M stands for motorcycles, but it can also stand for Meh. And that is exactly what it was last Saturday at the International Motorcycle Show in Seattle - Meh for Motorcycles.
Months ago, or even a few weeks ago, we had no intention of attending the show in Seattle. We'd attended the one on Abbotsford, BC and figured we didn't need to go to another. As the weekend approached our local weather forecast was for a lot of rain and high winds so we figured why not. It would give us an opportunity to compare the show in Abbotsford to the show in Seattle back-to-back.
The Seattle show was originally in December, the weekend before Christmas. This show season they changed it to begin on February 14th, and was the last show of the tour. We aren't sure if that is why it was so disappointing - thinking the vendors were just tuckered out by the end of the tour.....
Troubadour and I left the house at 8:30 am and listened to the rain fall in buckets the whole way. We finally turned the radio off, it was raining too hard to hear it. We made a few stops along the way. In Portland we stopped by Back to Eden Bakery for some black chai tea lattes with hazelnut milk, breakfast of kale/tomato cashew tarts, and we picked up some tasty treats to go. We also stopped in Tumwater for petrol and Starbucks.
We arrived in Seattle just before 3 pm and had a late lunch; a vegan Thai Buffet. Maybe if we had of ordered off the menu it might have been better or if we arrived a little earlier, but it was certainly nothing to write home about. The problem with being a reasonably good cook is that you get disappointed a lot when eating out. So without too much fuss we headed to the convention center to the show.
We found underground parking at the show and headed in. The usual manufacturers all had booths: Triumph, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Can Am, Yamaha, KTM, BMW, etc. What was sadly lacking were the vendors. Of course Progressive Insurance (sponsor of the show) was there and also Allstate Insurance coupled with a booth or two of custom ear plugs, anti-fog products, and rescue tape. But that was about it.
The highlight of the show was the Sound Rider motorcycle display and the vintage bike display. Here are a few pics.
SOUND RIDER DISPLAY OF LOCAL MACHINES
 |
| (2012 Ural Yamal) |
 |
| (2014 Norton Comando) |
 |
| (1994 Suzuki GS 500 - ridden to Alaska and back) |
 |
| (2007 Excalibur Quad Cycle- Sidecar built by Liberty in Seattle) |
 |
| (1975 Honda CB125 built by MISSIONmoto.org - Dar you need this) |
 |
| (1964 Pointer Super Lassie, one of the last off the production line) |
And the Fugliest Bike Award goes to this homage to the Seattle Seahawks. It was really hard to look at.
 |
| (Damn, that is fugly........) |
VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE DISPLAY
 |
| (1969 Honda CL 350) |
 |
| (1937 Gnome Rhone - Model AX2, 800 cc) |
 |
| (1924 Brough Superior SS80, 1000 cc) |
 |
| (1951 Triumph Tiger 500) |
Back out and wandering the floor we saw that Yamaha had another custom Bolt on display, this one customized by Doc's Chops (soon to be Hageman Motorcycles). Now doesn't it look like it would be fun to ride?
Triumph also had a custom Scrambler that had been thoroughly enjoyed in the wild, as well as a few flat trackers and Latus Motors Thruxton customized for the salt flats. They also had one of Elena Myers' Daytona 675R, but I didn't get a picture of it. Quite a few people around it.
 |
| (Latus Motors rider Jason DiSalvo's Triumph Thruxton built by Dave Rosen) |
The show was spread out (I think, to try and make it look larger) over two room at the convention center and were connected by a pedestrian walkway over Pike Street with the Pike Street Market in the background. Here is my one non-moto photo taken that day.
We left the show after wandering for just 90 minutes or so. A far cry from the 7 hours at the Abbotsford one. Because of the location at the convention center, the Seattle show did not include any stunt shows or trials demonstrations. How sad.
We had a bit of a drive to our hotel in Sea-Tac so we decided to forego dinner and had the leftover bakery items in our hotel, and watched something on the telly.
After a crappy night's sleep with high winds and sirens we headed home just after 8 am on Sunday morning. Luckily we had mostly sunny skies, that is until we crossed over into Oregon and the rains started again.
I think this might have been our last Seattle Motorcycle Show. We've gone to the last 5 in a row and are pretty much bored with them now. The question is - do we go to next years Abbotsford show or just let it marinate for a year or two then go again?
- Au Revoir
" We all need empty hours in our lives or we will have no time to create or dream." - Robert Coles
.
Six hours to Seattle for a less than satisfying time. Still may be a nice way to spend the weekend if for no other reason than to get out of town. Thanks for sharing all the photos. You'd have to be a real fan to like the Seahawks bike...
ReplyDeleteIt was a good excuse to get out of dodge during the poor weather. Sad that it rained the whole way up, but we were in the Subaru so it wasn't too terrible.
DeleteThanks for posting the show pics! I've missed the local show the last couple of years. Fugly isn't a strong enough word for that horrible looking POS! I'm liking the 125 with the polka dots and the paint on the Yamaha 950.
ReplyDeleteYes, that Seahawks bike has got to be the ugliest bike I've ever seen. I sure didn't take pics because I liked it, just though I'd share the fugly. Misery loves company.
DeleteTrobairitz:
ReplyDeleteI generally attend a motorcycle show to socialize and not really to look at bikes at all. That's why I don't like to go alone. If I know someone who is going, or want to go with me then I would go just to keep them company. I have not been to any motorcycle show since the last one when we went to Seattle 2 years ago.
I don't belong to clubs and I have no riding buddies up here since our scooter scene exploded a few years ago. Even the new riding club I found out imploded again and they started a new group but I don't do facebook and never know what events are happening.
There's nothing wrong with just meeting in the middle one day and just have a relaxing weekend playing tourist.
As much as those old bikes, or even custom bikes look nice I would rather have something that looked classic but with modern running gear like: ABS. disc brakes and FI
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
We'll find some weekend where we can meet in the middle this summer. Hard part will be figuring out when and where.
DeleteToo bad both the lunch and the show were disappointing ... but I agree Richard, sometimes it doesn't matter 'cause it's just nice to get out of town.
ReplyDeleteVegan restaurants typically cost more so you expect better quality. We have better quality at our local baguette or thai place here in town. Oh well, live and learn. It was nice for an overnight though. Made a 2 day weekend seem like a week, lol.
DeleteI'd have to agree about the Seahawks bike and I try to at least be open to other's perception of beauty. This one lacks it.
ReplyDeleteCertainly understand about the show(s) not meeting expectations. Ours gets to be less and less about the bikes, more and more about stumbling upon friends that I run into.
I'm always game for even the slightest excuse to get out of town. Maybe a golf, travel, camping, cooking expo next time??
I agree, less and less about the bikes. Unfortunatly we left our planning until the last minute or we would have had Bobskoot for company. He had other plans though.
DeleteCamping is on our list for this summer - moto-camping and a few over nighters. Need to make up for a lack of riding last year.
When you wrote that about the rain and noise, turning off the radio, I was right there in the car with you. I could just feel being there. Those tarts sound wonderful! And sounds like a really snuggy night with dessert in bed :^)
ReplyDeleteYou would have loved the tarts. Like a mini quiche but vegan. A cashew cream instead of egg mixture. I should have taken a pic - but alas - too hungry.
DeleteAnd yes, it was kind of cool eating dessert in bed for dinner. The perks of being an adult I guess.
Bummer, but I agree the show got worse over the years, especially after they moved the venue. For us Seattle was always worth the trip, worst case we could go visit in one day and didn't even need the overnighter. However, you managed to capture a few gems, my favorite being the Yamaha 950. And the Seahawks bike is likely the fugliest bike I have ever seen. Its picture is burned into my retina now, I need to see a doctor...
ReplyDeleteDo you need some brain bleach to get that image out of your head? I need to pass the bottle around I guess.
DeleteTraffic on I-5 gets gridlocked and is stop and go through Tacoma and again in Seattle at Qwest Field so it is harder to do a one day trip for us. Don't think we didn't think about it when we couldn't sleep though. Damn near left for home at midnight.
Sounds like you do some serious travelling to the bike shows. I don't even know when or where a bike show is held in/around San Antonio...but it would be fun to go. Sorry to hear the Seattle show was a bust for you. Does Harley-Davidson ever attend these type of shows? Thanks for sharing all the photos...makes me feel like I was there. :-)
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Curt
Live Free. Ride Hard. Be Happy
www.curtcarter.com
With the crappy weather of freezing cold and snow/rain we've had lately there isn't much else to be done motorcycle related so we may as well go look at shiny new bikes.
DeleteHarley was in attendance and did have one of the largest booths. I just forgot to mention it. They have a large presence at all of the shows. It is usually busy so I have a tendency to skirt around that area.
I also forgot to mention Ducati was there too.
I totally agree with your Fugly declaration. I don't think I will be attending any more shows. I, too, was disappointed by the lack of vendors. It's nice to see all the bikes, but it would have been better for me if there was more gear/trinkets to peruse. I'm with you on the being a reasonably good cook thing, too. Meals at restaurants should impress at least to some degree. It's always disappointing to pay for a restaurant meal you know you could have easily replicated or done better at home.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to eat out sometimes when you know how to cook. My grandfather has owned a restaurant, my mother has owned a restaurant, and I was cooking in a cafe when I was in grade 9 in BC. I don't think they'd let you do that anymore.
DeleteWe have a few chosen places we eat out here in town, in Eugene or Portland. We like to try new places, it just doesn't always work out.
No argument on the Seahawk's bike being ugly, but it is unique, which is all that seems to be required these days. Personally I liked the sidecar quad - that looked like it could be a blast (or a death trap with that narrow wheelbase, high bars, etc.)
ReplyDeleteShows in general have been getting worse over the years imo. If I want to see new bikes I can go to the dealer and look without a) paying; and b) fighting crowds to talk to a rep. What I like to see in shows are the customs, the unique not-for-sale specials that manufacturers trot out from time to time, vintage bikes, or anything with an interesting history, and lots and lots of accessories. And those are the things that seem to be fewer in shows today.
I'd never seen a sidecar quad before so it was interesting to me. I don't think you'd want to race it around any corners or ride it in high winds though.
DeleteWe have some nice larger dealerships in neighboring towns we can go visit and ogle the new stuff. What is usually good about the shows are the vendors with the complete lines ( a lot of shops don't carry one of everything).
My favorites are always the vintage and customized bikes. Like you said, stuff you just don't see everyday.
Isn't it interesting that many of the new bikes are throwbacks to their predecessors of fifty or so years ago. What goes round comes round I guess. Great photos as usual. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI really like that so many of the new bikes are a nod to their predecessors. They seemed to have a lot more style back in the day, not just a bunch of plastic and angular lines. The Suzuki TU 250 is an example as is the Honda CB1000.
DeleteI am planning to go the show that they tried out in Orlando this year based on Milan's EICMA. The AMA magazine had a profile of the developer of the show in the latest edition of the AMA magazine. I never get to see anything much except a parade of Harleys with the odd sport bike from Miami thrown in. Or a solitary BMW from time to time girdling the southernmost point in full desert traveler mode.
ReplyDeleteThat would be an interesting show. I hear the EICMA would be the show to go to. Let us all know how it is.
DeleteI think full desert traveler mode in the Keys would stand out like a sore thumb. Not hard to spot though.
Oh how sad that it was so disappointing, we really dont get many bike shows where I am .. like none, so I'm still envious of you .. I would have been happy to have seen just a few of those bikes.
ReplyDeleteAt least you got away for a couple of days :)
It did manage to make the weekend seem longer which was nice and I always enjoy spending time with hubby so that was good too.
DeleteAt least there were some neat vintage bikes to look at. Bummer you don't have any shows near you. Just think of all the good stuff you have though.
Brandy - YUP I love the pink & white polka dot Honda!!! Although the seat looks like it could pose a few issues - OUCH! I am leaning more to the URAL, now wouldn't that be smashing done up in pink & white dots?!! I decided not to go to any shows this year, A) due to expense and really I wasn't all that impressed with the one at the Tradex that I went to a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteHmmm I think I need to find a polkadot-able bike :)
A pink Ural with white polka dots? Now that would be a head turner. You could pull it off though. A perfect Diva-mobile. The sign on the bike at the show said all the dots were hand applied. I think there are over 200 it said.
DeleteNow that's a lot of dots! Not sure I would have the patience to hand apply that many dots. I think a deep hot pink or fuschia Ural would be amazing with black pin striping would make feel happy, or a black Ural with hot pink pin striping would really bake my bread.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of black with hot pink pin-striping idea. Classy but understated.
DeleteThe shows are more of a meet up for me too and finding something I just can't get anywhere else. I do like seeing your pics. Sorry for the bad nights rest. Hope the Spring and weather will change soon.
ReplyDeleteBad nights rest was partly our fault for forgetting our white noise machine we use at home. We've used one for so long it is hard to sleep without it and the heater in the room didn't have a loud enough fan.
DeleteWe are hoping to be done with the freezing weather and that it will be dry enough for a ride this Saturday. Fingers crossed.
I loved the Gnome Rhone. I could have looked at more photos of that one. A charmer.
ReplyDeleteI really liked it too. I'd never heard of one before. I would have liked to take more pictures, but they had it's sidecar up against the riser for the upper level of bikes and I couldn't get to that side. I wish it was roped off, but on display in a way that we could walk around it.
DeleteI luv the Norton and would dearly love to have one in my garage to ride. That last picture of the city street is so awesome.
ReplyDeleteAnd one of the 2014 Nortons would be fuel injected too. Just press the button and go.
DeleteThanks Wooley. The last pic is my favorite too. With the Canon camera set to auto and shooting through glass I was surprised it turned out that well. I like the reflections of all the lights in the puddles.