Motorcycle Live 2012 closed at the NEC in Birmingham today after nine days of pure motorcycling indulgence, with record numbers of families and children experiencing biking for the first time.
As well as almost 100 top racers and biking celebrities, the UK’s largest and most popular motorcycling extravaganza offered visitors no fewer than seven opportunities to ride, with the emphasis definitely on kids. A new feature to Motorcycle Live for 2012 – the Kiddimoto Children’s Fun Track – put over 1,000 children on to its balance bikes during the show.
Other indoor riding opportunities for the motorcyclists of the future included the Red Bull Pro Nationals KTM Experience, giving kids a chance to ride off-road, and My First Honda Licence, which simulates a realistic road-riding environment for children.
In all, more than 2,000 kids enjoyed a riding experience at Motorcycle Live, with almost 3,000 adults also taking to two wheels in the Test Ride Zone, the Yamaha Off-road Experience and GetOn – an industry-wide initiative to get adults on two wheels, which reported a much larger proportion of female participants at this year’s show.
Motorcycle Live 2012 attracted a total of 108,317 visitors over the nine days of the show.
Craig Watson, UK sales manager of bike manufacturer Kawasaki, said: “There have been a lot of children about, especially in our KX [off-road] area, and there’s been a lot of interest in our new 300 model, both from new riders and women. It’s been a really positive show.”
Henry Rivers-Fletcher of Oxford Products, representing exhibitors on the clothing and accessories side of the industry, added: “On the business side, we feel as though the figures are at least as good as last year, probably a bit better, and last year was a good year. I’ve also heard lots of nice things about the interactive stuff at the show, with consumers talking about there being something for the kids to do. They love that.”
Finlay McAllan, managing director of Motorcycle Live organisers MCI Exhibitions, said: “It’s been another brilliant show with non-stop entertainment and interactive features. But what is particularly brilliant about this year’s event is that it seems we’ve had more families and kids than ever before.”
He added: “Visitors from the age of two upwards have been offered a range of different opportunities to ride bikes here, and the fact that so many have had a go certainly makes the industry’s future look bright.”
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