Motorcycle SUPERSHOW

With seven giant halls and 500,000 square-feet of show space, there’s a reason the Toronto, Canada show in January is called the Motorcycle Supershow. It’s the North American International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW to call it by its full name, and it has taken place over a three-day weekend in January every year for the past 40 years.

Toronto’s One-Stop-Shop For Motorcyclists

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ith seven giant halls and 500,000 square-feet of show space, there’s a reason the Toronto, Canada show in January is called the Motorcycle Supershow. It’s the North American International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW to call it by its full name, and it has taken place over a three-day weekend in January every year for the past 40 years. With separate halls for touring and cruisers, an industry showcase, a century of motorcycles, performance motorcycles and racing as well as a chopper and custom bike showcase, there’s a hall for every segment of the motorcycle market.

The show featured Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki and Campagna Motors in OEM booths and Can-Am, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Honda, BMW and KTM were present in dealer booths. Other corporate representation included Gamma Sales, Kimpex, Inc. and Parts Canada/Drag Specialties. GP Bikes and Royal Distributing, large retailers always have a great presence at the show. Hall 3 showcased “A Century of Motorcycles,” wherein a motorcycle model from each of the last 100 years was included. Vintage Club members turned out en masse to show off their bikes and provide attendees insight into the last century of motorcycles.

The Performance and Racing Hall featured the “Future Stars of Motocross” in which 20 lucky racers were chosen and offered a unique sponsorship opportunity. Sponsored by the Motorcycle SUPERSHOW and Moto CrossPerformance Magazine & CMRC, it’s an annual feature of the SUPERSHOW where Canada’s top amateur motocross riders are chosen to participate in the MX Stars-of-Tomorrow exhibit in Hall 4. The MX Stars-of-Tomorrow team helps prepare these chosen riders to reach the next level in their pursuit of a professional career, while raising the profile of amateur motocross.

“We try to include the complete industry into the show and the MX Stars-of-Tomorrow program is another way for the show to support the grassroots of racing,” said Mike Blakoe, show manager. “We‘ve tried to put every facet of motorcycling into the show and that’s why it’s so big and that’s why it’s so popular, because it appeals to everybody.” Seminars with pro riders and top industry leaders advise these talented riders on soliciting, retaining and developing sponsors, resume tips and much more.

With the space provided it enables these racers to showcase their talents in front of more than 50,000 show attendees. These athletes have a powerful opportunity to promote themselves. The Motorcycle SUPERSHOW sponsors participants with exhibit space, valued at $1,100 within the MX Stars-of-Tomorrow display, which can be used to promote themselves, their sponsors and to solicit new supporters.

No other show in North America has such a wide representation of motorcycle clubs and organizations. With more than 100 clubs exhibiting throughout the seven halls of the show, the Motorcycle SUPERSHOW is indeed a one-stop shopping experience for motorcyclists. “One of the things we definitely try to do as a show is we make sure that it is a family-friendly show,” said Blakoe. “We do investigate the vendors to make sure they are appropriate for a family-oriented show.”

Not just promoting selling bikes and gear, this show truly has something for everyone in every genre of the industry. This was evidenced in the attendees as well – families filled the halls, a great many booths displaying smaller “pocket” bikes that children could touch and sit upon, encouraging them to become fascinated with motorcycles early on in life. Which is exactly what our industry needs for continued growth.

For more information on the Motorcycle Supershow, visit: www.MotorcycleSupershow.ca