kthutchinson
Member
Yesterday several members of our club attended the Toronto Motorcycle Show in downtown Toronto. Since I haven't been to one of the Progressive shows in the States for a few years, I can't comment on how this show compares, but I wasn't disappointed with the exhibits.
Like the US shows, most of the major manufacturers that sell bikes in Canada were represented. The most notable absentee manufacturer was Kawasaki. There wasn't even a display by one of the Canadian Kawasaki dealers. There were also exhibits by several tire manufacturers and major accessory vendors, as well as tour companies, helmet manufacturers, clothing manufacturers, and others. A full list of exhibitors is available on the show's web site here.
I won't bore everyone with a complete rundown of what I saw, but here are the highlights.
BMW Canada displayed the new C 600 Sport and C 650 GT scooters. Their full line was on display, including the 2012 S1000RR, which looks even better in person than in pictures.
I drooled at the MV Agusta booth, where several versions of the F4, Brutale 1090, and the new F3 were on display. Likewise, Ducati had their new 1099 Panigale available. Rounding out the Italians, Moto Guzzi and Aprilia showed several models. I particularly likes the new Guzzi V7 Racer. It's perfect for the cafe racer crowd.
Triumph has a prototype of their new Tiger Explorer, a 1200cc adventure bike complete with shaft drive and electric cruise control. Yamaha showed their Super Tenere, but I preferred the Triumph due to its lower seating height.
Norton was also there. Apparently their Canadian dealer network is set up, something that can't be said about their US network. The bikes were obviously Nortons, but with all the modern advances.
Zero Motorcycles was on hand with several versions of their electric motorcycles. But the most environmentally friendly bike had to be the Can-Am Spyder Hybrid prototype. If nothing else, Can-Am should make the paint scheme available as a option on current bikes.
Finally, for the children, Yamaha set up a small version of their Yamaha Riding Academy. Yamaha provided riding gear and instruction for children as young as 6 on their 50 and 90 cc off-road bikes. The kids were probably having more fun than anyone else at the show, since they were the only ones riding.
Like the US shows, most of the major manufacturers that sell bikes in Canada were represented. The most notable absentee manufacturer was Kawasaki. There wasn't even a display by one of the Canadian Kawasaki dealers. There were also exhibits by several tire manufacturers and major accessory vendors, as well as tour companies, helmet manufacturers, clothing manufacturers, and others. A full list of exhibitors is available on the show's web site here.
I won't bore everyone with a complete rundown of what I saw, but here are the highlights.
BMW Canada displayed the new C 600 Sport and C 650 GT scooters. Their full line was on display, including the 2012 S1000RR, which looks even better in person than in pictures.
I drooled at the MV Agusta booth, where several versions of the F4, Brutale 1090, and the new F3 were on display. Likewise, Ducati had their new 1099 Panigale available. Rounding out the Italians, Moto Guzzi and Aprilia showed several models. I particularly likes the new Guzzi V7 Racer. It's perfect for the cafe racer crowd.
Triumph has a prototype of their new Tiger Explorer, a 1200cc adventure bike complete with shaft drive and electric cruise control. Yamaha showed their Super Tenere, but I preferred the Triumph due to its lower seating height.
Norton was also there. Apparently their Canadian dealer network is set up, something that can't be said about their US network. The bikes were obviously Nortons, but with all the modern advances.
Zero Motorcycles was on hand with several versions of their electric motorcycles. But the most environmentally friendly bike had to be the Can-Am Spyder Hybrid prototype. If nothing else, Can-Am should make the paint scheme available as a option on current bikes.
Finally, for the children, Yamaha set up a small version of their Yamaha Riding Academy. Yamaha provided riding gear and instruction for children as young as 6 on their 50 and 90 cc off-road bikes. The kids were probably having more fun than anyone else at the show, since they were the only ones riding.
