycling event must be applauded. We can learn from what we are seeing from these other show organisers, from ABR to regional shows. Things are being done that I can learn from as a show organiser, and that’s a journey we are on now.
“Look at the culture and the community spirit particularly at, say, Bike Shed and ABR. We’ve got that, we just need to develop it and learn the lessons from the guys doing it during the biking season and develop it to make Motorcycle Live the thing to do off-season, that you’ve got to be there.”
www.motorcyclelive.co.uk