International Motorcycle Show, San Mateo Expo Center, Nov 8-10, 2002

All pics by Jimil until I get more from the rest of you guys....

I didn't think that the show this year was all that. The
manufacturer's booths were smaller, there were less m/c gear vendors, and
just the overall feel was different. Maybe its cause I went on a Friday
evening, maybe its cause it was raining, maybe its our @#$%ed up economy,
but last year's show was definitely better. That said, the show was OK,
definitely worth the entrance fee, but not as good as previous years.

The new Duc 999 and 749 look a LOT better in person than in pictures.
Personally I like the yellow better than the red. They had one 999 with
clear fairings so you could see its engine and plumbing. Very cool to see.
Don't think you'll be able to buy with the clear fairings it was just for
display purposes only. Another thing I noticed with the new 999/749 was
that they are TINY! Or at least seem very small.

I was expecting to see the new Benelli but it was not there. I heard it
showed up on Saturday....bastids...their logo was on the M/C show website,
and damnit if you open your doors on Friday and you are advertising Benelli,
then I expect to see a Benelli Tornado Tre 900 sitting somewhere.....(me
just disappointed as I really wanted to see the bike again although I
already saw it at Laguna a few months back).

Aprilia's Haga replica is just awesome looking. The Mille in silver/black
looks VERY sweet as well as the new Tuono. Although their booth was pretty
small, they did have a lot of people packed around it. I never liked the
Mille when it first came out but it is growing on me really quick and I may
have to seriously restrain myself from going out and getting one.

Over at the other building they had the Big 4 and the American machines.
Over at Honda the new CBR 600RR was on a turn table display. You could look
but not "try on". I does look very very cool with its trick undertail
exhaust and its beefy (for a 600) swingarm. In anycase, the new CBR is
plain awesome looking. The front view is more aggressive looking than the
F4i and the swingarm just looks super trick. The rest of the bikes were
standard fare that were already at last years show.

The new R6 was impressive as well but I'll have to admit that the CBR wins
in looks. At least Yamaha had the new R6 out for you to check out and sit
on. The YZF600R had a new silver paint scheme that I really like and of
course the R1 was strutting its stuff. The FJ1300 felt absolutely LONG.
Longer than a Hayabusa, maybe it is, but its still a sweet looking sport
touring bike that puts down a LOT of HP and torque. Its a shafty too!
Kawi had their new 636 and zx-6rr, IMO, they look alright, but I'll have to
say the CBR and the R6 look better. Their new naked Z1000 bike looks very
cool and hooliganish. I WANT ONE!!!

Suzuki had the new SV1000 and SV650s out. The SV1000S looks sweet. Some
people don't like its angular upper fairings but I thing it looks cool.
Kenny Roberts GP bike was on display along with Mladin's Superbike. I was
disappointed again when Suzuki did NOT have the new GSXR1000 on display. I
find out later on that they brought it out on Saturday. Bastards again.
Hayabusa in Silver.....OMG....pretty bike...some Helibars, rearsets, and a
corbin saddle and you have the sport-touring bike from HELL!

Not too many vendors this year. Definitely smaller. Hardly any posters,
stickers, and other Cycle Show swag. I'm of the type who like to gather
brochures, pamphlets, stickers and such.

Helimot's (a San Jose based custom suit maker praised highly for their
quality suits) had my buddy's x-wing fighter pilot leathers on display. It
was definitely attracting attention. Also attracting attention was a woman
who had leathers that looked like she was just wearing a nighty. Very
um...interesting...

Over all the show was definitely better last year. This year was so-so. I
hope they do a better job next year. Don't get me wrong, I believe its
worth the $10 entrance fee. Heck you get to see almost every production
bike that will hit our shores, its just it was a lot more fun last year.