Entrance to the 2009 International Motorcycle Show
Steve and I visited the 2009 International Motorcycle Show held in Cleveland, OH this past Sunday. It was a great opportunity to get a quick fix to aid us with the withdrawals we’ve been having as we wait for the warm weather to arrive. Sure, some would say that the cold weather shouldn’t keep you from enjoying your motorcycle. And sure enough, someone braved the elements as we saw a lone BMW GS sitting in the parking lot near the entrance. I have ridden in cold weather before (upper 20’s), but I can’t say that it was that pleasurable. I figure the layoff only helps me to appreciate my bikes even more when the spring weather hits.
The show provided a great opportunity to check out the latest motorcycles either on the market now or getting ready to hit it very soon from all of the major manufacturers. Of course, my focus was on the European makes. BMW had their first entry into the world of superbikes on display. The new S 1000 RR will hit dealerships this spring (May?) at a surprisingly competitive price of around $13,500, which is only about $1000 more than Yamaha’s YZF-R1. At a staggering 196 hp, this bike is not for the feint of heart. BMW also had the new K1300 GT on display. Having recently test ridden the 1200 version, I would say this bike would be very high on my list for my next bike purchase.
BMW S 1000 RR
BMW K1300 GT
KTM had their futuristic looking RC8 grabbing the attention of show attendees. With lines that appear more like a Stealth Fighter than a motorcycle, this 1148 cc V-twin is truly a unique machine with plenty of specs to back up the sleak, powerful lines. It’s not the most affordable bike for sure with a retail price of around $19,500. Made in Austria, the RC8 was released in 2008 and was KTM’s first attempt to produce a competitor in the world of superbikes. Nicely done, guys!
KTM 1190 RC8
Ducati made some noise of their own with the recently unveiled Streetfighter S garnering lots of attention. This beast puts out 155 hp and weighs in at a mere 368 lbs. The Streefighter has a displacement of 1099 cc and an MSRP of $18,995. The L-twin comes in black and the famous Ducati red. The beautiful exhibitor in the background is none other than Elizabeth Allen of Motohio. It was great to see her along with Mike and Kirk at the show.
Ducati Streefighter S
Another enjoyable moment of the show was the opportunity to meet Leslie Porterfield. For those not familiar with her, Leslie is considered the fastest woman on a motorcyle and holder of 3 land speed records. She was featured in a documentary for a Discovery Channel show called “Speed Capital of the World: Bonneville.” Leslie hit 234.197 mph on a highly modified 2002 Suzuki Hyabusa. She also set a record for production class bikes topping out at 192 mph on a Honda CBR1000RR Her record setting performance of 2008 was preceded by a 2007 attempt at the record which resulted in a major crash. She told us she sustained several broken ribs, a punctured lung and a concussion. Asked what she rides normally, Leslie said she owns 9 motorcycles including a Ducati 998. The 32 year old from Dallas is the owner of High Five Cycles, a motorcycle shop dealing in used motorcycles. Leslie was nice enough to autograph posters for us but neither Steve or I had sense enough to think of taking a picture of her. I borrowed the photos below courtesy of her myspace page. You can see why we weren’t thinking clearly.
Leslie Porterfield
Leslie Porterfield on her record setting, highly modified Hyabusa
There were numerous custom bikes on hand along with all kinds of vendors selling anything and everything motorcycle related. The only disappointment for me was the fact that of all the vendors there, no one was selling BMW or Ducati gear. I had anticipated getting to choose from a multitude of these manufacturer’s products but there were none to be found. Oh well. It was money I didn’t need to spend and I’m sure Motohio can take care of anything I want or need. All in all it was an enjoyable day.
