Triumphrat

googus · 12-31-2007

OK I will keep this short since not many viewers here. I went to the NYC show and saw some fellow triumph guys wearing shirts and what not and 1 they did not now the site and two they did not even know that their Bike mn. did not even show up!!

Call me crazy but I started my day in 35 degree weather and drove 1.5hrs to a show in a place I rather not drive mt bike and then when I get there Triumph did not even show up I say what's up with that. Everyone else was there but them!! Bad decision if you ask me. alot of other Man. are coming out with alot of nice bikes.

The one thing I did notice was the increasing Hyper-Motored style bikes around.
Greg

PS overall it was a great excuss to put on some 250 miles on a my bike at the end of December in N.J. in the good old USA

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL

Catenaccio · 01-01-2008

It makes no sense to me how Triumph markets its bikes. Osmosis possibly?

jimballard · 01-01-2008

Yeah, Triumph hasn't been doing any shows for a couple of years now, except Daytona, I think; supposedly putting their money into R&D. Do wish they'd been there. As far as the show itself, it was the best one for some years now. I decided to go at the last minute, so to speak, and I had the best time I've had in a long time. Finally, it was back in the lower halls and there wasn't a "ton" of extreme street riding videos (accompanied by blaring music) being sold in every aisle. There was a lot more of the "odds, ends and incidentals" being offered, which, to my mind, was one of the best reasons to go there. Maybe the rates for floor space are less in the lower area or, with the economy in a bit of "flux", dealers decided to show their wares a little more. Whatever, I hope next year's show is as good. IMHO: Jim

drlapo · 01-02-2008

and best of all, aside from BAD BUILT, opps i ,mean BAD DOG there were a lot fewer chopers. maybe the weekend badass look at me craze is dying

BishRat · 01-02-2008

Does anyone have any figures associated with the cost of attending one of these shows? Wildly guessing, as far as I can see, there's:

Rental of at least 2000 sq ft on the floor at the hall.
Exhibition stand rental and structural build.
Transportation for a dozen or so bikes.
Transportation of exhibition stand displays (screens, video & audio stuff maybe)
Manufacture & transportation of marketing and sales literature.
Staffing costs for logistics.
Staffing costs for exhibition floor.
UK-based staff airfare/hotel/expenses etc.

I've done a few tech/networking exhibitions with a traveling stand. Only about 500 sq ft, and hardware that could be transported in the back of an SUV. I know that wasn't cheap, and we were selective as to which shows we attended (those pesky little cost/benefit analysis games again).

So I'm wondering... do they pick and choose from a financial point of view, or do they question the whole circus? I'm sure these things are far more expensive than we realize and the marketing department at Triumph probably has a finite budget (not to be confused with Triumph's overall budget... marketing is probably run as a separate business unit).

I guess the question is whether spending (say) $300,000+ to participate in this show actually translates into at least that much additional profit? If we assume that Triumph itself (not the dealers etc) makes approximately 20% clear profit per sale, they've got to generate at least one and a half million bucks in additional sales to break even on the show. Are they better off buying print ads or setting up track days for journalists etc.?

NinaT595 · 01-02-2008

Googus,
We skipped the show this year due to illness but were already leaning towards not going when we noticed that Triumph wasn't going to be there (they were conspicuously absent from the mailings and the lists of vendors). This isn't the first time that they've given the International MC show a miss. They've even skipped Vintage MC Days for a few years (which seems even more insane to me). You actually rode there? I've never done. I'm too much of a cold sissy, though I've got to say that I'd rather ride through NYC than drive through it.

Bishrat brings up an interesting point about costs vs potential earnings (though it seems like there's always local/US based employees staffing the shows rather than flying them over from the UK). I would think that the costs would be pretty exhorbitant. I do know that for me the International MC Show was always a chance for me to see what all of the manufacturers were offering and to see what "felt" right. It was my only opportunity to see a Thruxton when they first came out at a time when Triumph dealers in NY were thin on the ground and I was taking my Speed Triple 80 miles east into CT in order to get it serviced. I don't think that shows like this result in much in the way of actual sales directly but I would think of them as great exposure. I would never have considered a Speed Triple until I rode one but I never would have even considered test riding one if I hadn't had a chance to get up close & personal with one at the IMC.

The Thruxton is pure porn and I loved seeing the various "custom" incarnations that Triumph would trick it out in. I still haven't had a chance to ride one and that's probably best. I'm trying to think if I've even seen a new Speed Triple in reality during the past year. I'm digressing...

Jimballard- I'm glad to hear that there were a lot more "small" vendors there. That's something that seemed to have been getting scaled back as well over the past few shows and that was always another of my favorites.

At least the guys wearing the Triumph shirts actually rode Triumphs! The resurgence of Triumph logo as fashion statement, while it appeals to my deeply buried girlie side fills the rest of me with dread as I see me battling hipsters for the last "triumph" jacket

.

Thanks for the show update.

Nina
'98 T509 DemonSpeed Triple
'70 Norton 750S

Silverado57 · 01-02-2008

Hey, even Kymco & Hyosung were there!
Triumph seems to go to European shows.
Maybe they're afraid they'll have to tell the American public where the vertical twins are made now?

97sprint · 01-06-2008

I drove 234 miles each way from northern MA.
Took the KIA, sorry folks but it was 35F and raining heavily when I left.

Good show as usual. Yes lots of supermotard style bikes.
KTM had a nice showing. Ducati, as usual over the top.
BMW has an above average showing.
The Japanese shwoing was huge.
HD and Buell, again it's a lifestyle, not performance.

Kinda ironic that 2 of my "local" dealers also sell Ducati
and were both there. Moto Guzzi had a nice setup.

Seems Triumph has expressed interest in this show ?

http://www.sportshows.ca/EdCycle/