Lieback’s Corner (#16) / 01.22.2012
Over the weekend, the fiancée and I visited the New York City Progressive International Motorcycle Show, an event I look forward to every January.
The reason? Well, living on the East Coast brings about much sadness for a motorcyclist during the winter months. I continue to ride, but out of the four bikes currently in the stable, the only one not winterized is my V-Strom. And so far this winter, I’ve only got stuck in one snowstorm aboard the V-Strom, which I’d argue is lucky.
But while inside the Javits Center in the best city on earth, it’s easy to quickly forget about all the numb-finger riding. From the OEMs to part manufacturers to the celebrities like Paul Teutul Junior and his crew from Paul Jr. Designs, there’s something for every East Coast motorcyclists looking to rumble away those winter motorcycle blues.
From layout to machines/items on display, 2012 was by far the best year I’ve witnessed at NYC IMS. And with this show came many items that were irresistible to the eyes, a few which produced all-out gawking.
Following were my favorite sightings at the 2012 International Motorcycle Show in New York City. If you were there, I’d love to hear what most appealed to your eyes…
Top 10 Sightings at 2012 NYC IMS:
10. Honda NC700X – Honda unveiled its newest creation, the 2012 NC700X, at the NYC show. Honda says the bike features “Adventure-bike styling,” and it definitely resembles an adventure bike, but is most definitely the furthest thing from an Adventure bike. But it’ll offer entry-level riders a reliable, all-around commuter platform, at a price of under $7,000. Yes, under $7,000 (for a preview, click here).
9. Zero Motorcycles Display – If there’s one company that’s persistent in bringing electric motorcycles mainstream, Zero Motorcycles is the poster child. And as the green technology grows, so does the fun factor. Take the 2012 Zero S – it’s capable of a 114-mile range, and can reach speeds up to 88 mph.
8. 2012 BMW S1000RR – When the Bavarian company released the 2009 S1000RR, it immediately proposed a huge threat to the Big Four. But after the reviews were in, the threat was bigger than imaginable; the S1000RR became the new weapon of choice, and put a major beating on other makes of literbikes, from the Big Four to its European rivals (for a preview, click here).
7. 2013 Victory Judge – I had a blast testing a Victory High Ball over the summer, and have since developed a passion for not only its high-horsepower products, but also its ballsy marketing. The Judge is the latest offering from Victory, which says it’ll release a new model every six months. The Judge pays tribute to the iconic muscle car image (not the GTO Judge), and is tastefully designed (for a preview, click here).
6. TIE: The Women of NYC IMS and the 2012 Kawasaki ZX-14R – Hey, I’m only human. With beautiful motorcycles always arrive beautiful women, and there are always lookers at International Motorcycle Shows. For the 2012 NYC show, the props went to the girls at Victory Motorcycles and Ducati. And as for the ZX-14R, well, any motorcycle in stock form that’s capable of sub-10 second quarter-mile times is a favorite in my view.
5. Husqvarna Concept Baja – I’m obsessed with following the direction of companies throughout the industry, and really appreciate what the BMW-owned Husky has been doing with their new on-road designs. First was the Nuda 900, then the Concept Strada and Concept MOAB. And now the Concept Baja. It’s going to be interesting to see how the buying market reacts (for a preview, click here).
4. 2012 Ducati 848EVO Corse SE – Of course. Why? Well, my ultimate plan for 2012 was the purchase of an Dark Stealth 848EVO. But when the Corse SE arrived, my mind quickly changed. And seeing the beauty in person intensified my hunger (for a preview, click here).
3. Touratech-USA – There’s no doubt about it – the adventure motorcycle segment is the growing quickly here in the states. And I’m part of this growth; I purchased a 2002 V-Strom this past summer, and after a few tiny adventures of my own off-road, I realized the bike needed some accessories for the abuse I was putting it through. After some research, I gave Touratech-USA a call and spoke directly to the General Manager, Paul Guillien. His excitement was endless, and the quality of the products he recommended helped push a beginning-adventure rider not only a bit farther off-road, but also a bit further in ability. Stay tuned for some Touratech reviews, and also a review of the video that was recommended by Guillien, BMW GS Off-Road Riding Skills Instructional DVD with RawHyde Adventures. Although I’m not on a GS, the instructions are needed for any Adventure rider, especially when you’re trained for the road-racing scene.
2. Triumph Steve McQueen Edition – The King of Cool arguably did more for motorcycling than any other celebrity. But what makes Steve McQueen even cooler is that he was a very competitive off-road racer. Triumph has a grasp on this, and gives credit to where it’s deserved with the new Steve McQueen Edition, which is a green Bonneville T100. I was in love with the machine from the first-released press image, but seeing the Bonnie in person added it to my “must own someday” list (for more info, click here).
1. Ducati 1199 Panigale S – OK, I’ll get to the point – besides following the industry closely, I’m obsessed with everything Ducati, especially the Italian manufacturer’s newest superbike, the 1199. This was the first time I actually witnessed the machine face-to-face, and it’s even sexier in person. But I refused to sit on it, or even touch it for that matter – I need to keep the anticipation building until the test day arrives (for a preview, click here).
Stay Twisted; Throttle yr Soul
– Ron Lieback
Lieback’s Corner is the Online Editor’s column, which delves into RL’s recent motorcycling mind breaths and wanderings.
Photos by Ron Lieback
