OUTDOORS /SPORTS
First Bike Show of the Year Shows Off the Goods
January 7th, 2006
Walking into the International Motorcycle Show at the Rock Financial Center, I instantly felt overwhelmed.  Maybe for the simple fact that I get excited when I walk into any motorcycle shop, yet this time, there is every manufacturer in the world has there newest models displayed and they’re all right here for the pickin’.  I couldn’t get my camera out fast enough and had to remind myself almost instantly that I had to pace myself and pay attention to what I was taking pictures of.

An hour later, I was working up a sweat and hadn’t made it half way through the layout.  I had already spent thousands with my eyes, making notes of everything that I wanted for this upcoming riding season.

.  I was glad that I had brought the wife with me to keep an eye on my wallet, I can only imagine what the bill might have looked like if she wouldn’t have been there.  There was just too much to buy and so many cool items that I just had to have. 

Name a bike builder and they were there.  From the main metric builders that were displaying all their new models, to a few of the locals builders that were showing off their one-off’s.  Jolly Roger Customs had their new 24” Cutlass Rims on Display and forget the others and their wide tire patterns, tall is where the market is going.  There new rims that had One-Off Metzeler tires wrapped around them were show stoppers in their own circle.  Everyone had a wide rim, No One had a tall one like Jolly Roger, and that’s when you know you’re ahead of the game.

Roland Sands had a bike that turned every head that passed by it.  The difference was he built this bike to give away for charity!!!  How cool is that?!?!?  Check out the gallery to see the rolling masterpiece and the one-off jacket that went with it. 

If there was one thing that stole the show, it was the presence of the new wave of Super Moto bikes that are coming into the market.  Look back a few years ago and there were only a handful of manufacturers producing Super Moto’s, this year almost every company had at least one model if not two to choose from.  Watch these next few years, and I’ll bet this will be the next sport that’ll steal the lime-light.  Super Moto will be a common  name in a few years.  It makes perfect sense if you think about it.  Most can buy one of these bikes for a third of a Harley, and they’re metric built, so you know the only thing you’re going to have to do is put oil in it and it’ll run for ever.  With Gas prices being at an all time high, why not get one of these as a run-a-bout and save some serious money, while having a blast while you’re doing it. 

I stopped at the Super Moto Booth and talked with Tom and Dave for a few and cant wait till this summer when they’ll have sessions all summer long out at the Waterford Hills track.  Check out their web site to see if it’s something you’re interested in, even if you just come out and watch, I guarantee it’ll be a fun time. 

A few hours into the show, they announced there was going to be a stunt show.  I wandered over to the roped off area to see what the crowd gathered around was waiting to see.  When they announced that the Boss Brothers were going to be performing, I was pretty excited; I had seen these two young guys on TV a few different times and couldn’t believe I was seeing them live in person.  They’ve been riding bikes since they were three years old and can do tricks most of us only dream about.  The crowd was going wild and I was geeked just looking at their selection of Mini’s.  A half-hour later, my jaw hurt from hanging open for so long after watching the tricks these guys had just pulled off.  Ranging from getting into a steel ball with three mini bikes to freestyle stunt riding to back-flips in-doors, I was amazed. 

If you missed this show, don’t worry, it was the first one of the season.  It was one of the coolest, right up there with the International Auto Show that’ll debut this month in Detroit, but don’t worry, there’ll be plenty more this summer, and we’ll be at all of them.

Check out the gallery here and hope to see you out riding this summer

Pat Bonish
pat@stldmag.com

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