Cycle News Staff | February 24, 2023
One of the big happenings in the motorcycle industry last week was the AIMExpo, North America’s largest motorcycle and powersports tradeshow. This year’s gathering, once again, took place at the Las Vegas Convention Center, February 15-17.
VIDEO | The Coolest Stuff At The 2023 AIMExpo
2023 AIMExpo
Photography by Ryan Nitzen and Kit Palmer
The AIMExpo provides a platform for brands, manufacturers, and distributors to launch new products and engage with dealers, media outlets and influencers. There have been times in the past where the AIMExpo was open to the public, but this year’s event was held behind closed doors.
The expo was well attended by both exhibitors (reportedly 325 in total) and dealers, as well as several OEMs. The Pierer Mobility Group was well represented with its family brand of powersports (and even human-powered-sports) products, including KTM, GasGas, Husqvarna and its newest family members MV Agusta and Felt Bicycles, of which many examples were on display. Japanese manufactures Suzuki, Kawasaki and Yamaha also had a presence. Other notable manufacturers that participated were Moto Morini, Triumph, SSR and the Piaggio Group brands.
One of the event’s guest speakers was three-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Champion Angelle Sampey who had the crowd’s ear as she described what it’s like for a featherweight 5’1” female to handle a 400-horsepower drag bike that pulls three-plus gs down the strip.
The expo also came to a full stop Wednesday afternoon, pausing to remember Parts Unlimited founder and legendary business leader Fred Fox who recently passed away.
Here is a look at some of the more interesting things Cycle News saw while attending this year’s AIMExpo:
There is only one of these in the U.S. and it was on display at this year’s AIMExpo. The MV Agusta Superveloce 1000 is expected to arrive here in the U.S. in about a year’s time. Luca Dovesi, who is charge of MV Agusta North America, promises to make the MV Agusta brand a household word in the U.S. soon. He’s off to a good start with the Superveloce 1000 and its MotoGP-inspired wings and exotic looks.
Suzuki used the AIMExpo to debut its all-new GSX-8S and V-Strom 800DE. Pictured here is the V-Strom with its brand-new parallel-twin, 270° crank motor. Suzuki president Mr. Masami Haga was in attendance to participate in the live unveiling.
The V-Strom 800DE’s new dash has a modern look.
Suzuki reps are excited about the company’s new GSX-8S, which shares the same motor as the new V-Strom 800DE.
Moto geeks were drooling over these shiny Technical Touch X-Trig clamps that were on display.
E-bikes were popular at this year’s expo. Husqvarna showed off its very trick, high-tech and just plain beautiful battery-assisted mountain bikes. GasGas also showed off its similar looking, red-colored e-pedal pushers.
Rabaconda has a new street-tire changer to accompany its already well-known dirt-tire changer.
CounterShox has a new device that’s designed to absorb and deaden forces from the fork to the handlebars.
This is just one of many examples of the “out-there” e-motorcycles, most of them built in China, that were on display in Vegas. One had an equally bizarre-looking matching helmet if you dare to wear one.
MotoTrainer’s official MotoGP simulator was a popular place to visit during the expo. With the simulator, you can drag a knee without actually dragging a knee.
Greenger debuted its new G3 at the show. Company reps say its power is equivalent to a 110cc pit bike.
Moto Morini, the Italian motorcycle brand that was founded in 1937, used the AIMExpo to reintroduce the brand to the U.S. market. The brand will have three models available this summer including the X-Cape (pictured), a 650cc parallel-twin ADV bike that has a suggested retail price of $8299. Among other bikes, Moto Morini manufactured the Indian-branded Mini Mini Bambino in the late 1960s and early ‘70s, popular with the kids at the time. The brand now has Chinese ownership and has been selling bikes in several countries.
