Triumphrat

Murphy · 01-17-2008

This may be more a general thread - but anyone know why Triumph didn't have a presence at the big NY motorcycle show a few weeks ago?

I was a bit surprised not to see them. I mean, even Ural was there!

I asked around at the show and no one had a reason for their absence.

Anyone see them at a show somewhere else in the country?

SoCalNewbie · 01-17-2008

They weren't at the Los Angeles show either, though one of the large local dealerships (Southern California Triumph) had a big display.

buellv · 01-17-2008

they were not in phoenix or northern cal either.

Husk01 · 01-17-2008

They weren't in Fort Worth a few weeks back either. They had a display truck at the dealer however (Eurocycle) with a sample of Rockets and Street Triples. The dealer didn't even have the keys to the ignition on the Street Triples.
What a stupid way to miss promoting your product. What are the folks in the head office thinking?
Steve

monkeyboy · 01-17-2008

As I understand, they don't do shows.

ohiorider · 01-17-2008

Triumph bailed out of the Cycle World Motorcycle Shows 2-3 years ago, maybe longer.

Bob

D9 · 01-17-2008

All things aside...

...how could showing up at the shows possibly be a bad thing?

Is it a marketing deptartment budgetary concern?

Just hard to figure how a presence at the Cycle World and other shows could be anything but good for Triumph in the long run - it's exposure after all, right?

Hard to fathom.

Cheers,

D9

ohiorider · 01-17-2008

Have you noticed when you go to the show, you (or at least I do) tend to move to the booth that already has what you own? I spend a lot of time at the BMW booth, since I know some of the locals manning it, and typically see at the Show what I can see at the dealers now or in a couple of months. If Triumph was there, I'd be spending time there, too. But that is 'preaching to the choir'. I'm already sold.

I imagine the Triumph marketing Dept took a hard look at their return from being at the show, and determined they could get better use from their Marketing personnel if they spent less time and money on the road, and more time doing the marketing 'stuff' necessary to support the introduction of additional successful bikes. The Cycle World show has to really eat up lots of $$ and personnel resource, since it goes from city to city for weeks on end, sort of like the Primaries.

Triumph seems to be working hard on getting a lot of free publicity in the bike mags .... I'm surprised at how much coverage they've been getting in the US pubs ....even articles on the classic Bonnies from the 1960s.

If they can continue to keep up their current sale rate, and can continue to bring out bikes like the 675 Daytona, the New Tiger, the Street Triple, etc, I'm not going to be disappointed because they don't show up in Cleveland in late January.

Bob

MAR · 01-17-2008

If Triumph thinks they can better spend thier marketing money elsewhere, they are making a serious mistake. I disagree with the notion that you tend to visit the booth of the bikes you already have.
I own a 2004 Thruxton. The first time I saw it was at the motorcycle show in San Francisco in 2004. I own a Buell XB9s. The first time I saw that was at the show as well.
These shows are great to see all the new stuff and compare at the same time.
I might never walk into a Ural dealer. However, I had the opportunity to see it in person and determine if I would ever want one as opposed to never thinking about it.

KingBear · 01-17-2008

Rather than re-type what I wrote in the same thread in the BHO forum...

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingBear

I went to the show here in DC last Saturday. A local Triumph dealer had an in-line booth with some bikes but they had run out of catalogs (half way through the second day...bad planning!) I was expecting the show to be much bigger than it was, probably because I go to so many shows for my own industry and I envisioned something like them. After seeing the show I understand why Triumph doesn't attend.

Knowing something about trade shows I can tell you it would cost Triumph about $2 million to do that show tour. That's almost $200 for every bike sold in the U.S. last year, which is a totally unacceptable return on investment. Triumph needs to do more of what they are doing (touring a demo truck) and offering other promotions, but I'd pass on the Cycle World show.

Sorry guys, I understand your disappointment over them not being there, but it's the right move.